PureOS will continue to be freely available for all, there is no product difference for subscribers or non-subscribers.
If you don’t wish to contribute, you don’t have to. Other people will hopefully contribute and provide the means for Purism to have sustainable development, because even though PureOS is provided at gratis, it is likely not cheap to develop.
You are welcome to be cautious about this approach, though I see it as a slippery-slope argument. Thankfully, there is no vendor lock-in with Purism’s hardware so if they do something objectionable, you can move to other software, such as Mobian, which seems like it will continue to have steady development, though probably not with the Librem 5 in mind.
If I had an income, I would elect to subscribe so that Purism can pay developers for their skills and time.
Oh, but I do want to contribute. But not with the history bee-bopping around the 'net referencing the L5.
As I tried to convey, and as a frequent buyer of software and technicians, I am very cautious of ‘free’. If the OS and updates is free, then where might I get the name of the person who is funding it or volunteered. I’d like to thank them and add them to my Christmas card list.
I would rather donate subscribe by the year and send $119.99 (they can eat the 0.01) but for me, that’s (at 9.99 /mo.) $119.88 but with currency exchange about it’s about $163.92. I have to consider that too.
This plus history, plus experience plus the forums…
I want Puri to succeed and seeing positive change at the source might encourage me. But the L5 I have has to do better than 2048.
Right now, my phone isn’t worth funding something I can’t use. I “probably” maybe will reconsider when it gets back from repairs.
(assuming that it’s not just faulty) I guess this is a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem.
Predicting the future is usually difficult, and I’m not going to offer a prediction.
I don’t know whether your opinion was intended to apply specifically to PureOS, specifically to PureOS on the Librem 5, or more generally. For sure there are plenty of challenges that you can see in the present.
Looking at the smaller picture though … there is a problem now - and this (optional subscription) is one solution now - and it’s basically what some forum participants asked for.
Or if you mean in android, many of the launchers are the apps in alphabetical order including the microsof launcher which mimics the way windows phone showed the list of apps in alphabeticalorder.
Not all of the OEM android variants do this, some are ordered by install date, others in other ways so any specific android device may or may not look this way by default.
Having owned an L5 for a couple of years now, I would gladly donate to further its software development.
I understand that Purism needs to sell new hardware but I am unwilling to keep purchasing new phones, laptops, etc. to have updated software. I was under the impression that the L5 could make it possible to keep using the same phone for many years if so desired, unlike any of the Google/Samsung etc. offerings.
@irvinewade:
After reading the blog, I have decided to donate via subscription. Hopefully some of these funds can be used to further Crimson development.
I do not like to transfer Money Monthly from Europe to US, cause of the cost of transfer, and the changed amount every time to a daily exchange rate from euro to us dollar. So is there a way to spend monthly Money to PrueOS Crimson Development? I would love Gnu-Taler or the (did not know before NGI Taler), to do so.
If not i will try to transfer monthly Money to some few European developer - or spend some cash on the yearly fosdem in Bonn or Brüssel. - Thinking of it - i think this way is the best way for me.
I understand that this is not directly what you are asking for but … you could discuss with Purism a one-off donation via the PureOS store (already exists) that is equal to 12 x the proposed monthly amount but where you explicitly direct the funds as if it had been a PureOS subscription … and then repeat that process once each year.
The advantage to you is fewer transactions and you know precisely what exchange rate will apply.
I prefer to buy other products/services (eg: L5 lapdock and/or Librem One) to Purism if they organise special discount days like Amazon Prime days or Black Friday! Do you know if Purism do that?
Yes, infrequent sales occur each year, which some only announced by newsletter. A coupon code is distributed which can be applied during your order for a discount.
I subscribed to the Expert tier. How much money does Purism actually get every month if I pay using American Express? Credit card company takes 3-4% or something? Anything else? Also converions from euros to US dollars. Depending on this calculation, might indeed be better to pay a lump sum every year.
Does that actually disclose all (or any of) the actual merchant charges that are based on annual transaction volume, transaction size, and who knows what else imposed specifically by American Express and generally by any other credit card issuer? (I know I could try to dig one up or start an actual credit application, but I am not that curious.)
Sure does. A foreign transaction fee applies for currency conversion utilizing the card, usually percentage-based. Some cards waive the fee but have other tradeoffs.
by the year and send $119.99 (they can eat the 0.01) but for me, that’s (at 9.99 /mo.) $119.88 but with currency exchange about it’s about $163.92. I have to consider that too.