I own and support several repositories for Perl-based libraries mostly concerning PDF document creation and upkeep (Perl-PDF-Builder, PDF-Table, and Text-KnuthPlass). While the full code (and issues support) is in GitHub public repositories, the installable packages are actually released on CPAN (cpan.org). I see that GitHub has started offering sponsorships, but it seems like there are an awful lot of hoops to jump through (e.g., needing to set up a Stripe payment system). I see here that some developers are using Patreon, which is big in the podcast and YouTube video arena. I wondering if either would fit my desire to get a small income stream from my work, and maybe incentivize me to put out updates on a more regular basis. It would be nice for users of my software to be able to toss me a buck or two per month, or a fiver or two when I drop a new release, or even just a one-time "Thank You", without going to a full subscription model. I don't really want the hassle of restricting some content to paid subscribers.
All my repositories are under active development, although some are much more active than others. I don't want a supporter complaining that they haven't seen a new code drop in 8 months, so what are they paying me for? Is sponsorship per GitHub account or per repository? There's no fixed schedule -- I get fixes and new stuff out when I can, around paid contract work (I do have some customers paying to add specific features) and life in general. I think Sponsors requires a Stripe account; I'd like something that can accept a variety of online payment systems (I'm not sure what Patreon wants) with maximum convenience for those who want to pay, and minimum hassle for me. Sponsors makes a big deal about reporting income to the IRS -- yeah, I know it's necessary (though of course I'm not happy about it, but I do pay my taxes), so a 1099 is fine and I should be able to withdraw money easily either to PayPal or directly to my bank account. Speaking of PayPal, does anyone simply let supporters transfer dollars to their account (payment), or is that hazardous in some way?
Does it sound like either Sponsors or Patreon (or even PayPal) would fit the bill for me? Is there a minimum amount of activity or other restrictions that either requires? I just want to see what others do about this, to get a little bit of an income stream from their work. I really don't want to set up tiers or restrict content, or have any extra work. I'm semi-retired, so I'm not expecting to make a fortune off this (or even a living wage -- just cover my computer-related expenses), and Perl is now rather niche, but every little bit helps. This could be either to my business name, or personally. Thanks for any advice on what might be a good fit for me.
I own and support several repositories for Perl-based libraries mostly concerning PDF document creation and upkeep (Perl-PDF-Builder, PDF-Table, and Text-KnuthPlass). While the full code (and issues support) is in GitHub public repositories, the installable packages are actually released on CPAN (cpan.org). I see that GitHub has started offering sponsorships, but it seems like there are an awful lot of hoops to jump through (e.g., needing to set up a Stripe payment system). I see here that some developers are using Patreon, which is big in the podcast and YouTube video arena. I wondering if either would fit my desire to get a small income stream from my work, and maybe incentivize me to put out updates on a more regular basis. It would be nice for users of my software to be able to toss me a buck or two per month, or a fiver or two when I drop a new release, or even just a one-time "Thank You", without going to a full subscription model. I don't really want the hassle of restricting some content to paid subscribers.
All my repositories are under active development, although some are much more active than others. I don't want a supporter complaining that they haven't seen a new code drop in 8 months, so what are they paying me for? Is sponsorship per GitHub account or per repository? There's no fixed schedule -- I get fixes and new stuff out when I can, around paid contract work (I do have some customers paying to add specific features) and life in general. I think Sponsors requires a Stripe account; I'd like something that can accept a variety of online payment systems (I'm not sure what Patreon wants) with maximum convenience for those who want to pay, and minimum hassle for me. Sponsors makes a big deal about reporting income to the IRS -- yeah, I know it's necessary (though of course I'm not happy about it, but I do pay my taxes), so a 1099 is fine and I should be able to withdraw money easily either to PayPal or directly to my bank account. Speaking of PayPal, does anyone simply let supporters transfer dollars to their account (payment), or is that hazardous in some way?
Does it sound like either Sponsors or Patreon (or even PayPal) would fit the bill for me? Is there a minimum amount of activity or other restrictions that either requires? I just want to see what others do about this, to get a little bit of an income stream from their work. I really don't want to set up tiers or restrict content, or have any extra work. I'm semi-retired, so I'm not expecting to make a fortune off this (or even a living wage -- just cover my computer-related expenses), and Perl is now rather niche, but every little bit helps. This could be either to my business name, or personally. Thanks for any advice on what might be a good fit for me.