Hello all. I’m curious, when did downloading Fritzing start requiring us to make a donation? I get that supporting the development is important,I’ve been working in Open Source software for almost 25 years or so. But, I have to say, anytime a piece of software starts not just pushing for donations, but actively making it either a requirement or by obfuscating the ability to download without donating, I immediately get a bit weirded out. Especially since everyone is still referring to donations, not payment.
If it’s required, it’s not a donation.
So, when did this happen with Fritzing? I can’t find anywhere on the site to download without paying, or a reference to anything regarding downloading without paying. Any reference to downloading links to the payment download, and that page has no alternatives either. Am IO missing something, or has this project become a commercially driven endeavour now?
Joining the question, im having a hard time finding the specific download link that doesnt require me to make a donation in order to download the program
Exactly what prompted this post. Since starting this thread, I did a bit more digging and found that the software was originally funded by public funds, so maybe they were required to pay back those funds at some point and therefore started charging for the service? I don’t know, but I will say I’m a bit annoyed that I can’t even get a response to the question.
I would even be interested in making said donation/payment, but my question being ignored and the strange change to commercially driven project without any information as to when it happened and why just bothers me to no end.
I didn’t bother to answer because this topic has been beaten to death. I expect most other people feel the same. A search in the forums for “donation” should find the various previous posts. I think that the fact that development has restarted after 5 or 6 years of stagnation speaks for itself. No need to beat a dead horse nor e encouraging beating dead horses …