Steel manning here, the outcome is unfortunate because presumably these projects have positive externalities (benefits accruing to people other than other than whoever is paying, if anyone) and so the optimal funding for them from a social/aggregate point of view is greater than it currently is. That they are not funded enough is a case of market failure.
Of course this doesn't contradict your point, that is fine for the maintainers to respond to these incentives. (Edit: to that end I agree with one of the main points of the article, developer's shouldn't be embarrassed about doing things for money, seeing as it's somewhat necessary for the world we live in).
Of course this doesn't contradict your point, that is fine for the maintainers to respond to these incentives. (Edit: to that end I agree with one of the main points of the article, developer's shouldn't be embarrassed about doing things for money, seeing as it's somewhat necessary for the world we live in).