On Mon, Jan 14, 2019 at 04:01:25PM +0100, Max wrote:
I'm not really sure whether receiving payment
could be considered as
"collaboration" in the context of Free Software: usually collaboration means
code contributions, tickets, documentation, testing etc.
Receiving money is a key part of corruption, for example. For important
public/social positions, there are strict laws about where you're allowed to
get money from for very concrete reasons. GSoC isn't openly imposing anything
as return favor, the same way it isn't openly imposing a return favor for your
search results. But all of it serves their corporate purpose nevertheless.
I find it hard to put in few crisp words, but in general I agree with the
general distrust of companies too huge to be good for anyone.
If nothing else, Google uses GSoC to identify individuals that have time on
their hands, are interested in software and need money, and they affiliate that
new young generation with themselves, imprinting a positive image.
(That's all I'm going to say on it... OT)
~N