[mythtv-users] RE:Isaac's unemployment

Scott Pouliot spouliot at scpsoftware.net
Tue Mar 9 18:02:09 EST 2004


Cleveland huh?  I'll be flying to Westlake, OH March 22nd - 25th....maybe I
can take him to dinner as a thanks  ;-)
 
Scott

  _____  

From: mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org
[mailto:mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org] On Behalf Of Couvrette, Jeffrey C.
Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2004 4:58 PM
To: 'mythtv-users at mythtv.org'
Subject: [mythtv-users] RE:Isaac's unemployment 



I agree that it would be really nice to find a way to help support Isaac and
other key contributors to open-source projects for their time.  

 

Isaac, if you are not comfortable taking donations from strangers, maybe you
would consider spending the approximately $40 to set up a
sole-proprietorship so that you could be considered your own business within
the city of Cleveland (or maybe it's setup through the county) and then you
could consider money paid through Paypal as payments for services rendered
and then claim the payments as actual income from your business.  Of course,
you would have to pay taxes as you would for any other income, but it would
be a legitimate business venture from which you could possibly make some
profit for yourself.  

 

You have donated much of yourself to this project; you shouldn't feel
uncomfortable having some financial means come from it.  Maybe if you start
to consider this project as a business venture in some ways, you could
figure out a business model that could be profitable for you.  Heck, if you
figure out a way to support yourself through MythTV, you would be providing
another service to the open-source community by showing an example of how to
manage an open-source project and make money!  

 

Be willing to be flexible; you don't have to work for someone else to make
money.  For example, recently, I have been helping friends and family with
computer problems a lot.  I don't feel comfortable having friends/family pay
me for my time, other than in beer, but I was taking time off from a paying
job to help them out.  What I did do was get a sole-proprietorship, printed
some business cards, and started asking friends and family that I help to
hold onto a couple business cards and recommend me to their friends.  In the
last two months, I have started to acquire paying customers.  I don't make a
lot, but it at least pays me for the time that I take away from my other
job.  And in the process, I get some flexibility in my lifestyle and in a
portion, get to work for myself!  

 

In short, I just wanted to offer some advice and suggest that you look for
ways to provide for yourself doing the things that you love.  Contrary to
what many of us think, your time is worth something.  Just be willing to let
people compensate you for that time; you may find out that people consider
your work more valuable than you think.  I for one consider your project
valuable to me and I think many others out there do as well.

 

Best of luck and Thanks!

 

Jeff

 

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