gf-tech.com

A while ago I read about Jeff Atwood donating a sum of money to an open source project. It got me thinking about all the tools and utilities that I use at work on a daily basis. I find lots of open source apps to help me work better, to enhance my computer (which helps me work better), and to manage my data.

Last year I decided that in 2009 I would purchase a licence or donate to an app's author each month. Lots of projects have a donation button, and for those I am still trying to figure out an amount that makes a difference. I want to let the author know that their app makes a difference to me, but I can't break my bank account doing that. I had this idea before the economy started its downward slide, and now I think it is more important than ever to do this.

Some of the commercial apps I will be buying a licence for can be pricey. I think that for the year I will end up spending close to $350. Stay tuned to learn about where I spend my money.