Here we go again: There are is a lot of software that we would all like to see developed and deployed right? There are a lot of people out there who write code, sometimes even freely redistributable code, but they have to eat, and get their net access right? Well, I was thinking, what if a "Crypto Software Bounty Server" were set up, so that someone could propose a tool that they would like to see, along with an initial bounty. Others could contribute toward that bounty (anonymously if they wish) until either the tool was delivered. The original issuer sets standards for the software (i.e. "easy to use interface to mixmaster remailers for Macintosh", then must define easy to use; Software considered delivered when in [alpha beta late-beta &etc.]). The first to present software meeting these qualifications gets the bounty, with the caviate that the software must be either gnu-copylefted, or some similar "free use" copyright, after all, "The Net" paid for it... Some of the problems (and potential solutions) I can think of in this: 1) Refusing to honor the contract--Maybe when a project is proposed, some other people (for a small percentage of the total) sign on as judges. When they feel that it reached the stated goal, then it is done. -Or- Money put up is non-refundable, and the bounty stays in the "bank" until claimed. 2) If the money stays in the bank until claimed, people might not put up that much (or enough) to make a specific project worthwile-- This could be solved by allowing the "bounty" to lapse in one of 3 ways: A) <x> length of time after the initial proposal (bad because i) someone could already be working on it; ii) bad because other people might add to the bounty, so a potential programmer might not start until the "pot" has grown to a certain level. B) <x> length of time after the last addition to the bounty, bad for both i & ii above. These can both be gotten around (and other problems) by allowing programmers to "register" with the service that they are working on a project (either anonymous registery, so that people will still contribute to the project, or list those registered so that people know [if who] someone is working on it) 3) Funding: The server (in both the machine and the organizational sense) could be funded by: A) Interest on the money accumulated. B) A percentage of the bounty (say 10%) C) Both A & B. Has anything like this been proposed before? I know that the FSF (IIRC) accepts contributions, but I am thinking of something more targeted, more "market driven" if you will. This could be expanded to non-crypto software as well, just think, if half the X Window users ponied up $5 a peice for a "good, easy to use non-motif word processor", how long do you think it would take for someone to start coding a MS Word killer? Comments? Petro, Christopher C. petro@suba.com <prefered for any non-list stuff> snow@smoke.suba.com