[OSGeo-Discuss] State of the Bounty?

[Tyler Mitchell]

Hi all, 

I'm regularly asked about how users or companies can request improvements to OSGeo software or to make a specific bug go away.  Short of pointing people to the ~200 OSGeo Service Providers (http://osgeo.org/search_profile) and helping them get onto the right lists to ask for help... what else can I do?  Naturally some companies are more active than others in terms of providing code-level support like this, yet I know there are even more out there.  

Trying to bring the two groups together through a bounty program (fee offered for a specific feature/bug solved) is always controversial.  Yes, I have heard all the for/against arguments already :) but I'd still like  to see who out there is already doing it in this space.

So my question tonight is twofold:

1) What GFOSS or OSGeo projects have looked a bounty system and are either implementing it or hope to implement it.  If you are offering up suggestions for "pay for this great new feature", that might apply as well.  I'd love to know how you are implementing it.

2) If you are a service provider or developer on GFOSS/OSGeo platforms, would you be interested in being connected to potentially paying customers (hmm, hope you answer yes so far) that have particular requests to the base.

I'm more curious than anything and wonder what we'll find after scratching the surface!  I know some local chapters have even discussed the ideas for supporting their favourite packages, etc.  Please let me know if you have anything to share - I'll summarise and re-share the results in a few days.

Best wishes,
Tyler