Well, it just got easier as the official GNOME Extensions website now lets add-on authors show donation links for a host of popular services directly on their extension listing pages.
When enabled, the feature places a discrete “Donate” drop-down menu beside the install button. This menu can contain links for up to 3 of the following platform/services:
- Buy me a coffee
- GitHub
- Ko-fi
- Patreon
- Paypal
- Custom link
Additional services can be proposed via the extension site’s Gitlab issues page. An update to the GNOME extension review guidelines provides more details.
No-one need misunderstand the nature of the change. This is not the start of paywalling extensions behind a fixed-fee, nor the start of paid extensions.
This is an entirely opt-in experience that allows users to support the makers of their most loved add-ons without needing to go on a link hunt — but only if they want to.
And many will want to.
GNOME extensions are by far one of the best things about using GNOME. They make it easy to add additional features or make edge-case user-interface refinements for those who want them.
And now that the GNOME extensions website shows download numbers for extensions we’re all more aware of just how popular some add-ons are. The addition of donation links will, I hope, see many of them ‘donate’ back as a way to say thanks.
H/t Just Perfection
