[Gimp-developer] Added Bitcoin donation option

From: Michael Schumacher <schumaml gmx de>

To: gimp-developer-list gnome org, gimp-user-list gnome org

Subject: [Gimp-developer] Added Bitcoin donation option

Date: Sat, 13 Apr 2013 19:35:19 +0200

Hi there,

we have added a Bitcoin address as a donation option to our donations

page at http://www.gimp.org/donating/

The address is: 1NVMCeoBfTAJQ1qwX2Dx1C8zkcRCQWwHBq Was is Bitcoin? Wikipedia to the rescue:

"Bitcoin (BTC) is an online digital currency that is based on an

open-source, peer-to-peer encryption protocol first described in 2009 by

a pseudonymous developer (or developers) Satoshi Nakamoto. Bitcoin is

not managed by any government or central authority. Instead, it relies

on an Internet-based network. [...]

Bitcoins can be transferred through a computer or smartphone locally or

internationally without an intermediate financial institution. Each

bitcoin is subdivided into 100 million smaller units called satoshis,

defined by eight decimal places."

Check out the Wikipedia article at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitcoin

for more information.

There has been demand for a Bitcoin donation option for some time

already. We had delayed that option because we couldn't really use

Bitcoins per se - I still do not know about any place where plane

tickets are for sale, and these are our biggest expenses overall.

But there are finally some reliable exchanges popping up, which are

located in countries where the responsible treasuries regulate them like

any other exchange (i.e. not the Cayman Isles :)

More recently I chose to delay adding the address due to the current

Bitcoin hype, with prices well over USD 200 - I didn't want GIMP to

appear like an opportunist who's just after quick money. Prices are now

returning to sane levels, and stability in regard to exchange rates

seems to return as well.

We use the donated money to reimburse GIMP team members for travel and

accommodation to conferences, most prominently the Libre Graphics Meetings.

For Libre Graphics Meeting 2013 in Madrid, España (an awesome event,

which all of us who went there are glad to have been able to attend), we

also contributed to the global refund pool and sponsored drinks for the

conference party at "Mi madre era una Groupie" in Calle Santa Polonia.

Regards, Michael on behalf of the GIMP team