SimpleX Chat is an instant messenger that is decentralized and doesn’t depend on any unique identifiers such as phone numbers or usernames. Users of SimpleX Chat can scan a QR code or click an invite link to participate in group conversations.
-privacyguides.org
It’s clearly proving to be the most innovative technology when it comes to decentralized communication, in my opinion.
Maybe it’ll be governments partially funding it. If Schleswig-Holstein’s attempt is anything to go by, it might be a way
But do we trust entities that depend on our governments for funding? It could be argued that they’re fundamentally compromised.
As opposed to whom? Are investors in VC startups less compromised or more? What are the incentives in either case? Who do you trust to be competent and/or incompetent enough to compromise it without you noticing it? Who is likely to change a project that was well intentioned first after the fact? In what ways?
Exactly.
Many question marks, one answer- Gitea
You have 4 basic options for funding:
-you rely on individual donations which doesn’t bring in enough money
-you force people to pay for it, which makes it less attractive when compared to traditional software, and makes much of the community pissy
-you rely on corporate money
-you rely on government money
None is perfect, but some amount of government funding (let’s say, 10% of what they would pay Microsoft for the equivalent software) might make sense