runtime/doc/sponsor.txt

*sponsor.txt*   For Vim version 9.1.  Last change: 2024 Apr 22


		  VIM REFERENCE MANUAL    by Bram Moolenaar



SPONSOR VIM DEVELOPMENT						*sponsor*

Fixing bugs and adding new features takes a lot of time and effort.  To show
your appreciation for the work and motivate developers to continue working on
Vim please send a donation.

The money you donated will be mainly used to help children in Uganda.  See
|uganda|.  But at the same time donations increase the development team
motivation to keep working on Vim!

For the most recent information about sponsoring look on the Vim web site:

	http://www.vim.org/sponsor/

More explanations can be found in the |sponsor-faq|.


REGISTERED VIM USER						*register*

You can become a registered Vim user by sending at least 10 euro.  This works
similar to sponsoring Vim, see |sponsor| above.  Registration was made
possible for the situation where your boss or bookkeeper may be willing to
register software, but does not like the terms "sponsoring" and "donation".

More explanations can be found in the |register-faq|.


VOTE FOR FEATURES					*vote-for-features*

Note: Voting for features has been discontinued since the passing of |Bram| in
2023. The following two links still work, but they are no longer updated. So
they now only provide a historic view as of summer 2023.

The voting results appear on the results page, which is visible for everybody:
http://www.vim.org/sponsor/vote_results.php

Additionally, once you have sent 100 euro or more in total, your name appears
in the "Vim hall of honour":   http://www.vim.org/sponsor/hall_of_honour.php
But only if you enable this on your account page.


HOW TO SEND MONEY						*send-money*

Credit card	Through PayPal, see the PayPal site for information:
			https://www.paypal.com/
		The e-mail address for sending sponsorship money is:
			donate@vim.org
		The e-mail address for Vim registration is:
			register@vim.org
		Using Euro is preferred, other currencies are also accepted.
		In Euro countries a bank transfer is preferred, this has lower
		costs.

Other methods	See |iccf-donations|.
		Include "Vim sponsor" or "Vim registration" in the comment of
		your money transfer.


QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS				*sponsor-faq* *register-faq*

Why should I give money?

If you do not show your appreciation for Vim, the development team will be
less motivated to fix bugs and add new features.  They will do something else
instead.


How much money should I send?

That is up to you.  The more you give, the more children will be helped.
An indication for individuals that use Vim at home: 10 Euro per year.  For
professional use: 30 Euro per year per person.  Send at least 10 euro to be
able to vote for features.


How do I become a Vim sponsor or registered Vim user?

Send money, as explained above |send-money| and include your e-mail address.
When the money has been received you will receive a unique registration key.
This key can be used on the Vim website to activate voting on your Vim
account.  You will then get an extra page where you can vote for features and
choose whether others will be able to see that you donated.  There is a link
to this page on your "My Account" page.


What is the difference between sponsoring and registering?

It has a different name.  Use the term "registration" if your boss doesn't
like "sponsoring" or "donation".  The benefits are the same.


How can I send money?

See |send-money|.  Check the web site for the most recent information:
http://www.vim.org/sponsor/


Why don't you use the SourceForge donation system?

SourceForge takes 5% of the donations for themselves.  If you want to support
SourceForge you can send money to them directly.


I cannot afford to send money, may I still use Vim?

Yes.


I did not register Vim, can I use all available features?

Yes.


I noticed a bug, do I need to register before I can report it?

No, suggestions for improving Vim can always be given.  For improvements use
the developer |maillist|, for reporting bugs see |bugs|.


How about Charityware?

Currently the Vim donations go to |uganda| anyway.  Thus it doesn't matter if
you sponsor Vim or ICCF.  Except that Vim sponsoring will allow you to vote
for features.


I donated $$$, now please add feature XYZ!

There is no direct relation between your donation and the work developers do.
Otherwise you would be paying for work and we would have to pay tax over the
donation.  If you want to hire one of the developers for specific work,
contact them directly, don't use the donation system.


Are the donations tax deductible?

That depends on your country.  The donations to help the children in |Uganda|
are tax deductible in Holland, Germany, Canada and in the USA.  See the ICCF
website http://iccf-holland.org/donate.html.


Can you send me a bill?

No, because there is no relation between the money you send and the work that
is done.  But a receipt is possible.



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