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[on:]

Heard about Flattr.com?

When I say I wonder if it will be the next Facebook, I don't mean another evil empire imperiling your personal secuity and information, but I mean another "something big".

They've found a way that seems to be workable for you to give small amounts to people and organizations you come across on the web. Costs Euros 15 to give it a try. Easiest sign up I ever encountered. Seems "safe", seems to have a bit of a track record. (Thank you trends.google.com)

For a review from a new-to-Flattr, old-to-computers person... me... go to...

http://sheepdogsoftware.co.uk/donateflattr.htm

Why posted here? Ever want to send thank$ in a u$eful form to some of the people who regularly answer questions at this forum? Are you minimally tech-capable? Flattr might be for you!

(I am also dying to see what an incoming Flattr looks like... yes, there is a button on my page () and all Flattr payouts happen on the last day of the calendar month... Part of the Cunning in their Little Plan, Baldrick, is that they have essentially re-invented the "clearing" mechanism used by the world's banks to make checks workable.... but this time on a micro-scale. Micro-finance... Accion.com and others... re-invented lending, and earned its "father" a Nobel prize. Flattr may have re-invented the check (cheque) system, to establish a system for micro-gifts.)

[Reply #1 on:]

paypal? besides all the folks here worth donating to, how bout all the belittling from some smarter (smarter with arduino) folks to noobs on this site? should we get money from those ppl? lol. i think we should, especially in more cases than not, they only add to the problem we noobs are trying to solve and show the world who they really are. but i generally support an idea like this, unless im missing something though, it seems this wheel has been invented before.
peace 

[Reply #2 on:]

PayPal IS great... for many things. And thank you for asking what Flattr does better.... I've added a section to my page, as no doubt others have, or will, wonder(ed).

But PayPal takes 30 cents from any gift, plus a percent. (Except if the sender is sending from a bank account... and how many do?)

More importantly, if you invite people to $upport you, $how appreciation, via PayPal, you are also inviting them to go to the trouble of logging into their PayPal account, etc, etc.

To give money to a Flattr account holder, you just click the Flattr button (assuming you have set up a Flattr account... easy, and a "one off" chore.) It is a little bit like giving a site a Facebook "Like". And you can give really small amounts.... say 25 cents! Not a lot, and certainly too little to warrant signing into your PayPal account to do... but a little thank you for a helpful blog post, etc, is something that maybe people would ACTUALLY DO, as opposed to "planning to get around to someday". And if enough people contribited even 25 cents each, the reward to the poster might add up?

Yes, Flattr takes some money too... but not a flat rate + percent on each transaction. They fund their operations by taking 10% of anything you transfer to your Flattr account from the outside world. Seem like a lot? Well, maybe it is... and maybe it will come down, if they can get some scale, and reap the economies? And even if it doesn't, isn't it worth it for the simple and useful service provided?

Neither Flattr nor PayPal... nor a credit card is the way to make large donations to worthy causes. But for little "atta boys", I think Flattr is worth giving some support, to see where it can go.