[HTC EVO 3D] SoraX64:
Instead of posting a long message, which I actually had typed up, I would rather say this:

People like newtoroot and twistedumbrella deserve donations. Why?

-newt fixed data and Wi-Fi on Sense 4.0; something No other developer has done

-twisted has been working tirelessly on things like camera and USB storage for ICS ROMs. He is attempting to make something work from nothing.

Most people that develop do NOT deserve donations. Why?

-Almost every single ROM that is released is "optimized"

-Almost every single ROM that is released has "battery tweaks"

-Almost every single ROM that is released has "speed tweaks"

-Almost every single ROM that is released includes the above and is themed.

I personally believe that the line to draw is whether something is being created or not. I don't like the term "cut-and-paste" developers, but for a lot of people, I would say that it is applicable. I understand that everyone wants their shot at fame, and that's fine. Post all of the work that you want. I just think that those works won't be able to set themselves apart from the work that makes Android special. Like:

-The CyanogenMod project

-MIUI

-Sense 4.0 development on a phone that will never get Sense 4.0

Those are the works that deserve donations, in my opinion. CM has to maintain build servers for the myriad of devices they support; MIUI is a port from a foreign language ROM that provides an experience unlike no other on Android, and it is a massive undertaking; and the Sense 4.0 development has required new devices to be purchased, and new methods of making things work to be devised.

I think that if you are handed something where everything works and you decide to add your own enhancements for it, that you do not deserve money for that. HTC releases an update where everything works, and people add more features that may break those things. The people working on those aren't making any magic happening. I do not mean to offend anyone, but in my experience with most ROMs, well.. the experience hasn't been too different. Except for the first time I used CyanogenMod. Or the first time I used MIUI. Or the first time I used Sense 3.0 on my OG Evo. Or just the other day, when I was able to use Sense 4.0 on my Evo 3D. I've used Warm, Eternity, ViperROM, MeanROM, Android Revolution, CleanROM, SupraROM.. many, many ROMs. But I have never felt any sort of spark from them. I've enjoyed them, and used them plenty, but I haven't stopped and looked at my phone and said, "Wow, this is something special."

I think that it is perfectly okay to provide a donation link, no matter who you are. If you are going to require donations to "keep working", well, I think that is wrong, but that is your decision. If you need money in order to work on these phones, you should consider finding a profession in this stuff. If you are working on ROMs and you need money in order to do it, then you shouldn't be doing it. This isn't supposed to be about making a living (if you want to do that, make apps). It's about being part of a community that shares.

If you want money, that's fine. I want money. Who doesn't want money? It'd be neat to be able to make a little money on the side sharing work. But don't release something to the community EXPECTING to be paid for it. That's not what this is about.

If you want to donate, that's fine too. It's your money. Just think about where you're putting it. If you truly believe that someone deserves the money, then give it to them. Just don't expect your money to mean much in the long run.