Live data from Hacker News

Babel is used by millions, so why are we running out of money?

babeljs.io

101–110 of 729 posts

Re: Babel is used by millions, so why are we running out of money?

#101

This is another case of tragedy of the commons. Individually, it doesn't make sense for a company to donate. I can't even resent them, since it puts the company at a (slight) disadvantage. Unless I was flush with cash, I probably wouldn't donate from company funds if I were an entrepreneur. But collectively, we would all benefit to fund something like this. (Edit: I like culturestate's response of budgeting a small a…

[deleted]

Re: Babel is used by millions, so why are we running out of money?

#102

I find the comments here fascinating. So the lead developer was paid $11k a month, and somehow many start calling this a problem. Apparently, if you work on OSS you should be working for something slightly above the poverty line. People are comparing it to other salaries, but seem to forget that this salary likely does not include any other benefits (health insurance, stock options ...). I mean he is the lead develop…

> $11k a month [...] Significantly above that salary, even in most of Europe. lolnope

I like how one user deleted his comment saying even in Ukraine or Georgia basic dev earns more than 10k USD/month

Re: Babel is used by millions, so why are we running out of money?

#103

Good work so far but why does an OSS tool have to be supported by Silicon Valley salaries? USA and it's biggest cities are already hugely competitive even for profit making enterprises. Even a company like Mozilla with real commercial partnerships and solid income every year can struggle, let alone a tool which is barely noticeable by 90% of users.

Babel is one of the most popular and widely-used tools in the history of web development. Why should its developers and maintainers not make at least as much money as entry-level Silicon Valley developers?

Why should they make more than senior engineers with decades of experience in Berlin?

Why should customers/users of the project have to pay/donate twice or thrice as much for the same result, just because the devs want to live in the US instead of e.g. Paris?

Re: Babel is used by millions, so why are we running out of money?

#104

I find the comments here fascinating. So the lead developer was paid $11k a month, and somehow many start calling this a problem. Apparently, if you work on OSS you should be working for something slightly above the poverty line. People are comparing it to other salaries, but seem to forget that this salary likely does not include any other benefits (health insurance, stock options ...). I mean he is the lead develop…

I seriously doubt the lead developers of a team of 4 make more than $11k in most of Europe.

I think that level is plausible but rare.

Re: Babel is used by millions, so why are we running out of money?

#105
See what creator of Babel has to say

>Babel used by millions, so why are we running out of money? Bluntly: Because funds were misallocated for years, and the project has been too slow to improve.

>The reason there's no money is because someone took a $130k annual salary and didn't actually work on the project. https://twitter.com/sebmck/status/1392019586833387522

- So donating money because of this post may not be a good idea

Re: Babel is used by millions, so why are we running out of money?

#106
post #98
post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lead developper would realistically pull 75K euros a year. Rarely more.

Senior devs (not lead) in Prague can earn $100k a year plus vacation, health insurance, etc.

can, most don't.

https://teleport.org/cities/prague/salaries/

Quite obvious.

Re: Babel is used by millions, so why are we running out of money?

#107

This is another case of tragedy of the commons. Individually, it doesn't make sense for a company to donate. I can't even resent them, since it puts the company at a (slight) disadvantage. Unless I was flush with cash, I probably wouldn't donate from company funds if I were an entrepreneur. But collectively, we would all benefit to fund something like this. (Edit: I like culturestate's response of budgeting a small a…

How big of a problem is it to change from babel to some alternative? I'm thinking of a possibly bigger disadvantage should that need to happen. I'm genuinely asking, since I'm not familiar with js tool chains.

I successfully removed it years ago because Typescript replaced everything I was using Babel for, things even build way faster and I even got Intellisense autocompletion and refactoring as bonus.

Re: Babel is used by millions, so why are we running out of money?

#108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I seriously doubt the lead developers of a team of 4 make more than $11k in most of Europe.

Usually the product of a team of 4 is not that well known nor successful. And you can't really compare the average developer with the three developers mentioned since they are clearly outstanding and could get hired by almost any company.

This is the thing I don't think people get. They are treating these devs as though they are just run of the mill when it's highly likely they're very skilled.

Re: Babel is used by millions, so why are we running out of money?

#109

I find the comments here fascinating. So the lead developer was paid $11k a month, and somehow many start calling this a problem. Apparently, if you work on OSS you should be working for something slightly above the poverty line. People are comparing it to other salaries, but seem to forget that this salary likely does not include any other benefits (health insurance, stock options ...). I mean he is the lead develop…

I seriously doubt the lead developers of a team of 4 make more than $11k in most of Europe.

As employees, maybe in the UK or Ireland. Most likely not in Germany, and never in any eastern European country.

As contractors, you could theoretically in any country, the more eastern, the more luck you need to have, but it's doable.

Source: I've asked ex-colleagues, recruiters, and people at meetups.

Re: Babel is used by millions, so why are we running out of money?

#110
post #106
post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Senior devs (not lead) in Prague can earn $100k a year plus vacation, health insurance, etc.

can, most don't. https://teleport.org/cities/prague/salaries/ Quite obvious.

We're talking about top devs here.
Post reply on HN