[FFmpeg-devel] Re: [RFC] Sponsors & Funding

[Kieran Kunhya via ffmpeg-devel <ffmpeg-devel@ffmpeg.org>]

On Tue, 9 Sept 2025, 09:19 Michael Niedermayer via ffmpeg-devel, <
ffmpeg-devel@ffmpeg.org> wrote:

> Hi Everyone
>
> The subject of funding and sponsors came up a few times recently.
>
> I think FFmpeg needs a clear guideline on this matter. To avoid
> confusion, to avoid disagreements and to ensure community members
> can point potential sponsors in an aggreed direction without hesitation.
>

I don't disagree ffmpeg needs funding.

My suggestion would be:
>  - The FFmpeg project should actively seek sponsors and funding.
>  - The money would be used for FFmpeg (Maintenance, Development, Infra,
> Testing, Travel, Research, ...)
>  - A fair selection process shall be used by the FFmpeg Community to
> select what the money is used for, which maximizes FFmpegs future.
>  - The money would also be used to hire / employ FFmpeg Developers
> fulltime or whatever the preferrance of each Developer is.
>  - Work / employment shall be preferrentially be given to FFmpeg
> Developers / FFmpeg community members.
>

What work though? Who decides this? Would sponsors really want their funds
going on SDR or game codecs.

    This preferrance for "FFmpeg Developers / FFmpeg community members"
> shall be the only preferrance.
>     Outside that preferrance, a fair selection process shall be used by
> the General Assembly which
>     only maximizes FFmpegs future.
>  - Goals are
>     * to provide secure full time employment for every major FFmpeg
> contributor, who wants to have that.
>

A goal without a practical way of getting there. Big companies want their
name associated with a project without insanity (paranoid conspiracy
theories largely coming from one person about people in the project, other
companies, the CIA etc).

Kieran

Kieran

>
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