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Comment by rick888 | Hacker News Reader

I won't be using this service.

The owners of flattr also own thepiratebay. I remember hearing a speech a few months ago talking about how everything should be free, just like when we were children (we need to learn to share). They have no regard for the rights of developers and have no problems giving a clear and direct roadmap to a free copy of your commercial application.

If they really believed in sharing, freedom, and rainbows, why does Flattr charge a 10% surcharge on top of every transaction (more than even Paypal). I might use them if they didn't make a profit and only paid for the infrastructure and bandwidth of the service.

It seems most people here don't see them for what they really are: a bunch of greedy fucks.

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"The owners of flattr also own thepiratebay. I remember hearing a speech a few months ago talking about how everything should be free, just like when we were children (we need to learn to share). They have no regard for the rights of developers and have no problems giving a clear and direct roadmap to a free copy of your commercial application."

[Citation Needed]

"why does Flattr charge a 10% surcharge on top of every transaction"

Bandwidth isn't free.

"I might use them if they didn't make a profit"

How do you know they are profitable?

[Citation Needed]

(pirate bay founders create flattr)

http://techcrunch.com/2010/08/12/pirate-bay-founders-flattr-...

Here is the video where he talks about sharing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyGCsCpofVk

"How do you know they are profitable?"

Bandwidth isn't that expensive. With all of the micropayments that will go through their service, they will make a profit.

What's wrong with earning a few dollars providing a useful service?

"What's wrong with earning a few dollars providing a useful service?"

Nothing. It's when you have also have a service that promotes the sharing of other people's commercial work for free (and say it's because you thing that sharing is for the good of the world). It's hypocritical and the people in this forum don't seem to see a problem with it.

I suppose I will just go with the flow and pirate any user's app I see on here.

I think Flattr is interesting and potentially worth using to the extent that it is disruptive.

Note that you get to pay Paypal's fee too when sending money to Flattr. Best of both worlds. :P

I think that the 10% may be currently justified, but if Flattr takes off, will quickly be hugely excessive. If they don't reduce it to something more reasonable, I would expect to see others try to compete with them on price.

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