if people paid the price of a coffee for good software, post-docs could attach themselves to a research group and fund themselves by maintaining quality software products - freelance scientist FTW.
the problem here is that lots of people want _other_ people to work for free. if you're not being paid, it's a hobby and you don't owe anyone anything. if the science system relies on free labour and refuses to support it, that's a very different conversation and the results are predictable.
the problem here is that lots of people want _other_ people to work for free. if you're not being paid, it's a hobby and you don't owe anyone anything. if the science system relies on free labour and refuses to support it, that's a very different conversation and the results are predictable.