Considering the fact that many WordPress users are throwing down hundreds of dollars at a time for alternate plugins due to the bbPress and BuddyPress projects being (in the words of users) sluggish and hard to customize, I think this is a great way to go about enhancing a free project. I say this knowing of at least four other projects where developers could be contributing to these great projects and the community rather than offering very restricted free versions of plugins that still don't provide all of the functionality of what these projects offer overall. And those alternatives are really not much more than a baiting system hosted on a free platform to get free advertisement and new paying customers.

I know a lot of people that would love to stick with BuddyPress if it was more efficient. I will definitely pass the word along to those I deal with.

To see anyone complain that bbPress isn't comparable with projects that cost $99.00 per year to have the functionality being talked about is a little bit outrageous IMO. But, that's just my opinion.

Having purchased alternatives and been involved with some of the alternative projects myself, and returned to using at least bbPress, I have to say, this is very good news. What better person to have focused on these projects than JJJ who knows the software in and out and loves what he does and has provided his skills for the love of it for so long. Why not contribute a little cash to support development.

You have my support FWIW.

To those who question the amount, I would ask how much is the software worth to you? Has it enhanced your own projects? When people purchase the "Pro" versions of plugins I see advertised on WordPress.org, I don't see anyone questioning the "amount" the developer is receiving. We aren't being asked for $50,000.00. In fact, given the amount of time and effort and love already invested by JJJ into these projects, I am quite sure the amount doesn't touch what his time has been worth. Consider it a little payback with forward rewards.