Hacker News Reader

If they're 'not maintained' there is nobody to give the 'public money' to.

Updated : not "well maintained". Or not enough maintained compared to their criticity and their global use.

Doesn't this punish maintainers who do a good job for free, by excluding them from funding?

I think you have to look one step deeper at how to deploy resources to encourage the system sustainably, not just throw money at the dead and dying.