In my opinion, the fundamental issue here is that open source software is a [public good][1]. So the paradox which everyone asks themselves is "if everyone can benefit from it for free why should I have to pay?".

But conversely, if people are benefitting from something you've created then it's only fair for the person who created this value to get some financial compensation commensurate to the value they've created.

The author of this package has chosen a method to get some compensation for their work that has resulted in a lose-lose situation where neither the author nor the users are happy.

But it doesn't have to be this way.

The [Opensource guide][2] has some useful tips on [Getting Paid for Open Source Work][3]. For people interested in web3 and crypto, [Gitcoin][4] is platform where you can [get paid to work on open source software][5].

Hopefully, by becoming more informed on ways to make money from open source software we can avoid situations like this in the future and create a fairer system that works for everyone.

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_good_(economics)

[2]: https://opensource.guide/

[3]: https://opensource.guide/getting-paid/

[4]: https://gitcoin.co/

[5]: https://gitcoin.co/grants/