Firefox add-on developers put their hands out

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 20 Jul 2009 at 14:18

Mozilla is piloting a new program that will allow add-on developers to request donations from users.

The project offers developers a new tool allowing them to add a "contribute" button during the install process, with the payment handled by PayPal.

Mozilla says it will be up to the developers to decide how much to ask for, but was quick to dismiss any suggestion we may soon be paying for our favourite add-ons, claiming "contributions will always be optional".

The Mozilla Foundation claims it will not be taking a cut of contributions, and says it hasn't set any hard cut-off date for the end of the trial.

The introduction of the feature has come as add-ons rocket in popularity. Giorgio Maone, the creator of the NoScript add-on, has seen his creation downloaded 50 million times.

The Foundation's also introducing "Meet the Developer" pages that allow the people behind the add-ons to explain the project, and where it's going.