I noticed this a few weeks ago and like the idea. I hope it catches on. I think Gittip could really benefit from Bitcoin integration, since it would lower the cost of micropayments to almost nothing.<p>EDIT: ANd yes, to be clear, Gittip is not down -- it's hosted by github if I'm not mistaken. The actual address is: <a href="http://www.gittip.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.gittip.com</a>
The problem with gittip is the size of tips developers are collecting. Most developers have high-end salaries, IMO. The top people on gittip are collecting around $150/week. For these people that's probably converts to an hour or two a week of paid equivalent work. Great, so these developers can handle a couple of merge requests a week, but it doesn't actually enable them to work on something. Gittip also lacks focus, it doesn't commit a developer to work on something, it's merely a thank you, a donation. Donation-ware conversions are super low, you can't expect it to supplement anything.<p>I think gittip is a neat idea, but I strongly feel that it is a doomed project unless something changes radically.
It's a pretty safe bet that the money is related to django as the last time i looked nearly all of the activity on gittip was django related.<p>And if you're going to define "open company" I think I'd shoot a little higher than open source project + authorized_keys