OpenSimWorld is the directory of 3D Virtual Worlds based on OpenSimulator and connected through the HyperGrid. Learn More
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I think it's important to know that OSGrid operates on a fundamentally different basis than other large grids.
The core difference comes down to organizational structure, legal status, and how region hosting is managed. While all are massive OpenSimulator grids, they operate on completely opposite financial philosophies.The primary reasons for this structural contrast include:
1. Legal Status vs. Commercial Enterprise
OSgrid is a Registered Non-Profit: OSgrid is officially registered as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization in the United States. Because of its strict non-profit status, it cannot operate as a commercial business or sell land for a profit. Instead, it relies transparently on community donations and fundraising campaigns to pay for its heavy data infrastructure.
Any other large grid is a Commercial Operation: Even though it offers free entry, starter inventories, and massive promotional spaces, it operates as a commercial service. It does not need to beg for donations because it directly generates revenue through premium services, commercial partnerships, and its paid tier system (land rentals)
2. Who Pays for the Massive Asset Severs?
OSgrid’s Centralized Asset Burden: Anyone can connect a self-hosted simulator region to OSgrid completely for free. However, whenever users upload textures, objects, or scripts, those files are saved onto OSgrid's central infrastructure. They must pay thousands of dollars annually out-of-pocket for high-performance central asset databases (like AMD EPYC servers with large RAID arrays) to handle millions of globally shared inventory files.
While other large grids allow wide-scale exploration across tens of thousands of regions, they run a structured hosting model. Commercial regions and premium spaces start at paid monthly rates. The revenue from these premium tiers pays for the grid's background servers, removing the need to ask standard users for donations.
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The core difference comes down to organizational structure, legal status, and how region hosting is managed. While all are massive OpenSimulator grids, they operate on completely opposite financial philosophies.The primary reasons for this structural contrast include:
1. Legal Status vs. Commercial Enterprise
OSgrid is a Registered Non-Profit: OSgrid is officially registered as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization in the United States. Because of its strict non-profit status, it cannot operate as a commercial business or sell land for a profit. Instead, it relies transparently on community donations and fundraising campaigns to pay for its heavy data infrastructure.
Any other large grid is a Commercial Operation: Even though it offers free entry, starter inventories, and massive promotional spaces, it operates as a commercial service. It does not need to beg for donations because it directly generates revenue through premium services, commercial partnerships, and its paid tier system (land rentals)
2. Who Pays for the Massive Asset Severs?
OSgrid’s Centralized Asset Burden: Anyone can connect a self-hosted simulator region to OSgrid completely for free. However, whenever users upload textures, objects, or scripts, those files are saved onto OSgrid's central infrastructure. They must pay thousands of dollars annually out-of-pocket for high-performance central asset databases (like AMD EPYC servers with large RAID arrays) to handle millions of globally shared inventory files.
While other large grids allow wide-scale exploration across tens of thousands of regions, they run a structured hosting model. Commercial regions and premium spaces start at paid monthly rates. The revenue from these premium tiers pays for the grid's background servers, removing the need to ask standard users for donations.
Fundraising should not become a permanent substitute for cost control.
If OSgrid regularly depends on special fundraising campaigns, auctions, and additional donations to finance its ongoing operations, then in my view it should first be made transparent which measures to reduce running costs have already been examined and implemented.
That should also include the question of whether the current server and hosting structure is still economically efficient, whether cheaper alternatives have been evaluated, and which expenses are genuinely unavoidable.
Only once those points have been clearly disclosed can the community properly assess how much additional funding is actually necessary.
Asking the community for money, and also for exclusive items to be donated for auction, is perfectly legitimate. But it is equally legitimate for the community to expect clear evidence that the cost side has already been reviewed and optimized as thoroughly as possible.
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If OSgrid regularly depends on special fundraising campaigns, auctions, and additional donations to finance its ongoing operations, then in my view it should first be made transparent which measures to reduce running costs have already been examined and implemented.
That should also include the question of whether the current server and hosting structure is still economically efficient, whether cheaper alternatives have been evaluated, and which expenses are genuinely unavoidable.
Only once those points have been clearly disclosed can the community properly assess how much additional funding is actually necessary.
Asking the community for money, and also for exclusive items to be donated for auction, is perfectly legitimate. But it is equally legitimate for the community to expect clear evidence that the cost side has already been reviewed and optimized as thoroughly as possible.
Gundi, The Opensim code-base itself runs on unpaid volunteer time with no formal funding pipeline, no donate button on the opensimulator site, while the surrounding ecosystem (test grids, the annual conference) each scrape together their own separate nonprofit/donation funding to stay afloat. While residing there on OSgrid, I donated regularly through the OSGrid Embassy in SL, and I thought it supported Opensim development too, Claude told me I was wrong. I would donate to the gift table this year but my brand new XEngine wonders will not operate. Que the fragmentation! Time to hire a programmer, I will see if I can stitch in PBR on my Xe/Mono build.
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Where is the motivation if there are NO PERKS for the ADMINS? --- Sorry, I could not resist!
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I never assumed anyone was going on vacation, that statement is pure idiocy. My question was merely because I have never seen a fundraising poster so vague in it's intent and I was curious. It doesn't say what the intent was. When it says OsGrid, I naturally assumed it was happening "ON" the OsGrid, not necessarily 'for' the OsGrid. It was purely a question based on context. Could be a fundraiser on the grid for the benefit of a cancer patient, for example, but if it said Fundraiser for OsGrid or OsGrid Fundraiser for Infrastructure, I would never have asked my initial question. I know how all of this works, I just misunderstood the OP.
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I would hope that those who are charging rent to host on OSG are contributing something back, assuming everyone is acting in good faith? Nice to see ya without the Skeleton, Hicks... I was getting worried.
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