I quote garym's Barnraising your IT article at Advogato:

There's a point which a lot of us need to take home from this, and one which many of those seeking to "make money from free software" seem to miss: Free software is not about selling a service, it is about a community activity, a shared commons. If some software we are using is broken, or needs work, like any commons, it is our failing, not a failing of the "vendor".

There is no "vendor" in this world, there is only "we".

And further:

Say your community shows up to build you a barn, and you sit on the porch drinking lemonade, criticising their carpentry and pestering them for a completion date, well, just how ludicrous is that scenario? Yet this is exactly what we are doing when we sit back like some ancient king, expecting free software served to us, taking what we you need, giving nothing in return except maybe money ... or "advocacy". Sigh

Even if all we can do is serve them lemonade, or do the little grunt jobs for the apprentices, carry the lumber, hold the chalk-line, mix the paint ... at least we're helping ease the load.

So, if you don't want to donate money, that's ok, but what have you done to contribute to the effort so many others have benefitted you with?

Makeshifts last the longest.