I assumed #2 but I'm glad you clarified #1. I'm beginning to like the idea again. So, the section would be full of messages like

I'm hoping that someone will be able to write and post a script for me that foobies a wubber. I've just made a PayPal donation in the amount of $_.00 to the Perl Foundation. Will someone please help me?

That sounds good to me as long as we can make it completely clear that their donation is just a donation, there is NO guarantee that they will get what they request, and anything they do get will simply be posted just like any other node.

We could call it the "Wishing Well" then tell people that they can toss a couple bucks in and make a wish...

-sauoq
"My two cents aren't worth a dime.";

I like the wishing well idea. You have my vote.

Edit.. removed a lil ignorance...

++ for the "Wishing Well" idea, sauoq...

however, I have a problem with the "as long as we can make it completely clear that their donation is just a donation"... in my experience, and I gues that in pretty much everybody else's experience too, this is very hard to do. As has been said here, if the person is too lazy to do the job, probably they will be too lazy to read the conditions/disclaimer/other. And even if the community covers its behind with a disclaimer, some unhappy "customer" yelling all over the place how he got ripped off when he donated x amount of money and got nothing useful in return will be unpleasant for everybody.

And then, there is the thing with the fact that the Monastery is not jobs.perl.org.

just some thoughts on the matter,

I like the idea of the 'Wishing Well', but I'm not sure about anything to do with donations (for reasons others have enumerated). The main reason I like it is to remove the RFCs (requests for code) from SoPW.

SoPW should be for seeking Perl WISDOM, not for getting someone to do something for you. Its like ringing someone who sells hundreds of different ploughs to ask him to plough your paddock.

If you want someone to do it for you, you go to a place that exists for that purpose. I think we need a 'Wishing Well' here for that purpose. Several thoughts on the name:

• The note at the top of the page suggests that people might be more inclined to write the code if a donation had been made. This fits with the traditional Wishing Well superstition: throw in money and your wish will come true.
• Wishing Well, is also what the code writers do. They write the code and "Wish you well". In other words, once they're done with the writing there is no further obligations. (Not that there ever was any!)
Anyways, that said, I'd love to see it here. Sometimes when I'm bored I'd love some snippet to sink my teeth into. (It should be a section where code blocks are hidden until you enter the actual post .. otherwise it all gets too long!)

also responsibility will not be assigned if the code causes problems

Oh, it will be assigned. Trust me. Either Perl Monks itself will get hit, or someone will demand the identity of the person who posted the code.

Also, if you haven't noticed, people like receiving credit for their work. A system where you aren't acknowledged for your charity work will not survive, guaranteed.

I think it would be important to put a "You may have donated money for this, but use at your own risk" clause in there somewhere.

Doesn't matter. Somebody's still going to have to pay legal bills. Many supposedly free societys still have this problem. It doesn't matter if you're right or wrong if you can't pay your lawyers.