Tbh, if all of us chipping in to pay for maintenance is the only viable way to stop enshittification, maybe it's something to ponder. I would have scoffed at paying for search a decade ago, but Kagi is more and more attractive by the day. Making a financial incentive to maintain trust seems to be the one obvious way to achieve a "principled OS".

But I guess that's all wishful thinking. Even getting a one time payment to switch to a new OS is difficult.

I don't mind paying for my OS but I just think they're not in a position to be asking for money. Putting a price tag on a product with zero market recognition and no software support sounds like a great way to turn any potential new users away. But then again they need to get money somehow.