You open source guys need to figure out a way to charge people for the value that you provide. You ran the experiment for a very long time and it looks like this "beggar" model really doesn't seem to be working for the vast majority of your projects.
Take money, don't wait for people to give you money for the free value that you provide.
This 100%. I run a German limited company (GmbH) and I can't just send money somewhere without a proper invoice. I've even had issues with paid services (think VPN providers etc) that don't send out invoices, so then I'm stuck with an expense that I can't deduct as a business expense. Make sure you can issue correct invoices, and let potential customers know upfront!
I’m actually optimistic about the progress & shift in behaviour. There’s a few companies that are setting a clear example & leadership in this space like Sentry, sourcegraph & cash app who genuinely want to help improve the ecosystem.
Take money, don't wait for people to give you money for the free value that you provide.