Barcode Scanner Plus proceeds now to environmental charity

[Sean Owen]

Several years ago, I made a for-pay version of Barcode Scanner with a number of extra features, called Barcode Scanner Plus (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.srowen.bs.android / https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.srowen.bs.android.simple). The proceeds were to defray cost of continuing to develop the open source app.

As of this year, this open source project has essentially stopped development. I don't believe there's time or interest available from anyone to continue new development on it, or to back-port changes from BS+. Likewise, BS+ is not being developed further (other than continuing to merge bug fixes and keep the app working with new Android versions). Things are likely to stay mostly as-is, but costs are therefore significantly lower: maybe $20/month for hosting of zxing.org and a couple hours of time. I think there is however still additional value in BS+ worth paying for -- and costs aren't $0 -- but even the modest income at this phase is much more than is justified by its purpose.

It won't change to become a free app, therefore, but as a correction, the price will be reduced to ~$1 and all proceeds from the "plus" apps will go to an environmental charity now, and retroactively to the start of 2015. That is, all money after Google Play fees will go to charity.

To that end I've donated ~$4,000 to the World Wildlife Fund today on behalf of the project and will do so with all of the revenue going forward. Thanks!