Think the NLnet Commons Fund grant ended the Bottles money saga? Not even close—find out why donation drops could still pop the cork.
Three weeks ago we announced that the app to make running Windows programs on Linux using Wine easier had found some much needed funding through an NLnet Commons Fund grant. This came just two weeks after we announced that Bottles development was going to slow down due to a lack of funds.
Since then, Bottles founder Mirko Brombin posted a blog explaining what the grant means — and doesn’t mean — for the Bottles project. As some people on social networks say when describing their relationship status, it’s complicated, because as helpful the grant will be, it’s not going to pay all the bills — and none of it will go to the version of Bottles that people are using today.
“A European call for proposals doesn’t work like a direct bank transfer to a project’s account. It works like this: the project is selected, receives the ‘green light,’ and from that moment on, a process of discussion and planning begins to define the actual budget it will be eligible for and how it will be spent. In our case, these funds will be dedicated to Bottles Next, not Bottles in its current form.
“We’ve been following this call for proposals since January 2025; it didn’t just fall from the sky. It was a long process, involving writing, revisions, and patience. When the green light was confirmed, we had a meeting with the NLnet team and the other selected projects. It was a wonderful meeting, almost like a welcome party.”
The good news here is that the folks at NLnet completely “get” open source. As Brombin put it, “What exuded from every word was open source. It was like feeling at home, among people who speak our language.”
But getting the green light doesn’t suddenly put the project in high cotton.
“This news doesn’t mean Bottles is financially secure. NLnet funding, when it arrives and in the amount established, will benefit Bottles Next. Bottles, the one you use today, the one receiving maintenance and updates, continues to exist thanks to donations.”
“Bottles Next, when it’s ready, will also live on donations from the community. NLnet funding is a huge support, but it’s not infinite. They’re needed to get things started, to build the foundations, not to sustain the project forever. Over time, the same donations that support Bottles today will be transferred to supporting Bottles Next.”
Bottles Next is the new and improved — and easier to use — version of the software that’s currently the focus of Brombin’s and his team’s efforts.
Declining Donations
According to Brombin, an unexpected and unfortunate consequence of outlets such as FOSS Force reporting on the grant, is that it’s misled folks who’ve been helping into thinking their financial support is no longer necessary.
“Unfortunately, since the news broke, we’ve seen donations decline, especially recurring ones. Probably because some thought, ‘Now they have European funding, there’s no point in donating anymore.’ In reality, it’s the opposite. The funds don’t cover servers, maintenance, or running costs. And without direct support, the risk is that Bottles will be overshadowed before Next is ready.
“Recently we lost one of the advantages offered by a provider that guaranteed us free hosting for open source. Those servers were essential for distributing the infrastructure load globally. They won’t be renewed, and so today everything rests solely on the (fortunately solid) shoulders of Hyperbit [Bottles’ remaining infrastructure sponsor]. But even they, alone, can’t work miracles.”
In other words, don’t stop writing those checks just yet. To do so might mean snapping defeat from the arms of victory.
“NLnet’s green light is a wonderful achievement, but it’s only the beginning of a journey that will require time and work. Bottles Next will arrive, but Bottles needs you now. And when Bottles Next becomes a reality, it will continue to need the community, just like it does today.”
Christine Hall has been a journalist since 1971. In 2001, she began writing a weekly consumer computer column and started covering Linux and FOSS in 2002 after making the switch to GNU/Linux. Follow her on Twitter: @BrideOfLinux
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