there's a much simpler point you're maybe missing:
- zilmar gets a donation (at say.. 2:35 pm)
- zilmar is more keen to do some more coding for pj64 then or that evening.
OR
- zilmar doesn't get a donation today
- zilmar thinks maybe not so many people care and he should do something else... or he doesn't think about pj64 at all then.
that's how it goes. which do you (user of pj64) want it to be? emotional blackmail maybe but this is the truth. every time a donation comes in is a little "ping! (imagine a sound) I value your time on this".
he's been grabbing every bit of free time before and after work to get the new core out which is out today for members. with no guarantee he'll get anything back other than satisfaction of doing a good job. think about that, that's pretty remarkable.
it's mostly that simple folks. there's been a lot happening in pj64 recently despite not many donations, but he can't always be so motivated, the donations help then. you want to keep the motivation up, keep the donations up. there's only so much i can do by talking to him
what WhiteX said above is good.
Cheezyphil, i'm not sure what the status of Yoshi's Story is, i'll take a look later. i don't mind people saying what's happened, it's not the same as saying we'll do this for you.