IMHO - redirecting inflation is the way to go on this.
The inflation method essentially creates a constant faucet which will trickle funds in at a predictable rate which can then be used to plan/budget (in STEEM values obviously, but not Fiat equivalents).
If the system were to rely on donations exclusively, the rate at which proposals could be funded would be complete unknown and donors would have to be solicited/engaged over time to make it work. That's an incredible amount of effort/politics, which could complicate things and ultimately lead to the failure of the WPS (e.g. donor donates to general fund, doesn't approve of what was funded with donation, refuses to donate again).
The source of the inflation should be the post rewards pool (author/curation rewards), since it makes up the bulk of inflation and has the most subjective value/impact on the platform.
The rate will still be unknown given the fluctuating (sometimes extremely so) Steem price. Maybe somewhat less unknown than with donations, but in some cases it could even be more so (donators might contribute more, in STEEM units, to pay for important work if needed to make up for a falling Steem price)
I still don't think donations alone are a good approach.
Agreed, and I meant to imply only STEEM values (not Fiat values) throughout my entire post.
I agree.
LOL. i doubt they would.. lol. Automation is the way to go.
I'm not a bright man. But this seems genius to me.
I agree on this.
Donations are good but is necessary for a developer to know an estimation of what can expect to receive.
Redirecring inflation makes sense to me.
From which part is hard to tell..
PS. I've rethinked the part that the actors with big SP can game the system in their favor.. I'm not sure about the answer now.
Lovely comment @jesta !
Agreed!