Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Open Collective VS Space Engine

Compare Open Collective VS Space Engine and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Open Collective logo Open Collective

Recurring funding for groups.

Space Engine logo Space Engine

Space Engine is a realistic virtual Universe you can explore on your computer.
  • Open Collective Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-25
  • Space Engine Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-12-13

Open Collective features and specs

  • Transparency
    Open Collective offers transparent accounting and financial reporting, allowing everyone to see how funds are being used.
  • Community Engagement
    It allows communities to come together and support projects they care about with funding, facilitating strong community involvement.
  • Easy Fundraising
    The platform simplifies the process of raising funds for open source projects, non-profits, and other community-driven initiatives.
  • Global Reach
    Open Collective supports contributions from around the world, which can significantly expand the pool of potential donors and supporters.
  • Managed Fiscal Hosting
    It provides fiscal hosting services that handle various financial and administrative tasks, reducing the workload for project maintainers.

Possible disadvantages of Open Collective

  • Fees
    Open Collective charges fees for its services, which can be a downside for projects with limited budgets.
  • Complexity for Small Projects
    For very small projects or initiatives, the platform might be overly complex and offer more features than needed.
  • Dependence on Platform
    Relying solely on Open Collective for funding and financial management might create dependency, limiting flexibility to switch strategies.
  • Geographical Limitations
    While it has global reach, there may be certain countries where donors or users face restrictions or limitations in using the platform.
  • Learning Curve
    New users might find the platform's features and options overwhelming at the start, requiring time to learn and navigate effectively.

Space Engine features and specs

  • Realistic Simulation
    Space Engine offers a highly realistic simulation of the universe, including accurate representations of planets, stars, moons, and other celestial bodies. Its detailed graphics and scientific accuracy make it a valuable tool for educational and exploratory purposes.
  • Exploration and Discovery
    The software allows users to freely explore an expansive, procedurally generated universe. Users can discover new exoplanets, star systems, galaxies, and more, making it an exciting tool for space enthusiasts.
  • VR Support
    Space Engine includes support for virtual reality devices, offering an immersive experience that lets users feel as though they are actually traveling through space.
  • Modding Community
    Space Engine has a strong and active modding community, which adds new features, textures, and content to the base software. This extends its functionality and keeps the experience fresh and engaging.
  • Educational Tool
    Thanks to its scientific accuracy, Space Engine is used as an educational tool to teach astronomy and cosmology. It allows educators to illustrate complex concepts in a visually intuitive way.

Possible disadvantages of Space Engine

  • High System Requirements
    Space Engine requires a powerful computer to run smoothly, especially when using high-resolution textures or enabling VR features. This can be a barrier for users with older or less powerful machines.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    The software can be complex and may have a steep learning curve for new users. It requires some time and effort to master the controls and features effectively.
  • Limited Interactive Content
    While Space Engine excels in providing a vast and detailed universe to explore, it lacks interactive content or missions that some users might find engaging. There are no predefined goals or quests.
  • Ongoing Development
    Space Engine is still a work in progress, with many features and improvements in the pipeline. This means users might encounter bugs or incomplete features during their exploration.
  • Cost
    While there are free versions of Space Engine, access to the latest features and updates typically requires purchasing the software, which might not fit within everyone's budget.

Analysis of Space Engine

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Space Engine is an impressive and immersive tool for anyone fascinated by outer space. Its attention to detail and expansive universe make it a worthwhile experience for those who appreciate both realism and scientific accuracy in space simulations.

Why this product is good

  • Space Engine is a highly detailed universe simulator that allows users to explore the cosmos in 3D with realistic graphics and physics. It offers an incredible experience for astronomy enthusiasts and those interested in space exploration. The software features a vast catalogue of real and procedural celestial objects, from planets and stars to galaxies and nebulae, all rendered in high detail. It also provides tools for educational purposes, making it valuable for learning about the universe.

Recommended for

    Space Engine is highly recommended for astronomy enthusiasts, educators, students, and space exploration hobbyists. It's also a great tool for science communicators and content creators looking to visualize and explain space phenomena.

Open Collective videos

What is Open Collective?

Space Engine videos

Why You Should Try Space Engine (The Best Damn Space Sim in the Galaxy)

More videos:

  • Review - Space Engine - Seamlessly Explore The Entire Universe
  • Review - Space Engine - What Can I Find In 10 Minutes?

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Open Collective and Space Engine)
Crowdfunding
100 100%
0% 0
Space Simulator
0 0%
100% 100
Fundraising And Donation Management
Universe Simulator
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Open Collective might be a bit more popular than Space Engine. We know about 159 links to it since March 2021 and only 124 links to Space Engine. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Open Collective mentions (159)

  • Funding in Open Source: A Conversation with Chad Whitacre
    Chad has been leading the Open Source Pledge, a simple framework to get companies to fund the projects they rely on. The idea is straightforward: for every developer your company employs, allocate $2,000 per year to open source. Distribute those funds however you want—GitHub Sponsors, Open Collective, Thanks.dev, direct payments, etc. The only other ask is to publish a blog post showing what you did. - Source: dev.to / 26 days ago
  • None of the top 10 projects in GitHub is actually a software project 🤯
    We see some projects that can financially survive (via sponsor or external infrastructure such as open collective or patreon), favoring the long-term sustainability. Thus, we keep our stand on promoting a transparent governance model to state where the investment will be managed and who can benefit from it, especially when knowing that non-technical users have an increasing key role in these communities. - Source: dev.to / 26 days ago
  • Sustainable Funding for Open Source: Navigating Challenges and Emerging Innovations
    Leverage multiple platforms: Utilize GitHub Sponsors along with OpenCollective to broaden funding sources. - Source: dev.to / 26 days ago
  • Exploring Open Source Project Sponsorship Opportunities: Enhancing Innovation with Blockchain and NFTs
    Traditionally, open source projects were sustained by volunteer contributions and modest donations. However, as digital infrastructure came to rely on open source software, the need for reliable, scalable funding became evident. Enter corporate sponsorship—a model where companies invest in open source initiatives to secure their technology stacks, attract top talent, and foster innovation. This has spurred the... - Source: dev.to / 28 days ago
  • Innovative Strategies for Open Source Project Funding: A Comprehensive Guide
    Abstract: This post explores various open source project funding strategies and examines their evolution, core concepts, applications, challenges, and future trends. We discuss methods such as sponsorship and donations, crowdfunding, dual licensing, paid services, foundations and grants, and the freemium model. Through real-world examples and a technical yet accessible approach, this guide offers insight into... - Source: dev.to / 29 days ago
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Space Engine mentions (124)

  • Show HN: The Atlas of Space
    I think https://spaceengine.org/ fills part of your request. I haven't played it but I've watched videos about it and it looks like you can jump anywhere around the observable universe and look at any object you want. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • ESASky
    Https://spaceengine.org/ , though it’s partially fictional if I recall correctly. - Source: Hacker News / 12 months ago
  • I'm trying to make a basic political borders map of a galaxy that's not the milky way
    I mean, there are plenty of good deep sky images out there. Try looking at the New General Catalogue (NGC) objects for something that strikes your fancy. Alternatively, you could cruise around in Space Engine and bookmark an interesting galaxy to get screenshots from multiple angles, which is what I usually do. (SE is available on Steam for a reasonable price.). Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Asteroid's Near Miss of Earth Undetected for 2 Days
    Computer says yes: https://gravitysimulator.org/ https://spaceengine.org/ Once the mass, velocity, heading of an object is known it becomes easier to track and fine tune parameters meaning time of intersect with earth can be calculated which gives orientation of planet and entry attitude. An exact street addres | sub metre grid reference is a big ask, but the "line of breakup" arcing across a narrow slice of the... - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • Infinite Photorealistic Worlds Using Procedural Generation
    Space Engine[1] is another popular one [1] https://spaceengine.org/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Open Collective and Space Engine, you can also consider the following products

GitHub Sponsors - Get paid to build what you love on GitHub

Celestia - Real-time 3D visualization of space

Liberapay - Liberapay is a recurrent donations platform.

Stellarium - Stellarium is a free open source planetarium for your computer.

Patreon - Patreon enables fans to give ongoing support to their favorite creators.

OpenSpace - OpenSpace is open source interactive data visualization software designed to visualize the entire known universe and portray our ongoing efforts to investigate the cosmos.