I have skimmed this topic (been away for a few days and catching up) and have a few thoughts and things from the past.
- Pay The **** were thought of to encourage usage of the network and provide some token for work done for the network. As opposed to farmers who are paid for storing data and performing the function of the network.
- PtD specifically was for encouraging developers to write/create applications to run on the network increasing the usability and desirability of the network for the world.
- As Far I remember there was never a specific set of rules on how the developer would be rewarded other than
- wallet address provided
- rewards occur according to the usage of the application
- reward size is based on the algorithm deciding the current farming reward amt (& store cost)
- This meant that there was never a set reward amount set by developers but dynamically determined by the usage of the network. Also meant that an Application that is little used receives little compared to an application that is used more often.
- There was never specifics on what GETs would receive rewards
- one line of thought was that only the GETs on the App code get rewards
- another was that not only the GETs on the APP code but any GETs/PUTs the application performs.
- Both could be gamed to some extent
- Bloating the application would increase rewards on code GETs. But the general counter to that was that someone would copy or produce an APP with no bloat and thus get the usage and the bloated version dies.
- Bloating the GETs/PUTs the application performs to get more rewards. This is gamable to the extent the user does not realise it. The counter is similar in that another APP will take over because they remove this bloat.
- The way these would be found is watching the network activity from the Application and reports made by various groups watching for this and reviews of applications. Obviously some will never be found.
In the end the fundamental concept was to bring in a new way to compensate developers for their efforts in creating these Applications. The concept used the fundamental concept that the network was autonomous and to encourage usage by rewarding people who provided resources, desired Data, & applications.