1. It’s open sourced, so it goes to both. Either AirBnB sponsor the build and promote it, or the community builds it and AirBnB uses it. I’m not sure why the latter would be better than the former. It’s better for the world than companies keeping all their libraries closed source.

2. AirBnB’s backing probably gives it more reach because it’s more likely to be maintained.

3. It’s up to the OP where they spend their time. I’m guessing they’re compensated in multiple ways for their efforts.

I’m all for calling out negative behaviour by big tech when I see it, but kneejerk “big company bad” type reactions are counter-productive.

1. This is not a common library that fits everywhere. It's pretty specialized. Using its full potential almost requires a commercial environment, because of the design and graphics needed. For everyone else, normal animations are annoying enough.

3. The parent post said: passion project/nights+weekends. That doesn't sound like multiple way compensation.

It's not about negative behavior of big tech, but more of a "grind" mentality gone astray. I can totally understand being (somewhat) proud of a project like this: it looks friggin' good. I also expect a company to grab whatever it can; it's the way of the world, and some companies are quite immoral. But we should not be working on something of considerable value to entities with deep pockets for free, just because it hits those 2010s linked-in bingo words. That's not where your self-worth as engineers should come from.