:: I have never heard of hiriing someone for development on a open
:: source project?

We have paid to have work done on Winshoes. Sometimes someone needs
something, and can get it cheaper if they dontate it "back" into the Open
Source. This has been a rare case. But there have been many cases where I
have been offered money to add a feature, and then also allow it back into
the Open Source. I've turned them down due to time constraints so far, but
the option is open for others.