I think the focus on non-payment was actually the wrong thing for the community to be up-in-arms over for the most part. The revenue streams for sites like this aren't really that well-established because of the newness of the internet and a lot of us have completely unrealistic ideas of what advertisers pay. Had this simply been an issue of non-payment, EC could've just said "we understand you have financial troubles, but we can't go on like this forever and we don't see this trend turning around any time soon, so let's part ways." People don't always get paid or get paid on time in the media business and you can say what you like about bad management or business plans, but that reality isn't going away.
Non-payment for lack of funds feels like bad business all around. The charity money issue with it's questionable initial resolution (the game foundation) and conflation with the prior issue has the words "swindle" and "fraud" emblazoned all over it. It's pretty unfair to TE, even when I think EC was in the right, but that's what happens when you mix the emotions inherent in charity with the righteous indignation of not getting paid for your work.
