Forum software?? Mods?? Why should both get paid? Isn't smf free? I haven't heard any other mod to get paid.
I think a lot has been spent on the development of new forum software (epochtalk).
Mods deserve to be paid too. It's not see running a forum like bitcointalk. Imagine the number of reports they have to handle everyday. I'm not sure if payment to mods come from forum donations though. What I know is that it comes from forum ad revenue.