You don't have to employ shills to have shills
Actually we do, if you know what the word means.
Oh God, making me go the "post the definition from the dictionary" route are you? OK, lets do it:
shill
SHil/
North American informal
noun
noun: shill; plural noun: shills
1.
an accomplice of a hawker, gambler, or swindler who acts as an enthusiastic customer to entice or encourage others.
a person who pretends to give an impartial endorsement of something in which they themselves have an interest.So where is the word "employ" or any synonym used here?
"Accomplice" implies active participation or working in concert. There no one actively participating in the project or working with us, or contributing who pretends not to be. Everyone affiliated with the project is open about it. Anyone else is not affiliated.
Here is a definition that is clearer, from wikipedia:
"A shill, also called a plant or a stooge, is a person who publicly helps a person or organization
without disclosing that they have a close relationship with the person or organization"
No one has a close relationship with the project who has not disclosed it (and most certainly no one has actively hid it).
Here is a specific example of someone you have cited who does
not have a close relationship with the project: Nekomata. Nothing against him, he seems to be a sincere and consistent supporter, which we appreciate and recognize, but there is no close relationship and affiliation, any more than there is with you.