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Re: [Gnustep-marketing] GNUstep Foundation
From: |
Gregory John Casamento |
Subject: |
Re: [Gnustep-marketing] GNUstep Foundation |
Date: |
Fri, 1 Oct 2004 16:24:29 -0700 (PDT) |
See below...
--- MJ Ray <address@hidden> wrote:
> On 2004-10-01 19:47:25 +0100 Nicolas Roard <address@hidden> wrote:
>
> > [...], and most people's opinion on GNUstep is fuzzy at the best. When
> > they don't confond the project with WindowMaker they think it's a
> > dead
> > project.
> > If that sadden you, well, that's too bad, but that's the truth, and
> > you know
> > it.
>
> The fuzziness, yes. I've not really had many confound it with
> WindowMaker recently: I think their market share has fallen too now.
> Shouting loudly "we're not windowmaker, damnit" is just bizarre these
> days. We've much bigger hills to climb.
>
> > The foundation and the marketing are not automatically tied (the
> > foundation
> > will probably not do the marketing itself after all, it will more
> > likely
> > be a group of volounteers as today). But a foundation gives us more
> > credibility, a central place to send/get money, etc.
>
> That is what you want, then: a credible place to send/get money.
> That's probably worthwhile. It would help if we could get similar
> clear aims from others and identify what we mean by "credible". (I
> know that Adam posted some suggestions: thanks Adam.)
>
> > A foundation does not need to be a corporation [...]
>
> No, not in England either. All the US foundations I know well are
> corporations, though.
In the US, Foundations must be corporations.
> > in the US and I don't know how it works here, but if Greg want do
> > create a
> > Foundation, I trust him. I think he knows what kind of work he expose
> > himself to.
>
> Unless I misunderstood how US corporations work, it needs more than
> one person, legally. Then we have to think about credibility too. This
> is probably making work for a lot of people: is it the best use of our
> resources?
You misunderstand. :) A corporation can be created by one person. My
coporate entity, not to be confused with another which recently stole my
company's name, was formed by me, alone, in maryland, USA. I however, have
never suggested that *I alone* form the Foundation.
Please note that in my previous posts I have indicated that this should be done
by a *group* of the maintainers, not me alone. I am a maintainer, and I would
be happy to participate in such a venture.
> As to trust... I think I tend to the opinion that was on my lecturer's
> wall: "In God we trust: all others must bring data."
According to US law a Foundation is "investment of private wealth for the
public good" there are VERY strict laws and guidlines as to what a Foundation
can and cannot do with the funds given to it.
Whether you trust me or not, is your problem. I believe that number of
maintainers should do this. ;)
> > Although I agree that the exact roles of the Foundation needs to be
> > more
> > discussed and detailed, I really don't think we should use the FSF,
> > because
> > - it's not the FSF role, they don't have manpower for that
>
> It seems clearly within the FSF role, according to the description on
> http://www.gnu.org/fsf/fsf.html
This is the general FSF mission statement.
> I don't know whether they have the manpower, but neither does the
> Foundation yet.
>
> > - they are not as involved in the project as us (euphemism)
>
> This is why we need some control or commitment that money donated for
> GNUstep will be used for GNUstep. I think English law normally
> restricts use of directed donations to non-profit groups, so you can't
> spend them on other things. You can spend general donations on
> anything. I'd need to check to be certain of that, but I'm pretty
> sure. Does US law have similar provisions?
I'm not sure what provisions you're speaking of. However, as I mentioned above
there are restrictions as to what can be done with money contributed to a
Foundation. I will try to find them.
> If so, do we just need confirmation that the chief maintainer's decision is
> final?
Final in what sense? On the project, yes, Adam's decision is final.
I will not start a Foundation alone. I would like more than one of us to be
involved in this.
I agree, in principal that we should talk to the FSF just to see what they say
(even if the answer is ultimately "NO") and research SPI which I didn't know
about until I asked Jeff in #gnustep to see if that's appropriate for our
needs.
GJC
=====
Gregory John Casamento
-- CEO/President Open Logic Corp. (A Maryland Corporation)
#### Maintainer of Gorm for GNUstep.
Re: [Gnustep-marketing] GNUstep Foundation, Nicolas Roard, 2004/10/01
Re: [Gnustep-marketing] GNUstep Foundation, Alex Perez, 2004/10/01
Re: [Gnustep-marketing] GNUstep Foundation, MJ Ray, 2004/10/01
Re: [Gnustep-marketing] GNUstep Foundation, Gregory John Casamento, 2004/10/01
Re: [Gnustep-marketing] GNUstep Foundation, MJ Ray, 2004/10/01
Re: [Gnustep-marketing] GNUstep Foundation, Nicola Pero, 2004/10/01
Re: [Gnustep-marketing] GNUstep Foundation, MJ Ray, 2004/10/01