Re: Money is a Time Bomb for GNOME

[Ali Abdin <aliabdin aucegypt edu>]

* Maciej Stachowiak (mjs@eazel.com) wrote at 13:59 on 04/08/00:
> Andy Tai <atai@ece.ucsd.edu> writes:
> 
> > It seems there is no clearly defined purpose for the money proposed to be raised 
> > If RMS had let GNOME hackers  have the control over that $25K within 
> > the framework of the FSF, there would be no discussion for 
> > a separate GNOME Foundation.  
> 
> Managing that $25k is not the only reason we need or want a foundation.
> 
> > When companies pay money, they must expect something in return.  
> > When the companies' influence collide with the hackers,
> > there lay the seeds for division and split. (RedHat, Helix Code, Eazel excepted)
> 
> Why should those be excepted? Since they pay the salaries of most of
> the top GNOME hackers, they have _much_ more control than anyone could
> by paying money to the advisory board.
> 
> I think we just need to trust the board of the foundation not to be
> corrupted in this way; since so many people have spoken out against
> even accepting the money, I don't think this will be a big problem.

We can sit down right now and think of hypothetical needs for the foundation,
and possible ways to spend the money. Whatever you think of now will probably
be different from reality.

I think it would be safer if the foundation had 'some' money from membership
dues, as opposed to no money at all (that way if the need ARISES for some
money they would have to resort to a corporate member).

It has been illustrated that the companies are willing to pay this 'membership
fee' and it has been pointed out that this will be a sliding scale with
exemptions (as decided by the board).

If we do not find a need for the money immediately it can be held in trust
somewhere until the need arises.

Anyway - I think at the moment it would be 'too late' to say 'membership is
open for everyone for free'. So we should just go on with what was decided.