Re: Membership dues [ was: Re: Advisory Board Letter ]

[Mike Kestner <mkestner ameritech net>]

Chris DiBona wrote:

> I don't think it's wise to collect money only when desparate immediate
> needs. Please see below for some other thoughts.

This project has never been desperate for money, to my knowledge.  It
will only ever become desperate for money if it gets used to having a
steady supply of it and that supply dries up.

> See my last email, if we are going to create a foundation, then we
> shouldn't do it halfway. The Gnome foundation wshould be flush enough with
> money that the foundation is -endowed- not always desparate. Our bproblem
> should always be how to spend it and now where to get it.

Again, more focus on the foundation as a consumer of funds.  The only
need for funds that I've heard so far that I can agree with is legal
retainers/fees.  I would probably be agreeable to having a small fee to
support this need.  However, any legal challenges that GNOME faces are
likely to be problems for the distributors of GNOME more so than the
foundation.

I want the foundation to be a point of contact.  All the people with
company focus seem to keep bringing us back to a monetary focus.  GNOME
is not about money.  GNOME is about people.  GNOME is about freedom. 
GNOME is about collaboration. GNOME is about participation.  

But I'm obviously wasting electrons trying to make this point as
everyone seems to be so focused on the need to have this mystical war
chest of funds sitting on ready for whenever we can come up with a
reason to spend it.

> I think that trade shows can be very useful, and , for a non-profit in the
> linux space, very inexpensive. The point of the foundation is to
> evangelize in places and consistantly when the member corporations may
> have other things on thier mind.

I have worked trade shows as an application engineer.  I've worked IMTS
at McCormick place.  I've worked the electronics show.  Any marketing
person with a "big picture" outlook knows that trade shows are an
enormous waste of money and effort that only continue to exist because
of the convention industry that continues to put them on. But I digress.

> New revs, 

Yer kidding right?

> technology changes,

And the press is interested in this?

> niguel changing his hair color, 

Okay, so you are kidding.

Based on the legal intangible, I think it would be acceptable to receive
corporate donations, but I'd really like to see them as something that
is optional. I'd hate to see the board wasting time debating who has to
pay and who doesn't.  If the board feels a company is committed to the
betterment of GNOME, they should grant them the honor of advisory board
status and inform them they are welcome to make a donation if they
choose, but make it clear that we are more interested in their code and
documentation.

Mike