update on Gnome Foundation incorporation

[Bart Decrem <bart eazel com>]

Hi everyone,

Things have been fairly quiet on this list for the last few weeks, but
I'm sure that'll change over the next few weeks as we move closer to
launching the foundation.

Rob (from Collab.net) and I met with John Hear (from Sun) and a Sun
attorney today.  Sun has kindly offered legal assistance in
incorporating the foundation.  Our goal is to incorporate the foundation
by November 1 so that we can have elections in November or December and
have the foundation fully functioning by the end of the year.

As part of the incorporation process, we will create 3 different
documents, all based on the draft charter for the foundation (the
current version of which can be found at
http://www.decrem.com/gnomefdn.html):
- Articles of Incorporation, a really generic document that will have a
very generic mission statement, the name of the foundation, the state of
incorporation, and that will specify that we are creating a non-profit
corporation;
- By-Laws, which are legally binding and will include:
   - a more detailed mission statement
   - Board of Directors: its powers, election/resignation/replacement,
limits on liability
   - Membership: membership qualifications, elections etc
   - Advisory Board: its charter, selection process, membership dues etc

   - IP policy: if we decide on copyright or patent policies, those may
be incorporated into the bylaws (see separate email)
- A final version of the charter, from which we may strip provisions
that have been incorporated into the bylaws.  The charter may not be
legally enforceable, but will function as a guidepost to everything the
foundation does.  The charter will contain
   - Principles of the Foundation
   - Tasks of the Foundation

Drafts of all these documents will of course be posted here for
discussion before they are adopted in any way.

Let me know if you have any questions about the timeline or the action
plan,

Bart