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> Several developers like the idea of the coop but wanted Gentoo to have its |
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> own NFP entity separate from the cooperatives. I am perfectly willing to do |
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> this -- just set up the NFP entity alone, and then set up the cooperatives |
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> or leave the NFP to figure out how to fund itself if you want. |
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> |
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> It certainly makes my job easier, and my desire was for the coop to be a |
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> "good thing" for gentoo developers and I was trying to ensure its success by |
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> setting up funding for the entity ahead of time. If you don't want it, I |
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> won't do it. |
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|
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I think the coop idea is a good thing and I think it may be something that |
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Gentoo should take advantage of. However, I think Gentoo should be |
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completely decoupled so that both organizations are able to decide freely |
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for themselves what is best for each group. |
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|
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The coop is a brand new idea. Nobody has really done anything like it |
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before, so it's likely to take a great deal of thought and effort to get |
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set up correctly. I'd hate to see the Gentoo NFP efforts get delayed as a |
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result. |
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|
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When the coop is finally set up and ready to go, each organization can look |
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at the other, ensure they still share the same values and goals and then |
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decide how best to partner at that point. |
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|
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> You will need to choose between an "open, participatory" (and co-optable) |
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> and a "closed, non-co-optable" (and non-representative/unfair) governing |
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> model. So let me know which you prefer and I'll get it set up. The other |
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> alternative is to try to find some kind of compromise, where the government |
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> for the not-for-profit isn't too fair or open, but is more bureaucratic and |
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> harder to co-opt. Let me know which one appeals to you. |
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|
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My personal $.02: |
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|
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I'd like to see a closed, non-co-optable model. Both models have their |
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weaknesses, but I think the open one is more susceptible to groupthink, not |
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to mention coersion. I think a closed model, combined with an active, |
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vocal community (which Gentoo certainly has) allows for a solid feedback |
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loop without running the risks of coersion. |
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|
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--kurt |