[gentoo-trustees] Gentoo Foundation Charter

[Sven Vermeulen]

Hi all,

There are a couple of chapters that I'm already thinking about before going
further. Those chapters are:
  - About this document
  - Why a Gentoo Foundation
  - Principles of the Gentoo Foundation
  - Tasks of the Gentoo Foundation

A small description is probably in place :)

With "About this document" I would try to describe to the user what this
document is about. It's like an outline for the rest of the document.

"Why a Gentoo Foundation" talks about the progress Gentoo has made, the
incorporated technologies and code that has grown since the beginning of
it's existence, about the accumulated knowledge that we have inside and the
community that keeps a high-demand wrt Gentoo's progress.

It will also talk a bit about the coordination of Gentoo (through the
coordinators/managers) and the community feedback that is of the most
importance for a project such as Gentoo.

It outlines the reason for a Gentoo Foundation:
  - Decoupling necessary bureaucracy from development
      * Financial (donations)
      * Juridical (licenses, copyrights, trademarks, ...)
      * Caretaking (adherence to the social contract)
  - Mission Statement
      * Protect the use of the Gentoo trademark and logo
      * Protect the developed code, documentation, artwork and other
        material through copyright/licenses
      * Sponsor Gentoo-related conferences and technical development
      * Oversee development so it adheres to the social contract

The "Principles of the Gentoo Foundation" would describe four pillars that
the Gentoo Foundation keeps in mind:
  1. Gentoo provides choices
  2. Gentoo is open
  3. Gentoo lives for the community, by the community
  4. Gentoo is independent 

With "independent" I mean that Gentoo will be reigned by a company nor
be dictated by an organisation.

In "Tasks of the Gentoo Foundation" I would place the real tasks (which we
still need to discuss properly):
  * Intellectual Property protection
  * Support for the Gentoo Development (hardware, financial, ...)
  * Oversee adherance to the social contract
  * Corporate/Organisational point of contact
  * Keep definition of a "Gentoo Developer"

Does this integrate well with the thoughts you have about the Gentoo
Foundation? Feedback is appreciated.

Wkr,
      Sven Vermeulen

-- 
 Bent Hindrup Andersen, Danish MEP, about the Software Patent Directive:
    The approach of the Commission and Council in this directive is shocking. 
    They are making full use of all the possibilities of evading democracy that 
    the current Community Law provides.     <http://lwn.net/Articles/84009/>