Re: [gentoo-dev] Ethical Policy

[Daniel Robbins]

On Mon, 2002-02-04 at 12:42, David Herbert wrote:
> Thanks, for writing but again you're avoiding the question, for example a
> quote from your website:
>
> "Gentoo Linux is a versatile and fast, completely free x86-based Linux
> distribution"
>
> will it stay completely free, if so and considering you are not a charity
> how do you plan to make money?  I assume you do plan to make money out of
> the distro?

Actually, I already answered this question.  See item 1 of the Debian
Social Contract, "Debian will remain 100% free software."  As I stated
in my last email, the Debian Social Contract aligns with the policies of
Gentoo Linux.  I plan to add this as a FAQ item on our Web site soon.

> "For the most part, these expenses have been coming out of my and our
> volunteer network admin's pockets"  - This sounds like you are generous,
> good spirited, etc.  But actually this is true for any startup company,
> would I have volenteered or donated money to the startup company called
> microsoft, I don't think so.  So again if you want to be treated differently
> to any other startup company, I think you need to explain how you are
> different to the other startup companies.

OK, good point.  The difference is that all our work is released under
the GPL, and although we have a development "chain of command," we have
a (for the most part) open development model, open bug tracker, open
mailing lists and open irc channels.  And most importantly, any
profit-generating projects will not compromize the "freeness" of Gentoo
Linux as a whole. In fact, we are hoping to serve as the base for two
other Linux distributions -- SuxOS and Latinux.  This is of course not
costing these distributions anything.  We're happy to work with them
because we are a free software project and do not simply follow the GPL
in grudging obligation or spend countless hours figuring out ways
"around" it.

"Gentoo Technologies, Inc" is a private C corporation that I use for
handling my article/tutorial writing contracts.  It also holds the
copyrights for Gentoo Linux and owns the gentoo.org domain.  Gentoo
Technologies has a single employee -- myself.  Gentoo Technologies, Inc.
generates no income from Gentoo Linux.  If and when it does, it will
continue to abide by the ethical guidelines set forth in the Debian
Social Contract.  Of course, making money has nothing to do with with
the "freeness" (liberty) of software anyway.

Also, so far Damon and I have probably spent around $4000 total for
Gentoo Linux hardware and hosting costs.  gentoo.org is currently being
hosted on what up until recently used to be Damon's home PC.  So far,
Gentoo Technologies has probably received about $350 in advertising
revenue and around $350 in donations.  So, no one is making money here
at the moment.

But would we like to make money?  Yes, absolutely.  But such income will
not be made by compromising the "freeness" of Gentoo Linux as a whole or
by limiting the ability of others to make money from Gentoo Linux. 
Anyone is free to start a Gentoo Linux-related business and make money
using Gentoo Linux; in fact, we encourage this.

> Does Gentoo Technologies own any domains other than gentoo.org?

No.

> And a final point to Chuck Haines, I'm not critising the quality of the
> distro, quite the opposite, the portage system is one of the cleaverest,
> best designed, therotically superior pieces of software I've seen.  I quite
> sure the rest of the distro is of equal quaility.

:)

Best Regards,

-- 
Daniel Robbins                                  <drobbins@g.o>
Chief Architect/President                       http://www.gentoo.org 
Gentoo Technologies, Inc.