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On Thu, 2008-05-22 at 10:36 -0700, Chrissy Fullam wrote: |
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> |
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> How would Gentoo benefit from having non-developers (individuals as you put |
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> it) and businesses (you don't mention sponsors so I presume any business, |
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> say Intel) be allowed to become part of the foundation and have a vote? |
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|
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By allowing the greater community to feel they are participating and |
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have a role in Gentoo. Not limiting the Gentoo community to just |
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developers. |
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Also everything I have been reading in posts, and hearing in like |
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interviews. Which includes Vapier/Spanky's recent interview. Pretty much |
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calls for help from the community beyond development stuff. So those |
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people should have some form of representation. |
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Unless you or others feel we should ignore the community. And only |
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reflect the will of the community through developers and the council. |
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Just to play out a scenario real quick for those concerned with power. |
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The community would like to see A. The foundation hears that, and goes |
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to the council and says hey. There is lots of interest in A. What are |
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the chances of it happening? Council makes a call/ruling, and that's |
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that. |
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|
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If the community is unhappy, sorry we can't please all. But at least |
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this way they have some influence, can participate in some way, and at |
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least are heard. |
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In one sense, example. |
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> Also you mention Gentoo making money off this arrangement, can you please |
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> elaborate how the money comes into play? Where does it come from, how do we |
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> determine how much, and what do we do with it, etc? |
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Money would come from businesses wishing to be members. Not from |
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individuals. The amount is yet to be discussed, and I am open there. But |
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I do feel a tiered system is based. Where the amount does change based |
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on company size. |
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I think it's unfair to require a large corporation to pay the same |
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amount to be a member as a small to medium sized business. Maybe it's |
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unfair to have a tiered system where they pay different amounts. Not |
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sure. Up to debate, discussion, and majority there. |
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As a business would have a benefit of using Gentoo. In some form, that |
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one would assume is reflected on their bottom line, profit wise. I feel |
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they should give back to the community. While that is optional now. If |
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they want to participate in some form beyond just contributing $. Then |
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they should be required to pay for such privileges. Essentially paying |
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for a membership, and right to vote. |
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( This would never apply to individuals, which would be free to join, |
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short of filling out an application/form, maybe a quiz, etc. ) |
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Now we are talking about a very small amount of influence if any at all. |
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Being as how the foundation does not steer or control the project. The |
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council does. It's mostly like a honorary thing. They could use it in |
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marketing etc. Our company supports and is a member of the Gentoo |
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Foundation, etc. Which could mean squat, but then again 99% of all |
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marketing is just hype so :) |
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|
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-- |
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William L. Thomson Jr. |
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amd64/Java/Trustees |
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Gentoo Foundation |