Re: [gentoo-project] Rekindling Gentoo News -> Paying for news

[William L. Thomson Jr.]

On Monday, January 23, 2017 6:57:43 AM EST Kent Fredric wrote:
> On Sun, 22 Jan 2017 12:17:25 -0500
>
> "William L. Thomson Jr." <wlt-ml@××××××.com> wrote:
> > I do not see businesses spending money on Gentoo for a variety of factors.
> > As a business owner myself I have no incentive. Gentoo would waste my
> > money and not direct it toward development. Gentoo has no plans to use
> > the money to further development.
> >
> > I would be better off doing what companies do now. Hire people who are
> > Gentoo developers, and/or can become one. Then I can pay them to do
> > directly what I want. By passing anything within Gentoo, Trustees,
> > Council, etc.
> >
> > Companies are doing this now. They have no reason to give money to Gentoo
>
> When you talk about yourself, I think you're not asking the right question.
>
> Given:
>
> - There are opensource organisations
> - There are companies that give them money
> - This is a thing
> - These organisations typically don't have focused directed outcomes from
> said donations ( because if the donations were earmarked it would be a
> payment, for services rendered, not a donation )

Sponsorship tends to be toward a specific direction. A donation has no 
intention.

Where the two overlap is when you put forth a budget and hold a fund raiser to 
fund said budget. Then people can see where the money is going either as a 
sponsor or donor.

> Why do companies give their money away?

I have looked into this, and I own a company. I understand their reasoning and 
why they are NOT giving money to Gentoo now. How money given to Gentoo pales 
in comparison to donations to others.

> Also, have you considered Gentoo *could* create workflows where given gentoo
> developers do specified volumes of work, planned in advance, for pay, using
> money given to them by organisations?

I have considered many things. But without Foundation changes and a legal/
financial structure to make it all happen it is pipe dreams.

Paying for GWN stuff is minimal and could be done now, today!

> Grant Structure.
>
> And its not like Gentoo doesn't need developers, or have lots of ugly things
> that require somebody to basically be a full time developer to get it done.
>
> Hence, Companies that *USE* Gentoo are the primary audience *because* they
> use Gentoo, and are thus a natural benefactor from any Gentoo improvement.

My business uses Gentoo. My interest in Gentoo has always been for my direct 
use. I know many who work on Gentoo but do not use it. Definitely do not use it 
for their day job, or even run it on their personal systems.
 
Companies that "use" or run Gentoo are less and less ever day... That is part 
of the problem you are also not realizing. In the US, companies are moving 
away from Gentoo. I do not know of any looking to migrate to Gentoo.

> And as Gentoo is important to their businesses success, it makes sense to
> invest in that infrastructure you're otherwise getting for free.

I am aware but these businesses have mostly moved on. I know of a few. I know 
of more who are leaving or have left Gentoo.  People I know who first turned me 
onto Gentoo will never consider it for their business.

I do not even mention Gentoo anymore at LUG meetings and otherwise. It has 
become worse than the red headed step child.

-- 
William L. Thomson Jr.