Gentoo Archives: gentoo-project

From: Matthew Thode <prometheanfire@g.o>
To: gentoo-project@l.g.o, gentoo-nfp@l.g.o
Subject: [gentoo-project] Re: SPI as an alternate foundation
Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2018 19:51:58
Message-Id: 20180610195150.tr62wyv3bd5vno3i@gentoo.org
In Reply to: Re: [gentoo-project] Council meeting Sunday 10/June/2018 18:00 UTC by "Andreas K. Huettel"
1 The foundation was not consulted on this. As this concerns the
2 foundation and it's stewardship of the Gentoo Distribution I find that
3 concerning. I've also re-subject'd the thread to call it out as a
4 topic.
5
6 On 18-06-08 20:02:42, Andreas K. Huettel wrote:
7 > Am Freitag, 8. Juni 2018, 19:44:00 CEST schrieb Andreas K. Huettel:
8 > > Dear all,
9 > >
10 > > the Gentoo Council will meet again this sunday, 10 June 2018, 18:00 UTC on
11 > > the #gentoo-council IRC channel.
12 > >
13 > > Please reply to this e-mail with agenda item proposals.
14 > >
15 >
16 > I would like to put the following proposal on the agenda once more (clarified
17 > and expanded):
18 >
19 > The Gentoo council shall directly contact "Software in the Public Interest
20 > Inc." (SPI), with the intention of Gentoo becoming a SPI Associated Project.
21 > The intention is for SPI to become an *additional* service provider of the
22 > Gentoo developer community for Accepting Donations, Holding Funds, and Holding
23 > Assets. The SPI project liaison shall be appointed by the Gentoo council.
24 >
25 > No transfer of funds or assets of any kind between SPI and the Gentoo
26 > Foundation is stipulated (it would be the trustees' responsibility anyway), so
27 > any (dys)function of the Gentoo Foundation has no impact on this new business
28 > relationship. Equally, the business relationship with SPI shall have no impact
29 > on the current function of the Gentoo Foundation. Essentially, the proposal is
30 > that we start with an empty account at SPI. (I'll be happy to make the first
31 > donation.)
32 >
33
34 Please stop stating that the Foundation is dysfunctional. You are not
35 helping (either in real terms in working with the foundation or in
36 promoting a divide between the two groups). I'd think that the lead of
37 comrel wouldn't want to spread the hate.
38
39 I'm not sure how you can say there'd be no transfer of anything when you
40 are trying to represent the Gentoo Distribution in a business decision.
41 We would be required to take action against any use of the Gentoo Name
42 that does not follow the 'Gentoo name and logo usage guidelines'.
43
44 >
45 > SPI does not require exclusivity; the company explicitly allows that a project
46 > is also sponsored by further parties. As long as SPI does not publicly
47 > represent Gentoo, there is no conflict regarding trademarks. Most SPI
48 > associated projects are unincorporated associations of individuals, as is the
49 > Gentoo developer community electing the Gentoo Council.
50 >
51
52 This is good, though I wonder who the donations are going to (the name
53 is important).
54
55 > As additional bonus, we will be gaining that donations to SPI are tax-
56 > deductible both in the US and in the EU.
57 >
58 > The precise procedure for appointing the project liaison is up to debate; a
59 > draft proposal can be found below.
60 > ==
61 > a) The project liaison is a Gentoo developer appointed by the Gentoo council,
62 > and bound to follow its instructions.
63 > b) Appointment of the project liaison is by vote of the majority of council
64 > members (i.e. >=4 votes). The only way to unseat the project liaison is to
65 > appoint a different project liaison by vote.
66
67 I'd much rather this be a full vote by the developers, or to have
68 something like a super-majority be needed to appoint someone to this
69 important position.
70
71 > c) Officers and trustees of the Gentoo Foundation are not eligible for
72 > project liaison.
73
74 Please give details as to why this is NEEDED. This would further drain
75 the manpower of the foundation by removing those capable of helping it.
76
77 > d) The restriction of c) can be lifted permanently by Gentoo council majority
78 > decision only after the council, the Gentoo Foundation trustees, and the board
79 > of the financial sponsor organization have come into agreement that
80 > * the financial situation of the Gentoo Foundation has been sufficiently
81 > clarified,
82
83 I do not know why you require 100% of those 'voting' here to vote the
84 same way is setting it up for failure. It also allows for any of the
85 three parties to act against the best interests of the whole by voting
86 no (they all have veto power). Two out of three voting yes would work
87 better.
88
89 > * any outstanding taxes have been determined and paid, and
90 > * any further outstanding relevant business of the Gentoo Foundation, i.e.,
91 > with the IRS, has been concluded.
92
93 What is the reasoning behind both of these requirements (I agree that
94 they need to be done, but I wonder what they have to do with anything
95 here).
96
97 --
98 Matthew Thode (prometheanfire)

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