Op maandag 8 februari 2016 17:52:34 CET schreef jdd:
Hello,
During a discussion on openuse@ list, an idea come.
I'm absolutely not sure that it's a good idea, but it may be for reasons I will develop below.
Richard Brown summarized very well the situation right now on the other list, please read:
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse/2016-02/msg00372.html
but neither the list nor the thread subject was appropriate, so this post.
Discussion:
Object: create a non profit organization "Friends of openSUSE", possibly Switzerland based (http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse/2016-02/msg00344.html) to promote openSUSE.
History: Long time ago, a discussion was held on the subject: do we need an openSUSE Foundation (http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-foundation/). It was discarded because we feel that the openSUSE/SUSE trademark was better protected by SUSE than by any non profit Foundation.
Reason not to create the association: As said by Richard, openSUSE don't really need money, we don't use already all what we can have. Hiring a developer is extremely costly and anyway couldn't be achieved before a very large grow up, not to happen anytime soon.
Reason to create the "Friends" (seen by jdd):
The relation between openSUSE and it's main sponsor SUSE was never clear for openSUSE member (official or not). Whatever is true, almost everybody think that the orientation of openSUSE is very closely decided by SUSE. My idea is that it's partially true, but not by direct subordination, but by common interest.
I'm largely convinced (without any proof, other than reading many posts) than many people are reluctant to engage more in openSUSE due to this perceived relationship.
Think than developers can benefit directly of the SUSE infra-structure to help them develop, so have a direct interest to subscribe OBS, for example.
But most non-developers volunteers do not get any direct benefit, other than glory and self satisfaction. They do not feels like having real direction on what openSUSE do.
Building an "Friends..." non profit organization could (may be, you will have to comment!!) make this better.
The goal of this organization would be non profit, that is the direction and members of the organization couldn't get any money from it. This do not mean the organization can't collect money, only it have to be used for the social object of the organization (promoting openSUSE).
See it like some "supporters" of sports squads - cheerleaders ones :-))
Every member would have to pay a small fee (10€??) as membership, for each year, so we would know exactly how many people really support the "Friends". They could also donate and the money could be used to support openSUSE where it's not already done. I think of more local support (french or Vanuatu one...).
More over, it could drive people to engage themselves a bit more. You know: you have more consideration for something you paid for than for something that was donated to you...
May be all this is a dream. Before making anything, we need to know if YOU would subscribe such organization. In France creating such thing needs three peoples and around 40€ for the creation publication, really cheap, but is it worth the fuss?
your time to write :-)
jdd
Disclaimer: I write this as an openSUSE user, not as a board member. The thoughts are my personal ones, not a representation of board points of view. I've thought about this often, and where I would have supported the idea fully five years ago, I now wonder what the benefits for openSUSE could be. If it's for getting some money in to do extra stuff, an easy access donation page could do that. A fair point, which I've seen dozens of times over the years, is the lack of transparency in the relationship SUSE - openSUSE. It shouldn't be too hard to create something that would inform those interested. Would I want to change something in this relationship? Not at the moment, AFAICT it works . I'm very comfortable with the way SUSE sponsors openSUSE, where SUSE has not forced the project to move lef or right. I consider the relationship ( although not always clear ) as mutually beneficiary. But, a wiki page without going into too much detail IMO would be a good thing. Still, I think it's good we think and discuss ways to strengthen the community, since IMHO that's what we're doing here. Thanks for posting, jdd Again, all this à titre peronel. -- Gertjan Lettink, a.k.a. Knurpht openSUSE Board Member openSUSE Forums Team -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-project+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, email: opensuse-project+owner@opensuse.org