Re: [gentoo-project] A committee to review umbrellas as a new home for Gentoo assets.

[Alec Warner <antarus@gentoo.org>]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 3009 bytes --]

On Wed, Jan 25, 2017 at 12:00 PM, Raymond Jennings <shentino@gmail.com>
wrote:

> On Sun, Jan 22, 2017 at 2:50 PM, Robin H. Johnson <robbat2@gentoo.org>
> wrote:
>
>> On Mon, Jan 16, 2017 at 02:38:55PM -0800, Alec Warner wrote:
>> > According to the bylaws and NM law, the board may direct the formation
>> of
>> > specific committees. I recommend we form an adhoc research committee to
>> do
>> > the following:
>> >
>> > 1) Draw up a list of requirements for umbrella organizations (output, a
>> > document of requirements.)
>> #1 requirement: must be willing to take Gentoo as a member.
>>
>> > 2) Draw up a list of umbrella organizations (SPI, SFC, etc.)
>> > 3) Evaluate each umbrella organization with regards to requirements in
>> 1.
>> I think many of the orgs will say no to #1, but ideally each org has a
>> well defined set of criteria for joining, that we can evaluate Gentoo
>> against.
>>
>> > NM law requires a committee have at least 2 board members, I nominate
>> > myself and Robin. The committee may enlist the assistance of non-board
>> > members (many of whom are CC'd; I also CC'd gentoo-project as there are
>> > similar threads there.
>> I decline the nomination, on account of needing time to spend on family
>> matters; I will help where possible, but will commit to spending
>> additional time on this (my remaining trustee term is dedicated to the
>> financial matters).
>>
>> --
>> Robin Hugh Johnson
>> Gentoo Linux: Dev, Infra Lead, Foundation Trustee & Treasurer
>> E-Mail   : robbat2@gentoo.org
>> GnuPG FP : 11ACBA4F 4778E3F6 E4EDF38E B27B944E 34884E85
>> GnuPG FP : 7D0B3CEB E9B85B1F 825BCECF EE05E6F6 A48F6136
>>
>
> If I may ask, why isn't the Gentoo Foundation itself suited to be the
> organization?
>
> If there are any problems can't it just elect new trustees or change its
> bylaws or something?
>

Not to insult the previous trustees, but I can't say the existing board
(including myself) has done a great job; nor have previous boards.

Could a new board be elected? Sure. Foundation members have this power. But
people have to stand for nomination to the board. If no one is interested
in running the non-profit it becomes difficult to further the argument that
the existing non-profit is suited.

In the past the non-profit was run in a "keep the lights on" fashion. We
took in money, paid bills and filled paperwork. If that is what the
Foundation's responsibilities end up being; then I think it will remain
difficult to find board members and there is really not much advantage to
having a separate non-profit at all. We might as well just join an umbrella
organization.

If the Foundation was to be more active (raise more money, have complex
interactions, employees, etc.) then being an umbrella is risky because
there can be a lot of friction from that sort of structure. However very
few individuals seem to want a more active Foundation and I see many in the
developer community oppose such activities. So I don't see an active
Foundation as likely.

-A

[-- Attachment #2: Type: text/html, Size: 4418 bytes --]