Re: [gentoo-project] Formally have Council oversee the Foundation 2.0

[Dale <rdalek1967@gmail.com>]

Rich Freeman wrote:
> On Mon, Jan 16, 2017 at 2:54 PM, Dale <rdalek1967@gmail.com> wrote:
>> I would strongly suspect that Gentoo would have to have all its ducks in
>> a row before it would even be considered.
> Sure, but:
> 1.  The list of items that need to be settled to move to SPI may be
> smaller in scope than the list of things that need to be settled to
> keep running the Foundation.
> 2.  The Foundation would only need to be fully caught up for a moment
> in time to execute the handover, and then it would be gone.
> 3.  Since #1/2 would be a well-defined finite set of work it could be
> bid out and professionals could be hired to do the heavy lifting.
>
> I think that this represents a fairly different burden than the one of
> trying to keep things running properly forever.  If you handed a CPA
> $10k to get all the books in order then six months later they'd be a
> mess again.
>
> It is like the difference between maintaining a house, and getting it
> in good enough shape to sell.  Sure, if you've been maintaining your
> house all along then nothing needs to be done to sell it, but if not
> the prospect of just hiring some professionals to do a fixed set of
> cleanup tasks for a short term is probably more welcome than all the
> work that goes into keeping the house in tip-top shape all the time.
>


Given that Gentoo has to my knowledge not been able to do that over the
last decade or more, I doubt they can now either.  I've read that some
paperwork can't even be found which may be some of the reason Gentoo is
in the mess it is or has been in.  It's been bad for long enough that I
stopped keeping up with it long ago.  I still read posts about it but
I'm not aware of Gentoo being in good graces with the IRS in a very long
time.  It's in good shape code wise tho.  The Gentoo folks are good,
heck, VERY good, at that. 

Given the history of Gentoo, If I were SPI, I'd require Gentoo to get
its ducks in a row and remain that way for several years before I would
even consider accepting it.  Heck, if I was rich and could afford a team
of lawyers and accountants, I'd still be leery of helping.  Bad thing
is, every year that passes just means it is more work to do and harder
to do.  To use your house analogy, if you ignore all the electrical
problems, roof leaks and such for years, decades even, then want to sell
the house, you got some serious work ahead of you or you about to take a
serious haircut on the price.  Heck, it may be that no one wants to even
buy the thing.  That could be where Gentoo finds itself with SPI. 

Dale

:-)  :-)