From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (qmail 17451 invoked from network); 1 Dec 2004 18:32:37 +0000 Received: from smtp.gentoo.org (156.56.111.197) by lists.gentoo.org with AES256-SHA encrypted SMTP; 1 Dec 2004 18:32:37 +0000 Received: from lists.gentoo.org ([156.56.111.196] helo=parrot.gentoo.org) by smtp.gentoo.org with esmtp (Exim 4.41) id 1CZZHJ-0002j7-Gh for arch-gentoo-trustees@lists.gentoo.org; Wed, 01 Dec 2004 18:32:37 +0000 Received: (qmail 11236 invoked by uid 89); 1 Dec 2004 18:32:36 +0000 Mailing-List: contact gentoo-trustees-help@gentoo.org; run by ezmlm Precedence: bulk List-Post: List-Help: List-Unsubscribe: List-Subscribe: List-Id: Gentoo Linux mail Reply-To: gentoo-trustees@lists.gentoo.org X-BeenThere: gentoo-trustees@lists.gentoo.org Received: (qmail 30008 invoked from network); 1 Dec 2004 18:32:36 +0000 Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2004 12:37:23 -0600 From: Grant Goodyear To: gentoo-trustees@lists.gentoo.org Message-ID: <20041201183723.GB13315@server.grantgoodyear.org> Mail-Followup-To: gentoo-trustees@gentoo.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/signed; micalg=pgp-sha1; protocol="application/pgp-signature"; boundary="huq684BweRXVnRxX" Content-Disposition: inline User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.6i Subject: [gentoo-trustees] [DavidA@ActiveState.com: Re: [PSF-Board] Requesting permission to use parts of bylaws for Gentoo] X-Archives-Salt: 71342bd5-0f69-4a56-9207-8a9aea7e3eb4 X-Archives-Hash: 35e444eb8def4870a79d75bbb7867a03 --huq684BweRXVnRxX Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable ----- Forwarded message from David Ascher ----- =46rom: David Ascher Date: Wed, 01 Dec 2004 10:24:17 -0800 To: Grant Goodyear Cc: gentoo-trustees@lists.gentoo.org User-Agent: Mozilla Thunderbird 0.9 (Windows/20041103) Subject: Re: [PSF-Board] Requesting permission to use parts of bylaws for Gentoo Grant Goodyear wrote: >David Ascher wrote: [Wed Oct 20 2004, 01:18:03PM CDT] > >>You might want to talk to us about the bylaws before you 'blindly' adopt= =20 >>them, however. We made some changes from the ASF bylaws for specific=20 >>reasons, and those reasons may or may not apply to you. > > >Thanks again. The Gentoo trustees just had a phone conference to talk >about the bylaws, and one topic that came up was the idea of "sponsor >members". Why are sponsor members a good idea for Python (that is, what >problem does it solve)? Also, would you point us to some of the other >changes that you made, and the rationales behind them? My memory isn't as good as it should be, and if you want I can get other=20 people involved. The PSF was created because of concerns around the IP situation for=20 Python -- there were a stack of licenses, multiple owners for multiple=20 bits, no good legal infrastructure in place, etc. Sponsor members served a dual purpose at least in my mind: 1) to provide a way for corporations with a stake in Python to be=20 represented in the organization (which is otherwise Apache-style=20 meritocratic and individual-based) 2) to provide funding for the legal expenses we knew we'd face, both to=20 seek IRS 501(c)3 status, to clarify the license, ownership, assignment=20 process, etc. Part of this is to build up a legal defense fund should=20 we need it. In practice, the fact that we had monies available has made it possible=20 for the PSF to run the PyCon conference (by paying for the insurance,=20 paying for the up-front costs, etc.), which in turn has made a profit=20 every year. This year we're also planning on spending some of our money (we have=20 over $100k in the bank) on grants to support Python projects. IIRC, the only other substantial changes we made to the bylaws were=20 trying to modernize the rules w.r.t. the ability to have things like IRC=20 board meetings (I can't recall if we had to change the bylaws for that=20 or just pass resolutions at in-person meetings). I think the sponsor members was a good idea for Python, and AFAIK most=20 members agree. They have to be approved by the membership (I think a=20 majority), and we've refused some sponsor member applications (who were=20 just trying to get a spot for their logo on python.org/psf!), and AFAIK=20 sponsor members are fine w/ the process as well. The biggest downside of the sponsor member concept is that it emphasizes=20 IRS regulations that you wouldn't otherwise have to worry about. It's a=20 long and tortuous topic, but basically a non-profit has to obey "public=20 support" rules that ensure that its funding doesn't come from too few=20 organizations (otherwise it would be seen as a tax shelter). Sponsor=20 members, because they give $2k every year, could hurt our public support=20 test w/ the IRS if we didn't get enough money from other folks. If=20 you have a broad enough support base (which we do), it could be a=20 problem if charity status is important to you. I don't know enough about Gentoo and the gentoo foundation's goals to=20 know whether to recommend the same changes in your case. Feel free to=20 tell me more if you want. -- David ----- End forwarded message ----- --=20 Grant Goodyear=09 Gentoo Developer g2boojum@gentoo.org http://www.gentoo.org/~g2boojum GPG Fingerprint: D706 9802 1663 DEF5 81B0 9573 A6DC 7152 E0F6 5B76 --huq684BweRXVnRxX Content-Type: application/pgp-signature Content-Disposition: inline -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.2.6 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQFBrg9jptxxUuD2W3YRAiU8AKCDyjX2dmQAaGvubUNzhZ66laHlyACeM4xs OiII/jPCwNzHUKeIO3rzd2o= =Ghs2 -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --huq684BweRXVnRxX--