[Linux-aus] Linux Australia Donations Scheme!

[Anand Kumria]

On Sun, Mar 13, 2005 at 02:05:23PM +1000, Anthony Towns wrote:
> Hi all!

Hi,

> 
> As mentioned in the summary of the weekend meeting we had in February, 
> we've been wanting to help projects accept donations from users. The 
> first phase of that's now up, and we're accepting donations for Debian 
> and Samba. Have a look at
> 
> 	http://www.linux.org.au/projects/donations/
> 
> We're trying to be pretty careful about how we do this, so we don't make 
> too much work for ourselves, don't break the law, and don't tread on 
> people's toes; so any comments would be appreciated!

Why wasn't this also sent to announce at linux.org.au, surely something like
this deserves wider exposure?

> Samba and Debian have talked with Linux Australia a few times in the 
> past about using our facilities for accepting donations, so they were 

No, 'Debian' hasn't spoken with LA. The money held on behalf of Debian
is because I undertook activites in Debian's name and needed a place to
store the funds. I didn't trust their treasurer back then, and I
certainly do not now. 

In fact I quesiton the wisdom of accepting donations for Debian when 
they have a demonstrated inability to manage their own funds.

Do we really want to do this on their behalf and inadvertedly become
their treasurer (note: I'm assuming that by 'Debian' you mean Software
in the Pecuniary^WPublic Interest (SPI) since no such 'Debian' legal
entity exists) -- the LA treasurer has a much better handle on things.

> the obvious first step. If there are other projects who've got an 
> immediate use for or interest in this please feel free to contact the 

What of the Free Software Foundation (FSF), Linux Professional Institute (LPI),
Apache Software Foundation (ASF), Gnome/KDE Foundations? Are they being
considered at all or should they be suggested?

> We'd really like to get some experience with collecting money, and 
> getting it spent on useful things for projects -- so if you've recently 

This sounds like you are going to collect and spend the money on behalf
of this organisations? Wouldn't it be simpler to collect the money on
behalf of these organisations and then forward it to them to spend how
they wish.

> Anyway, hope that makes sense, and if you've got any questions or 
> comments, please don't hesitate to post :)

Apart from the fact that I have no confidence whatsoever in 'Debian' (or
SPI for that matter), it sounds like a great idea.

Regards,
Anand

-- 
linux.conf.au 2005   -  http://lca2005.linux.org.au/  -  Birthplace of Tux
April 18th to 23rd   -  http://lca2005.linux.org.au/  -       LINUX
Canberra, Australia  -  http://lca2005.linux.org.au/  -    Get bitten!
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