[Linux-aus] Should Linux Australia change its name?

[Chris Neugebauer]

On Tue, Apr 24, 2012 at 21:43, John Vandenberg <jayvdb at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> LA could set up a separate bank account and/or trading name for each
> annual conference.  Add to that some Rules controlling transfers of
> money between these per-conf accounts and the main LA accounts, and
> the sponsors should be even happier as they know the money will go to
> the conference they are supporting, and they will know what happens
> with surpluses.
>

This is almost precisely the process that is already in place with
PyCon Australia.

What happens on top of the situation that you've described is this:

We still need to explain that the profits go to "Linux Australia", and
that "Linux Australia" is the entity that provides our insurance; and
that's where the confusion arises. ("This is a Python conference, why
has the money gone to Linux?").

The name "Linux Australia" communicates a lot of intent that doesn't
reflect the organisation's focus as something that supports Open
Source groups that aren't just Linux.  It takes effort on behalf of
conference organisers to correct people's preconceptions about the
intent of the organisation (i.e. "It's not just about Linux!").

Just like I need to explain on this list how Linux Australia currently
operates.  There are preconceptions about the focus of the
organisation that come about from having "Linux" in the name.  These
preconceptions would be replaced with more appropriate ones if we had
something like "Open Source" in the name rather than "Linux".

--Chris

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--Christopher Neugebauer

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