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FSF Announces Corporate Patronage Program
Andy Tai writes "The Free Software Foundation has announced a 'Corporate Patronage Program' to allow companies to support the work of the FSF. The members already include IBM, HP, Ada Core Technologies and MySQL. Interested parties should contact Ravi Khanna."
The FSF should at least offer to make the company's names on its Patron sponsor list linkable to the companys' websites. It is 2003 you know.
I hate having to go to Google to type in "OEone Corporation" to find out who the heck they are.
--LP
Time was when contributions to FSF funded programmers busy writing new free software. This appears to be far less the case, these days -- at a period of time when, 10 years ago, I would have predicted that FSF would now be doing more or less what RHAT does.
This is a delicate criticism, of course. It's not at all that where there money goes isn't important -- far from it.
But, hey, where's my "complete GNU system" (other than in arguments that various non-FSF distributions should be called GNU/Linux)?
-t
Its finnaly great that big companies like IBM are not only getting into the swing of writing thier own free software, but also funding other projects (like jabber). The world needs less market grabbers like Microsoft and more sharing and careing.
Gnome wasnt built in a day.
Great news for all the gang at the Free Software Foundation. They
sure know the meaning of success. Great idea, well executed. Other
wannabees come and go, but the FSF keeps on keepin' on.
Doesn't this have Sally Struthers written all over it?
For example:
Today, I am visiting with GNU/Linux guru Richard M. Stallman. He needs a sponsor in order to be able to afford basic human necessities, like a razor and a haircut. Not to mention, in his part of the world, there is no running water. These GNU/Linux geeks are people too, and they are deserving of our compassion. For just pennies a day, you can make a difference.
GF.
Lots of petrified grits
Here's hoping that both companies and individuals support it by the bucketload.
____________
Linux Hosting! $3 a Month! Cheap Web Site Hosting
This is offtopic. Since you mentioned OEone, I looked at the website demo. Their calendar looks nice. Does anyone know of a stand-alone GUI calendar program for GNU/Linux that doesn't require installing most of the Gnome or KDE libraries, or any other massive libraries? (I use fluxbox on a laptop)
Quick, someone tell Microsoft about this! I bet they'd love to sign on!
NO CARRIER
What's the bet that Microsoft WONT be signing up for this.
Steve Story hereby announces a Corporate Patronage Program. Interested corporations can fund Steve Story's physics education and/or beer habit. Interested CFO's should contact Steve Story immediately to learn how to give him money.
their only demand for the system is that you prepend GNU/ on your company name.
it had to be said.
This is a good thing. The FSF is getting corporations involved in free (libre) software. Goes to counteract all those nay-sayers who say "RMS and the FSF are communists!" No, they're not communists. Not even close. In fact, RMS and the FSF have repeatedly scolded licenses which are "like the GPL" but prevent corporations from using them on those terms.
social sciences can never use experience to verify their statemen
"corporate espionage program", to support there "user/computer tracking" database.
Consensus is good, but informed dictatorship is better
This kind of cooperation with the bourgeoisie exploiters cannot be tolerated! I demand an immediate reversal of direction by the FSF!
--sdem
Wow, two free hours of RMS insisting that "it's correctly termed GNU/Linux -- here, read this 85 point manifesto."
It's a nice chunk of change they've picked up, though. Looking at their rates [fsf.org], that's $10,000 each from IBM and HP, and probably $500 each from the others. I wonder if they really got that much or if they offered a discount to get the ball rolling.
What I'm listening to now on Pandora...
I havent read the article so dont troll me. but maybe it would be good to include ways that companies can make a profit off of it. im not sure how. maybe a free basic version and then a upgrade option from the companie that can be purchased. star office sucks if youv ever had to really use it, if there was financial incentive then I bet the kinks would be worked out. IMHO
Patent happy IBM is supporting a group attempting to get rid of software patents. IBM is cruising for a corporate identity crisis. Who will win? IBM's Hackers and marketers or IBM's lawyers?
Or does
images.slashdot.org/topics/topicgnu.gif
look kinda like a pen*s wearing a hat?
Maybe they will take a few million shares from you?
or prostitution?
I hope that this new organization is less secretive than the KDE League has been. All it did was act like a roach motel, where the money checked in but never checked out. I don't think they have provided an accounting even yet.
Do these companies actually need the 2-hour consulting with the FSF that they get in return for their patronage? Wouldn't it cost them more to switch from the normal consultees or just using their own staff?
chillax137
Its ALL about the Ben Franklins.
Manipulate the moderator system! Mod someone as "overrated" today.
let's get it done people!
I really like programs like this that allow people to support those that need it. This takes place in all forms of life, from those who help out the homeless, to helping out with FSF, to giving time to the EFF!
Hell, you can even help friends get mercury fileshack service these days. They just added a referal system. Shameless plug for mercury / fileshack (demos, patches, movies, clips, and a whole lot of fun etc. -- fast and cheap. Still available for free, but pay a few bucks for no lines and faster downloads. Hell, you even get 10 megs of webspace and speakeasy doesn't care if you put nekked chicks up!
My referal form at fileshack
The ultimate network admin tool needs HELP!
For just pennies a day you can have pennies a day, and be hypocritically called a cheap bastard by all of /. for admitting it.
I think private donatinos would be better attained by selling cool t-shirts and such. I'd buy some Debian ones; I have nearly every cool one in ThinkGeek stock.
You can't judge a book by the way it wears its hair.
equally important message here.
RMS is most assuredly NOT on welfare. He is a millionare. You see, long ago he won the MacArther prize, got a million dollar check, and has never had to work since. As a millionaire, he is in the perfect position to represent us, the working programmer...
A Government Is a Body of People, Usually Notably Ungoverned
Comment removed based on user account deletion
No, RMS is not a millionaire and never was; the McArthur prize was worth $250k when he got it.
1. work without compensation
2. beg for charity from others in order to stay alive
3. profit from the mounds of excess cash!
hey, that's the GNU philosophy of wealth. don't scream at me because it's true. no one is fucking buying his shitty books. he and the entire gnu/fsf crap is kept alive by CHARITY. which is how most churches are kept in 'business'. coincidence?
it's a nice ideal and all, and suited for those who are happy living in mom's basement. but some of us like crazy shit like "wealth" in the form of "money".
The FSF has never taken a position against software patents, and has actually been rather restrained in its critism of them. For example, when the W3C tried to deal with the problem of incorporating patented technology into their standards, the FSF's only objection was that the patent license was too narrow.
:-)
Now, the League for Programming Freedom has a completely different take on the topic. Since it can be hard to tell its core members from those of the FSF, you're excused from the mistake this time
Back in the day, when VA Linix had their IPO, several members of the GNU and Linux communities were offered "friends and family" shares - the moral equivalent of a large bag of cash. Eric Raymond took the stock - Open Source afficianados have no problem with making money. Richard Stallman refused the offer, supposedly because he objected to use of non-Free software in their products.
In hindsight, RMS might have been the smarter investor!
Ravi Khanna? What kind of name is that?!
It sounds arab, and *MY* company doesn't support terrorist organizations! We can't take the risk that General Asscroft may raid the FSF and seize *our* assets too!
</humor impaired>
--
Power to the Peaceful
This is a good move -- hopefully many companies will catch on and the FSF will get sponsorship. But what worries my is that the FSF is an organization whose goals are not clearly stated. I, for one, am not sure what exactly FSF can and cannot do. I've spent some time looking for a charter, or a set of rules governing this organization and haven't found any on the FSF web site. All I found was talk and marketing.
I believe this should be particularly alarming to software authors who assign copyrights to the FSF. I would be rather wary of transferring rights to my work to an organization, unless I understood very clearly what the organization can can cannot do with them. Try to find that out from the FSF web site.
Yes, I have contacted the FSF about this. I was told that the documents were not put online because of lack of volunteer time.
I have a little trouble grokking FSF's international structure.
On FOSDEM, FSF Europe was present, as well as RMS. While the FSFE was doing its own campaign, RMS was handing "FSF Associate Membership Sign-up" cards, with all the numbers in dollars on it and the address in Boston.
While Free Software is an international thing, I'd like to see some kind of representation back from where the funds came. For instance, spending high $$ on fighting American law structures is just so-and-so relevant to me, as long as the Netherlands/ Europe have their own situation.
I think that if the FSF would be willing to accept international donations in general, it should also take some time to explain how it benefits people outside of America (or how it doesn't, I don't care if it advertises well, but I'd like to get the picture), and how a donation to the American "chapter" affects the FSF Europe or another local chapter.
OTOH, if the FSF wants Europeans to become a member of the FSF Europe instead, to better support that organisation and local issues, they should also make that clear.
Just my 2 eurocents.
"We can confirm that Debian does *not* ship the version with the trojan horse. Our version predates it." [CA-2002-28]
At a guess, I'd assume FSF has a policy of not linking to (directing users to) companies that produce non-free software.
Ciaran O'Riordan
Expert in software patents or patent law? Contribute to the ESP wiki!
> but what does the FSF really do?
;)
I was at the FSF annual associate member meeting in February and I met some of the staff.
GPL Compliance guy: David "Novalis" Turner
Copyright Assignment Clerk: Jessica Natale
Free Software Directory (catalogger): Janet Casey
GNU Press/Business manager: Lisa "Opus" Goldstein
Speeches & talking to Politicians: RMS
Speeches & lawyering/GPL thinking: Eben Moglen
Excutive Director: Bradley Kuhn
Treasurer:
Sys admin (internal + savannah&maillists): Can't-remember
Can't-remember-position;): Henri Poole
Digital Speech + business development: Ravi Kahna
(hope I haven't left anyone out)
They also have interns in from time to time to do fidly programming/sys-admin stuffs.
Another person replying to this comment asked if they are paid well: I don't have numbers but I can tell you they'd all be monitarily more wealthy working in other companies, they work for FSF because it's FSF.
That's all I know, I swear
Ciaran O'Riordan
Expert in software patents or patent law? Contribute to the ESP wiki!
This is only slightly off topic since GNU is a project under FSF... I tried twice last year to support the Savannah Project by purchasing a Verisign SSL certificate for their website. I received zero responses. Looks like they have a cert from Entrust now. But shouldn't donators get faster responses?
-- Creativity knows no medium
What a great way to enable companies to do what they love to do most : burn money.
and it goes to a good cause too > FSF, now that's what I call a double-wammy. nice one guys.
White seperatism might not be anti-black, but damn ... it still feels like it.
He also won some chinese award that came with $836,000. The "Taekdo Award" or something like that. ...and he gets paid for giving speeches (and he gives a lot of speeches). Probably never a millionaire but he was definitely close.
On receiving the Taekdo award he said he would "invest" it but never elaborated any further (to my knowledge).
He lives cheaply (staying in friends houses in most countries he visits). The FSF's back account didn't shoot up when he got the money.
Either way, it's his money and it hasn't changed him. The man has dedicated his life to the promotion and maintenance of freedom, I'm sure he has/will put the money to good use.
Ciaran O'Riordan
Expert in software patents or patent law? Contribute to the ESP wiki!
Imagine the same story with different actors:
/.'s most hated list. FSF does it, we throw a party.
"RIAA announces new Corporate Patronage Program."
Those companies would immediately be on
Perhaps it will turn out well. But perhaps not. Robert Johnson sold his sould to the devil to be the best guitar player around.
These Corporate Patrons have agendas that aren't open, that will be pursued via their now substantial support of the few lawyers around who give a hoot about free software. Woe be the FSF when they need to make a choice between their conscience and dependence on private funding. Best of luck to the FSF on this.
Watch this development closely and start searching for an alternative.
Please ignore this. It is only a test.