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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.
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.
____________
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Quick, someone tell Microsoft about this! I bet they'd love to sign on!
NO CARRIER
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
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?
It's a GNU, you irrepressible rantallion.
Why the hell should the FSF throw out 15+ years of brand recognition on the say-so of someone called "Eric_Cartman_South_P?"
Now that you mention it, the bald eagle is ugly. And "bald" suggests old. We'd better change the national seal RIGHT NOW!
Thanks... I know. Many times what I see as fun dry sarcasm (the false naivety of not knowing the GNU logo, as reflected in my original post) gets across as simply idiotic. That's the risk I take when I type first and think second, maybe?
As much as I love GNU/FSF and enjoy the fruits of their labor, I think that in the real world, acceptance by companies and customers and clients el. al. involves MARKETING. And as far as that goes, IMHO the GNU logo is rather; well, to risk karma+life... ugly. Just my opinion. I own a small biz. I don't have $500 to throw into it for a one year membership, but I plan to soon (yes, I really do plan on joining, and the link will find it's way into my .sig). But I won't put that FSF logo on my home page as much as I would have likes to. I coded my site and did all my graphics and the simple yet crisp look of the page IMO is sweet. But! Putting that GNU head on my front page is not going to happen, as much as I'd like to have bragged to friends+clients about supporting the FSF (as a geek, it is sure to get me bragging rights over a beer with friends). Maybe IBM and the other members might feel the same way? I could imagine a nice little logo making it's way onto IBM's front page, but someone their size is sure to not want that "Boars Head(TM) Roast Beef Sold Here Fresh Daily" logo.
Maybe www.fark.com can help in creating a new logo? Using Gimp, of course.
perhaps you would prefer the meditating gnu. it's one of my favorites. you have others to choose from, many of which are similar to the one you dont like. there is another nice one for you page here. if you dont like the mascot, i think you are just shit out of luck. i doubt they will be changing it any time soon :).
-- john
Comment removed based on user account deletion
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
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]