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Linux Fund Loses MasterCard Funding Source
An anonymous reader writes "The Linux Fund was established in 1999 to provide grants to free and open source software projects from funds raised via a credit card featuring a picture of Tux, the Linux penguin. This credit card was offered through MBNA America Bank, which was purchased in 2006 by Bank of America. Last week, LinuxFund credit card holders received mail from Bank of America informing them that the LinuxFund card would be discontinued. Linux.com has a few details about the end of the credit card including statements from executive director David Mandel, assuring that the LinuxFund will look different but will continue. In the past, the LinuxFund provided one-time grants of $500-$1,000 USD to many projects including SDL, FilmGimp, Xiph.org Foundation, CrystalSpace, K12LTSP, and Kismet. The LinuxFund stagnated in 2003, and in 2005 it was revitalized by new leaders and by 2006 provided a stable $6,000 per year contribution to a number of larger projects including Wikipedia, Blender, Debian, Gentoo, and OpenSSH." Linux.com and Slashdot are both part of OSTG.
...why? Because the development of Linux up to this point, a point where Microsoft and other companies give it respect, has largely depended on volunteers. Linux will live on.
I mean, it's not like we're talking about a porn site or something. What's up with this?
You can stop laughing now.
Fry tries to make a purchase in the future:
"Here's my Visa Card."
"Visa hasn't existed in over 400 years."
"Well, how about my MasterCard?"
"MasterCard hasn't existed in over 500 years."
"I have my Discover card."
(Pause) "Ooh, I'm sorry, we don't take Discover."
There's an Apple card, although it's not that distinctively Apple. NBC Universal/Sci-Fi has a Battlestar Galactica card, and there are the Yoda/Darth Vader cards. Anyone have any others?
So.. they made this decision right about the same time they decided to accounts and loans to illegal immigrants? Interesting...
Can you be Even More Awesome?!
In my experience, MBNA / Bank of America have not been that great for credit cards. I used to get a ton of crap from MBNA, and I can be pretty sure those people have infested BoA's credit division.
My best suggestion would be to work with HSBC. A properly set up programme with them would possibly enable same/similar card services globally. I've had no problems with HSBC's customer service, aside from the occasional glitch in a VoIP connection to a call centre.
Otherwise, I've had pretty good experience with GE Money Bank and Citibank (as far as credit cards go). Chase, though, I avoid like the plague. So, if LinuxFund gets a Chase card, well, forget me then.
Linux - because it doesn't leave that Steve Ballmer aftertaste.
I always liked the old LinuxFund's mission of giving many small grants to many small projects. Are there any other similar organizations that do that sort of thing? Google Summer of Code comes to mind, but that is limited to college students. There's always the Paypal links on project homepages or Sourceforge, but I wish there was something more visible.
LinuxFund's current "give a constant source of funding to some projects" is nice too, and donating to the LinuxFund will hopefully remain a convenient way to donate to a number of individual projects.
I am currently a LinuxFund card holder, and was disappointed when Bank of America bought out MBNA. I'll be switching to the card my credit union offers very soon.
I've had one of these for years. I work for Microsoft. It's mildly amusing to pay for stuff in the company store with the cards (though I probably wouldn't do that if Balmer or Gates was behind me in line, not that it's likely to happen...).
;-) )
(posting anonymoosely because, yes, I'm a coward...
Bank of America is is one of the worst commercial banks in the country, in my experience. Staying true to the OSS ideals, these guys really should look at getting a branded credit card from a non-profit credit union that serves its customers instead of the shareholders, anyway.
I don't respond to AC's.
I thoroughly hate credit cards and love OSS, seems to be a conflict of theories somewhere.
Under the influence of Post-Cyberpunk Gonzo Journalism
The only bank I ever received offers for specialty credit cards from was MBNA. I can't say I'm surprized BofA wanted to drop the program; 2 LUGS I am a member of - and several more I know of - had accounts with banks that were bought out by BofA and were summarily dropped as customers. As for Chase, I had a card with a bank that Chase bought out. Chase had a nasty habit of counting early payments as late for the previous billing cycle. The only way to guarantee payments exactly on time would have been to open a checking account with them and setup automatic payments. Naturally, if I couldn't trust them to handle my existing payments in a reasonable way, I was certainly not going to open any other accounts with them.
Deleted
And yet another example of how shitty BoA really is. If they're not finding ways to fuck their customers with fee's, they're finding ways to fuck over the community. Thanks a lot guys..
Perhaps it's time more OSS users show their appreciation by making donations. I definitely need to do this more. I imagine more generous donors also gain some clout for getting obscure bugs fixed or niche features added...
Prosperity is only an instrument to be used, not a deity to be worshipped. Calvin Coolidge
I too got one of these letters, and was disappointed that the Linux Fund program was dropped and converted to their lame "World Points" card. I've had 2 specialty cards that were previously MBNA (AOPA and Linux Fund), and both were changed somewhat with the BofA purchase. The AOPA card went from FBO rebates to double points @ FBO's, and now Linux Fund Card isn't supporting Linux and other F/OSS projects. Fortunately, for now, I still enjoy a 7.9% rate on the card which is the only reason I haven't canceled it (that and I enjoy the occasional remark on the Penguin logo on the card). When the card expires, I'll probably cancel it as there's no additional benefit and I hate the idea of letting BofA make money off of me.
If (or I should say when) BofA changes that single lasting benefit of having one of the lowest non-promotional non annual fee consumer credit card rates around, I'll drop the card. In the mean time, I too look forward to a new Linux Fund (or similar) branded CC from someone else, provided it has reasonable terms and rates.
$ man woman *
-bash:
The credit union would get a new subscriber base, more accounts, and would be able to advertise
their advocacy of open source.
When they were bought, my interest rate went from a respectable 7.99% to 20%.
Why?
"It's an APR card, we can fuck around with it any way we want so long as we notify you in writing!"
I really doubt it made any significant contributions after the buyout. My card sits in a safe helping my credit rating while not seeing the light of day. They refused to lower the APR, so I simply stopped using it.
Nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.
Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
MBNA Corp. / BOA has been offering credit cards to illegals aliens in the United States. That means you can get a credit card with out a social security number or credit check. Unconfirmed sources have said that the program is a total disaster and is costing the bank quite a bit of money. I suspect MBNA Corp. will have to cut quite a few more programs and perks to keep funding credit cards for illegal aliens. Looks like they shot themselves in the foot.
The Linux Mastercard was dead to me a long time ago, MBNA was a horrible bank to deal with. It's one thing to support a cause, it's another to pay retarded fees to a goddamned bank. I hate banks, and I especially hated MBNA so while I miss the cute penguin card, I was quite happy to terminate that account.
There are better ways to support free software than to partner with the devil. Hey why not strike a deal with Thailand where 5% of all prostitution income goes to the EFF ?
-Billco, Fnarg.com
The foundation of Credit Cards is on a monetary system of Debt Notes (LEGAL TENDER FOR ALL DEBTS), of which we all know that it is impossible to lawfully credit anyone with a debt.
eGold endorsed by NORFED/Liberty-Dollars would make a good platform of preponderance for an Independent software development to integrate into a debtor/felon economy.
without prejudice
What about a picture of said card??
Were that I say, pancakes?
Oh, and what of the legal aliens, can they have credit cards now ?
Nobody is "illegal", fascist.
and promptly canceled the card.
Actually I haven't used the card in some time because the terms concerning late payments, etc changed radically about a year ago. I always pay my credit card bills in full every month and don't ever recall making a late payment, but they changed the terms so that past history of prompt payments made no difference. They decreased the time to make a payment and increased the late fee to something like $40.
Personally I think Linux cutting ties with a company that practices usury is a good thing.
Bruce
Bruce Perens.
I've been a LinuxFund cardholder ever since it was first announced here on slashdot. I stuck with the card since the Bank of America/MBNA merger. I stuck with the card after it was announced that nobody had managed the LinuxFund's assets for almost 2 years.
Many of the other countless posts here add little to the conversation other than "MBNA/Bank of America sucks". The biggest question on my mind, and perhaps even other loyal cardholders is if another bank will be picking up the LinuxFund card? Personally, and I can only speak for myself, I've frequently used the card for both business and personal expenses over the years. I even nominated one of the groups who are currently receiving much needed financial support for development. I would rather "give" in this way, than trade this sort of community funding for George Forman grills, and $10 Applebees or Starbucks gift cards.
So is there any official word or news from the LinuxFund account managers?
/^([Ss]ame [Bb]at (time, |channel.)){2}$/
About 20 years ago I had an account with BofA and they didn't seem so bad. Around that time they jacked up their fees on everything and changed their terms so as to make it much more likely to collect those fees. I left them pretty quickly. Since then they have bought a number of financial institutions I was using. Every time they have changed the terms and thoroughly destroyed good companies. It has happened again with MBNA. I just closed two credit cards I had with them. I find it hard to believe that anyone stays with them. There are so many better options. Anyone who is still doing business with BofA, I encourage you to make the effort to get out Now. Trust me, you will be much happier.
-Dan
My best suggestion would be to work with HSBC. ... I've had no problems with HSBC's customer service, aside from the occasional glitch in a VoIP connection to a call centre.
I don't even use HSBC and yet they were calling a company phone number twice a day every single workday for well over a year trying to reach a person whom none of us knew. Saying this person was unknown was not enough to stop them from calling. It got so bad, a rep even said he would never take the number off the list and actually call it *more*! Oh, yes. Such GREAT customer service! And for a UK bank, why do all the calls originate from a call center in Manila? We eventually had our company block all calls from HSBC. Then they started calling from another number, and we blocked that too. I then vowed never to do business with HSBC, and with the call blocking, my company's entire IT department is also aware of HSBC's awesome customer service. Great job at pissing off an entire Fortune 500 company, HSBC! And one that HSBC likely buys expensive equipment from no less.
But don't let my negative experience cloud somebody's judgement of how good HSBC's service is. Just don't expect great ethics or accountability and you'll be fine.
I once had an ARRL MBNA card which suffered the same fate. MBNA seems to have perfected this marketing scam: They offer the cards with attractive terms which claim to benefit the named non-profit organization; then a year or two later they sever the ties with the organization but allow all the card holders to remain as customers (from which all fees and profits now go directly to MBNA).
I haven't had any dealings with them since I cancelled that card over 15 years ago.
clearly the dude submitting the story has never had one of these things because they provided VISA cards, not MasterCards ... MasterCards are fucking worthless
to hate BofA
Si vis pacem, para bellum! For evil to succeed good men need only do nothing!
I have a CC with my credit union. 12 & 1/2 percent APR.
May I respectfuly sugges that the Linux Foundation consider approaching credit unions with this
type of arrangement.
I think that many of us would be more comfortable with a separation between the Linux Fund and the large
CC issuers who are not allways the most Holy in their dealings.
Luv & Hugs
Cleara
After doing a campagn at Linuxfund I saw that it was largely the money and free stocks donated to linuxfund that really sent most of the money to the developers. The leg work of the founder B Cox and others at trade shows also was assisted by the free money flowing in the 90's. After the tech market tightened and geeks felt less rich and there was less call for a "Credit Card that Runs Linux".
Oh, Jesus. Are you still doing that crap? It's so passe, we're totally desensitised to it now. Get with the hip trolls, they're all posting links to ukdirtypanties.com now...
The real story should be why is there always microsoft ads on linux.com
I have been a Linux Fund Mastercard holder since 2000, I believe. I had signed up at The Bazaar in New York City (Anyone else remember the Bazaar? Was a one-time Open Source convention/trade show; think it was supposed to be an annual event, but died after the first year, I believe).
Anyhow, I found MBNA to be fairly abusive in their customer policies and interest rates. And BoA doesn't appear to be any better. For awhile I had some pretty bad debt on that card, but I transferred it to another card with a 0 percent promotional rate, got that paid off and have hardly used the Linux Fund card since. I still occasionally have been using it, but making sure I pay it off immediately, so I don't pay any interest.
I've been playing with the idea of cancelling the card. The only reason I haven't closed it is I'm afraid it might have a negative impact on my credit score, were I to close it. I actually thought about closing it a long time ago - when the Fund became inactive back in 2003 - I noticed it. I tried goin g to the Linux Fund website during that period and for months couldn't even get the site to come up. I thought it had completely died. I guess it got revived, but since then, I haven't really been too keen about the Fund.
I too got one of those letters last week. Not too surprised. The big question now is, do I cancel the account, or do I keep it open but unused?
Credit Union members are required to have a "common bond". I'm not sure if being a Linux/OSS user is sufficient. Also, the family of CU members are also usually eligible for membership.
This would be much better than the current program, since all of the profits of the "OSS Users Credit Union" could be designated for OSS projects, and a variety of credit cards could be issued with Tux Penguins, FreeBSD devils, etc.
Plus, this credit union would not be evil.
I volunteer to be the (paid) president of this credit union!
Is there a way to just donate money directly to
Linux Fund? I don't see it on their web site.
Fraud is an accurate word to use regarding Chase. Fraud is built into the nature of everything that they do to their credit card customers. The only reason they aren't all in jail is because they have paid off the party to look the other way.
For all the bad flack I've heard about MBNA, my treatment from Linux Fund has been absolutely amazing, reflecting not one bit of MBNA's bad press. I have been more satisfied with the service and benefits of this card than any of my others (and there is a LONG list). This started as a 0% APR promotion, but after the promotion ended and I paid off my debt, I started using it as a real card ... I've used this card as my primary ever since, and now my APR is quite reasonably below prime and my available credit is enough to buy a car on. To top that off, I'm currently in a 1.99% APR promotional period.
I have been very very happy with this card ... and that's even ignoring the fact that my use of this card has helped F/OSS AND has been a part of the WorldPoints program (I'm almost qualified for a cheap vacation...). Naturally, when I saw the letter, I decided to keep my membership with the Linux Fund card as long as possible and then request transition to a different WorldPoints program in May. ... though the articles linked here seem to indicate that this won't help the Linux Fund charity any (is that even legal?).
There are other WorldPoints programs out there, but BofA doesn't list any of the cooler ones on their All Cards page. A quick search for worldpoints "bank of america" pulls up a very raw list showing that there are tons of them out there, though mostly for groups I am neither affiliated with nor care about (like the various alumni programs). The only promising one was their upcoming WorldPoints Rewards for the Environment card, which is slated for release later this year (I'm not sure if this will be before June).
To the Linux Fund folks: If you jump on the Mastercard/Visa bandwagon with another major bank, I will happily take up your new card. I wouldn't go with Chase, CapitalOne, or other bad-rep banks, but good bank with a Free Software fund would be my card of choice (and while rewards stuff is enticing, I operate under the assumption that it might get me some free stationary at some point).
Use my userscript to add story images to Slashdot. There's no going back.