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The New 501(c)(3) and the Future of Open Source In the US

Posted by Soulskill on from the learning-at-the-speed-of-government dept.

An anonymous reader writes: If you're involved in the free and open-source software movement — especially in the United States — you may want to read through this, as long as it may seem. It appears that the United States' Internal Revenue Service has strongly shifted its views of free and open-source software, and to the detriment of the movement, in my opinion. From the article: "The IRS reasons that since Yorba’s open source software may be used for any purpose, Yorba is not a charity. Consider all the for-profit and non-charitable ways the Apache server is used; I’d still argue Apache is a charitable organization. (What else could it be?) There’s a charitable organization here in San Francisco that plants trees throughout the city for the benefit of all. If one of their tree’s shade falls on a cafe table and cools the cafe’s patrons as they enjoy their espressos, does that mean the tree-planting organization is no longer a charity?"

6 of 228 comments (clear)

  1. Don't mention the tree-planting thing! by halivar · · Score: 5, Funny

    You'll only give them ideas.

  2. 501(c)(3) Classes by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 5, Insightful

    From the wikis: charitable, religious, educational, scientific, literary, testing for public safety

    Why do you need to be charity? Why not educational/scientific?

    --
    I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
    1. Re:501(c)(3) Classes by itzly · · Score: 5, Funny

      Why not religion ? Stallman makes a decent prophet.

    2. Re:501(c)(3) Classes by krashnburn200 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      In other religions THEY make up the rules as you go along,

  3. ah by Charliemopps · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So... a non lawyer got a request from the IRS to explain his charitable status, they decided he wasn't a charity, and now he's posting to a blog that the entire open source world is coming to an end? I think dude needs to spend more time getting a lawyer and less time posting to slashdot.

    I HATE the IRS with a passion. This stuff should be easy. But the fact of the matter is, it's not. You need legal representation if you're going to be a 501(c)

    Then we have this: "We have no plans to appeal their decision."
    ok... so what's the point of this post? If you're agreeing with them, I don't get it. If you're not agreeing with them, but just rolling over, then you deserve what you get.

  4. Re:Executive Branch by disposable60 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    the current president is mega-corporate bitch;

    Unlike which of the previous several?

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