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I also beleive that clarification on the role of the CLUG in regards to For-Profit ventures is important. Although I am also in full support of contributing to the education and use of OSS in the community, and continue to donate my own time to assist others especially with regards to the "community spirit" and philosophy of knowledge-sharing, my "purpose" here in Calgary is to pursue a business model for open source software which balances the need for generating income and providing employment to the community, with promoting the altruistic and volunteer aspects of knowledge-sharing. If I were already "in" the business and had a working model employing numerous "open source advocates" and providing paid services to business's (some of which could be turn-key firewalls on older hardware), I would be justifiably concerned about one "business" venture getting the volunteer support of the CLUG, over another. I am sure I am not alone in this concern and it certainly raises some ethical issues for the CLUG that would best be hashed out now, rather than later. I certainly encourage and support contributions to the Non-Profit societies, but For-Profit business's are another matter entirely. Restricting volunteer contributions to Non-Profit agencies would be the simplest solution, followed by a model defining support/contributions to For-Profit businesses (CLUG Society By-Law?). I am confident that the CLUG will be taking these issues seriously and will ensure that the knowledge-sharing and volunteer efforts of the open source community are balanced with the need to demonstrate a non-biased, non-preferential support role in the business community as well. > > > -----Original message----- > From: "MarcelLecker" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "CLUG" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: 10/26/2002(Sat) 11:21am > Subject: Re: (clug-talk) Re: Installfest November 16? > > Good point Aaron, > > I'd very much like to be clear on the details that you mention as well, > before proceeding with anything. > > As for my prior comments, I was/am opperating on the assumtion that our > efforts would go toward the society and Non-Profits in town. > > When Societies start competing with the business (in terms of goods and > services), things get a little strained in terms of competative > advantage. I would like to be particularly clear on how this will be > resolved if that is part of the plan. > > Marcel > > > > > On Sat, 2002-10-26 at 11:09, Aaron J. Seigo wrote: > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > > Hash: SHA1 > > > > On Saturday 26 October 2002 10:35, Peter E. Williams wrote: > > > Hi Marcel, etal. > > > > > > > I'm there, I can build them 10 Firewalls in that time! Especially easy > > > > if the boxes are P1 or better and have two differing PCI NICs ...I'm all > > > > over it. > > > > > > You will find that the CRS will agree with you. They have been thinking of > > > making low end computers into firewalls using Linux and selling them to > > > businesses. It would be a better profit centre than salvaging the precious > > > metals from these units. > > > > seeing as we'll be donating time to the CRS to help them achieve whatever > > their goals are, could you perhaps fill us in briefly on what those goals > > are? > > > > i'd like to understand: > > > > o why they would sell the systems make to companies rather than > > charities/NFPs, for example. > > > > o what their funding model is. > > > > o examples of past activities > > > > o i see they are connected with something called "Digital Freedom" > > (http://members.shaw.ca/digital-freedom/) which seems to be the work of some > > family in Idaho? what's that about? > > > > o there is also a close connection with "Techno Trash Global" > > (http://www.technotrashglobal.com).. TTG's website is also pretty spartan, > > perhaps you could fill us in? > > > > i have no problem volunteering my time and helping out with things, i just > > like to know what it is i'm helping =)) > > > > thanks > > > > - -- > > Aaron J. Seigo > > GPG Fingerprint: 8B8B 2209 0C6F 7C47 B1EA EE75 D6B7 2EB1 A7F1 DB43 > > > > "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler" > > - Albert Einstein > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- > > Version: GnuPG v1.0.7 (GNU/Linux) > > > > iD8DBQE9usxi1rcusafx20MRAgkPAJ0TI0ux5MyxngSf4ZVH0DCPTWADPgCdElx1 > > I056f+HGDV8QpESBJFvO2Ng= > > =txPJ > > -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- > > > > > > ________________________________________ Johnny Stork Calgary, AB Canada Open Solutions Open Source & Linux Solutions for Business http://www.open-solutions.ca http://www.opensourceinfo.net http://www.penguinportal.net Academic Computers http://www.academic-computers.com |
