-----Original Message----- From: Andreas Barth To: [email protected] Sent: 12/13/04 11:17 PM Subject: Re: Google ads on debian.org
* Martin Schulze ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) [041213 19:30]: >> Stephen Frost wrote: >> > It's not clear to me that having ads would make them 'commercial'. This >> > would be something that would have to be run by the appropriate people >> > at SPI. I doubt tbm would have brought it up if it would cause a >> > problem for the non-profit status of SPI. >> If you seek to generate income with your website, then it's not a >> not-for-profit one anymore but a for-profit one and is actually >> commercial. Several of our sponsors are universities which have >> strict profit/non-profit policies. For sure, my university had >> to terminate providing a mirror once such advertisments occur. >> I'm pretty sure about a similar policy in Dresden where the mirror >> www.de.debian.org is located. >I personally don't see the issues so problematic as you do. But: A lot >of (valuable) project members disagree, and, frankly speaking, keeping >you (and some other people happy) is much more important for Debians >goals than to receive some money or not by google. So, in the end, I >think we should decline the offer, because Debian is about the people >and their freedom, and not about the money. I think that's a sound decision. I also think it's risky to basically relinquish control of part of the content of the Debian website. If Debian were strapped for cash then I think this could be sold (at least to me) as a 'necessary evil', but from where I sit I don't think that's the case. So a polite no from me too, although you could also suggest they approach http://www.debianplanet.org/, as they don't seem averse to sponsorship. -- Pete
