HI, On 2006-02-02, at 12:06 , Ian Lynch wrote:
On Thu, 2006-02-02 at 11:40 -0500, Louis Suarez-Potts wrote:I proposed this ages ago, even suggesting do it simple, like create a club bank account. Some issues came up, along the lines of liability and accountability, and so it died.No-one asked me. This is a specific example of where if I had been asked directly I would have taken the responsibility. I have set up companies on a few occasions so I know how to do it, I know the risks, but no- oneasked me. Things that are important should not be allowed to die.
Actually, it was discussed on this list. But that was, literally, years ago.
As DC points out, yes, other projects have done it, though I don't know the particulars (eg, howthey are constituted, what sort of company, etc.) We can do it here--in North America, say--fairly quickly. At the moment, however, Team OOo *is* serving as a recipient of funds for OOo purposes including marketing, so we are not bereft of such services. And, important events can and very likely will get funding.The snag with Team OOo is that I don't know anything about it, itappears very remote. What are its priorities? Are there targets for fundraising linked to specific events? Such quantified targets well inadvance would make better sense for an operational action plan. AFAIK itdoesn't actually publish its accounts. You can't just expect people togo off and raise funds without knowing what is likely to happen to those funds. People need to feel some sort of ownership. Why should they putthemselves out? What motivates them? I know this probably sounds likecomplaining, but I'm just trying to explain why TeamOOo doesn't seem to have rallied the troops into fund raising. If things aren't working wellwe need to know why so we can try and make things better. Change might or might not work but the thing is that the status quo isn't working. Otherwise why did Graham post and say as much?For the immediate, then, I'd suggest doing what Graham and I just did, and pitch particular events and conferences, highlighting their importance.So nothing changes :-(
No, it's just that I think we should finish what was started already on the CC, which is creating a nonprofit such as you are speculating on :-)
I'd rather not have us here create a) only to find that the CC is creating b) and that no one then knows where to put the money... and until the nonprofit is created--and your help is of course invited--Team OOo is the one to use. But Ian, let's proceed in a rational manner :-)
-- Ian Lynch <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ZMS Ltd
best, louis
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