Hello Robert, 2011/6/4 Robert Burrell Donkin <robertburrelldon...@gmail.com>
> On Sat, Jun 4, 2011 at 11:13 AM, Florian Effenberger > <flo...@documentfoundation.org> wrote: > > Hi Robert, > > Hi Florian > > (Copying in Charles since he asked a similar question off list) > Did I send you a reply off-list? Damned phone... > > > I'm still reading a few messages and trying to reply to them, but wanted > to > > join in here: > > Just like the rest of us :-) > > Noisy and open - everyone with an opinion is welcome :-) > > > Robert Burrell Donkin wrote on 2011-06-04 09.14: > >> > >> The TDF is in no position to accept a major donation of either > >> copyright or code today. Apache is. > > > > Why? > > AIUI [1] the TDF is not a legal entity today and is still in the > process of building it's legal, organisational and process > infrastructure. I accept it has strong legal backing but today no > (related) US non-profit corporation exists which could accept the > donation. > 2 comments here: 1) actually TDF has an existing legal entity at its core, and it's a german association. 2) why a US non profit? > > The Apache Software Foundation provides a suitable legal no-profit > organisation and in place today a suitable process to accept large > donations of code from major organisations safely through the > Incubator. It has considerable experience of opening close source > projects and in working with rich downstream ecologies. > > > Can you elaborate? > > IMHO LibreOffice community finds itself in a similar position to the > Apache group in the mid-90s. Great community. Fantastic momentum. Cool > product. > > But establishing code provenance and the Apache Software Foundation > (ASF) took a(n unexpectedly) large amount of time and energy. > Establishing suitable licenses and agreements took time and energy > over several iterations. Establishing a sound Incubation process took > time and energy over many iterations. It took time for us to learn and > evolve secure processes which don't completely suck. > > The TDF is at the start of a journey that the ASF started a decade ago > and is yet to reach the end. The TDF may wish to consider whether an > alternative path might achieve their aims faster... > We have been developing our governance and structure for 8 months. People have put their trust and their faith in us. Why would you want us to scrap that off in favor of something else and have people follow a governance they don't even know? Best, Charles. > > Robert > > [1] > http://mail-archives.apache.org/mod_mbox/incubator-general/201106.mbox/%3CBANLkTi=ay5pm-xvcvbxxjwj0eqqqpww...@mail.gmail.com%3E >
