Re: Can there be an Official Hardware Partner for GNOME

2006-12-20 Thread Josh Kress
Thanks for the replies so far.

[No replies from the board directly, but this might be due to bad timing
on my side]

Peter brought some very good points, why a title like Official Hardware
Partner for GNOME in general isn't a good idea.

It made me think about that subject a little more and even some other
title to acknowledge an outstanding sponsorship might prove
controversial. I can't see a way to define that properly and moreover I
see another problem: What is more outstanding? A company donating
hardware or a company employing some more GNOME developers?


So a special Thank You to Peter from my side, because you made me
think about it more carefully!

Regards,

Josh

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Re: Can there be an Official Hardware Partner for GNOME

2006-12-20 Thread Josh Kress
Hi

On Wed, 2006-20-12 at 14:44 +0100, Dave Neary wrote:
 Josh Kress wrote:
  Thanks for the replies so far.
  
  [No replies from the board directly, but this might be due to bad timing
  on my side]
 
 Let me be the first.
 
 I didn't feel the need to reply, because Peter's reply so well summed up
 my thoughts.
 
 The first time I read the suggestion I felt vaguely ill at ease with it,
 and the more I thought about it, the more I thought that having an
 official hardware supplier when we have 4 hardware suppliers on the
 advisory board already (all of whom have donated or loaned hardware to
 GNOME over the past two years) doesn't seem appropriate.
After reading Peter's reply I felt the same way. Consider this idea
being dropped.

  It made me think about that subject a little more and even some other
  title to acknowledge an outstanding sponsorship might prove
  controversial. I can't see a way to define that properly and moreover I
  see another problem: What is more outstanding? A company donating
  hardware or a company employing some more GNOME developers?
 
 The foundation receives a good number of donations every year - and we
 try to acknowledge them all above a certain level. There's no problem, I
 would think, with the company sponsoring an upgrade to the GNOME event
 box, supplying small-form computers and having their name associated
 with the box (of course, their hardware will be on show during trade
 shows as well).
That seems to be the most appropriate option. The new Box will have a
lot of space for company logos for every company willing to give some
extra funds for the Event Box.

 I would love for you to explore this opportunity further - I'm not sure
 if there is alignment between the GNOME Foundation and this company such
 that we can invite them onto the advisory board (and nothing says they'd
 accept if we did). But I would also love to see the company get more
 visibility through a donation of hardware which would benefit GNOME user
 groups around Europe, the US or elsewhere.
When it comes to the hardware for the box, the deal is sealed and the
first set of hardware is on it's way to my place for some additional
testing.

Advisory Board: This is step #2 on my agenda.

It was important to me to discuss such a topic, because I'd like to try
some more sponsorship opportunities later the year here in Germany,
steered from the background by the e.V. If they prove successful on this
limited scale we can go international with it.

Regards,

Josh

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Can there be an Official Hardware Partner for GNOME

2006-12-15 Thread Josh Kress
Hi everybody!

Maybe you noticed my blog post on planet.gnome.org

Transtec (http://www.transtec.de/) is very eager to sponsor hardware for
the GNOME event box. I'm currently negotiating the terms. They'd like to
go even further by establishing a partnership with GNOME. 

That's why I'd like to know whether GNOME can have an Official Hardware
Partner, something the company can advertise with.

What's in for us?

Well, I'd like to get the following things:
  * Significant discount on their hardware for GNOME, e.g. for the
Event Box
  * A discount on their hardware for GNOME foundation members
  * Providing hardware for events, e.g. GUADEC, on loan-basis

I think we can benefit from a deal like that while still maintaining our
independence. Are there any concerns from the side of the foundation
board?

Anyway, I try to bring them to the advisory board as well and the
hardware for the event box is already a deal. I now try to get Novell,
Red Hat, Sun etc. to provide some funds as well (The plan is to plaster
up the box with the logos of the sponsors).

I'll keep you posted!

Regards,

Josh

PS: Do we have an official contact with Intel? Maybe they will provide
some funds as well ;-)

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