Conservancy/voting
6
0
Fork 0
Code Issues Pull requests Projects Releases Packages Wiki Activity Actions
voting/charter.html

976 lines
41 KiB
HTML
Raw Normal View History

Initial revision
2001-03-13 00:30:33 +00:00
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="CONTENT-TYPE" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<TITLE></TITLE>
<META NAME="GENERATOR" CONTENT="StarOffice/5.2 (Linux)">
<META NAME="CREATED" CONTENT="20001023;21480500">
<META NAME="CHANGEDBY" CONTENT="Bart Decrem">
<META NAME="CHANGED" CONTENT="20001023;21530000">
<STYLE>
<!--
@page { margin-left: 1.25in; margin-right: 1.25in; margin-top: 1in; margin-bottom: 1in }
-->
</STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR="#ffffff">
<P ALIGN=CENTER STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><B>Draft Charter for The
GNOME Foundation </B>
</P>
<P ALIGN=CENTER STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><B>Draft 0.61 (23 October
2000) </B>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">This document describes the purpose,
basic structure and operational policies of a proposed GNOME
foundation. Although certain issues are not addressed fully, the core
functions of the foundation are defined and procedures for them are
described.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">This document includes broad &quot;mission
level&quot; statements and operational provisions. We are in the
process of creating Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws that will
incorporate this charter, cast in stone our fundamental beliefs, and
give us the flexibility to amend implementation items.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">A changelog and author's list are at
the end of this document.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">================================</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">PREFACE: Why a GNOME Foundation?</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">================================</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Since the project was started in 1998,
GNOME has grown tremendously. The technology has started to mature,
the amount of code contributed has exploded, the number of developers
(also known as GNOME hackers) who are contributing to GNOME has more
than doubled. With the emergence of a GNOME industry, and as
corporate partners are embracing GNOME, the number of hackers who are
paid to work full-time on GNOME has grown dramatically, in addition
to the hundreds of volunteer hackers in the community.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">As GNOME has grown, so have our goals.
Over the next few years, we want to offer a state-of-the-art, fully
free desktop to many people who today are not using computers because
they are too expensive and too complicated to use.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">In short, GNOME is growing up.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">To achieve our goals in a timely
manner, the project will need more focus than the current structure
can offer. When GNOME was a smaller project, Miguel was able to make
most of the key decisions. Today, there is a need for a forum that
can provide GNOME, and the projects that make up GNOME, with the
structure and support they will need to continue to grow. We need a
more structured environment to smoothly integrate new citizens into
the community. The GNOME Foundation will provide this support. The
Foundation will also provide a place to resolve the inevitable
conflicts that arise in a diverse community. Equally important, the
Foundation can voice the decisions and positions of the GNOME
project, and, therefore, can act as a liaison with the press and
corporations who want to be involved with GNOME.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Most importantly, the GNOME Foundation
will provide transparency and representation. Whereas decisions in
the past have often been made in an ad-hoc fashion and in private
conversations between a small number of people, the foundation will
provide a forum that is elected by the GNOME community, that is
accountable to that community, and that will conduct its affairs in
the open.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">=================</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Mission Statement</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">=================</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The GNOME Foundation will work to
further the goal of the GNOME project: to create a computing platform
for use by the general public that is completely free software.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">To achieve this goal, the Foundation
will coordinate releases of GNOME and determine which projects are
part of GNOME. The Foundation will act as an official voice for the
GNOME project, providing a means of communication with the press and
with commercial and noncommercial organizations interested in GNOME
software. The foundation may produce educational materials and
documentation to help the public learn about GNOME software. In
addition, it may sponsor GNOME-related technical conferences, and
represent GNOME at relevant conferences sponsored by others, help
create technical standards for the project and promote the use and
development of GNOME software.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">======================================</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">I. Principles of the GNOME Foundation</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">======================================</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Open and Public</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">---------------</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">In almost every sense of the word,
GNOME is an open project. This is one of our greatest strengths, has
always been, and should be the balefire by which we plot our course
into the future.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The foundation should not be
exclusionary or elitist. Every GNOME contributor, however small his
or her contribution, must have the opportunity to participate in
determining the direction and actions of the project.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The openness of GNOME has always been a
point of pride for us, and an important characteristic which
distinguishes us from many of the other open source projects out
there. Anyone can become a contributor, write access to our CVS does
not involve trial by fire or other masonic rituals, we don't use
Access Control Lists, and we've always been exceedingly good about
folding talented newcomers in our arms and welcoming them to the
project. No resume required.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Major components of GNOME -- things we
now consider to be absolutely core to the project -- were begun by
energetic individuals with the desire to create something cool. Look
at glade, zvt, libxml, dia, GNOME vfs, libart, the desktop icons...
all of these were created by people who had not previously
contributed heavily to the project, but who are now considered to be
among our heavy hitters.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The GNOME foundation must not stifle
the interest of outsiders. An ill-conceived foundation could
discourage outsider participation directly, by establishing rules
which limit the ability of potential contributors to make their mark,
or indirectly, by engendering an alienating sense of elitism. The
stained glass of the cathedral creates a colorful spectacle for those
inside, but from the outside, the building is just a hulking grey
edifice, intimidating and impenetrable.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">This principle has real, concrete
meaning for the foundation: All discussions must be publicly
viewable, any person must have the opportunity to contribute to the
decision-making process, and every GNOME contributor must have the
direct ability to influence the decisions which are made. The
foundation must be democratic and friendly to those responsible for
making GNOME what it is.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">GNOME is Free Software
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">----------------------
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">GNOME is part of the GNU project and
supports the goals of the GNU project as defined by the Free Software
Foundation. Free software licensing has always been a mainstay of
GNOME, and we must ensure that this tradition continues. GNOME will
include only Free software.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">GNOME is a Meritocracy
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">----------------------
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Participation in the foundation is
intended only for those individuals who are making contributions to
the GNOME project and the software which makes up GNOME. A
corporation, organization or individual should not be granted a place
in the foundation unless its presence is justified by the merits of
its contribution. Money cannot buy influence in the GNOME project:
show us the code (or documentation, or translations, or leadership,
or webmastering...).
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">In the past, being a part of the GNOME
project has simply meant &quot;I wrote some code&quot; or &quot;I
hang out on the mailing lists and build the thing from CVS
frenetically every three hours.&quot; There is no reason to change
this.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Build on What we Have (or: too much
structure is poison)</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">--------------------------------------------------------
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">In many ways, GNOME is a unique
project. Comprised of dozens of autonomous modules, GNOME has not
been subject to iron-fisted structural leadership. Furthermore, there
are many pieces of software which are core to GNOME which stand with
one foot in our camp and one foot outside. There really is no clear
analogue to GNOME among most other free software projects. GNOME is
bigger than almost every other effort in existence , more loosely
organized, and possibly faster growing. Plus, GNOME sits on the
frontier of the Linux application market, and is likely to continue
to face growing pains as we try to meet the needs of ISVs
(Independent Software Vendors) and others who are joining the
movement.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">It would be impossible to impose a high
degree of bureaucratic structure onto a heretofore amorphous and
somewhat anarchic community. And it shouldn't be done, anyway. Let's
not attempt to imitate some of the groups which are smaller, or which
had more structure in their beginnings. Any new structure which the
GNOME foundation provides, if taken too far, will be artificial,
ignored, or at worst: really really annoying to developers.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Furthermore, the foundation can have no
real powers of enforcement; compliance with foundation decision
should be an act of good-faith. If we've lost consensus to the point
where we're regularly forcibly ejecting people from the foundation
and co-opting their projects, we're sunk anyway.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Heavy bureaucracy is not in our DNA.
And it shouldn't be. So let's not try to graft an administrative
superstructure onto the community we've built. Furthermore, too high
a level of administrative overhead will gum up the works to the point
where the foundation will completely cease to function and become
useless and vestigial.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Instead, the foundation will work with
GNOME's strengths to make it better. A foundation that provides
cohesion, vision, direction, and enough organization will be an
incredible asset. A foundation that attempts to do this, but hides
the iron fist under a velvet glove will not. Such an entity would
likely be ignored, and words like &quot;fork&quot; would be thrown
around.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The foundation should provide the
project with just enough organization to accomplish its goals
effectively. Some level of structure will be important for decision
making, communication, and interacting with outside parties.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Independence
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">------------
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The foundation must act in the best
interests of GNOME, independent of influence from outside
organizations and corporations. No single entity should have the
ability to direct GNOME to its own ends.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">===========================</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">II. Tasks of the Foundation
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">===========================
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Releasing GNOME, defining GNOME
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">-------------------------------
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The foundation bears the responsibility
of coordinating each subsequent release of GNOME. For each release,
this will include setting a schedule (whether or not it is
overlooked), choosing the set of modules which are a part of the
release, and preparing the appropriate marketing materials.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">GNOME is a loose collection of
independent projects. The foundation will determine the set of
modules which fall under the GNOME umbrella. Most often, the
foundation will endorse a project as a GNOME project simply by
including it in a release. In some cases, however, a project that is
not scheduled to be included in any particular release will be
designated as a part of GNOME. In these ways, the foundation will be
&quot;defining GNOME.&quot;
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">It should be apparent that these two
tasks (defining GNOME and doing releases) are interrelated: most
often, defining GNOME is just determining which modules are a part of
any given release.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Public Image and Voice
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">-----------------------
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The foundation will be the principal
entity with the ability to make official public statements for GNOME,
such as press releases. The foundation will also be responsible for
maintaining the &quot;GNOME brand,&quot; and will have to determine
the appropriate uses of the associated trademarks. The foundation
will also be a hub for joint-marketing efforts by those organizations
(corporate and non) which want to make GNOME-related announcements.
Regional groups, created to promote GNOME in specific areas, may wish
to make their own announcements about their efforts.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Corporate and Organizational Point of
Contact</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">---------------------------------------------
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Companies and other organizations which
want to communicate with the GNOME project should be able to use the
foundation as their first point of contact. The foundation will be
responsible for helping these organizations understand the GNOME
project and become involved. The foundation will be vested with the
power to represent GNOME in these conversations.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The foundation will also act as a forum
for discussions between the organizations and companies which have an
interest in GNOME. There will be a subgroup of the foundation which
will include members from these organizations to make this possible.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Standards Definition
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">--------------------
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">As GNOME matures, it will become
necessary to have an official set of standards which define GNOME
compliance, for ISVs and for distributors. The foundation will be
responsible for ratifying these standards, and authorizing the
application of the GNOME trademark to them.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Direction and Vision
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">--------------------
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The GNOME foundation will provide a
sense of leadership and cohesive direction to the GNOME project. The
foundation will work to communicate a vision and set of goals for the
future releases of GNOME. These should be communicated to the general
public and to the project at large.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">As GNOME evolves, other duties which
are appropriate and necessary for the foundation to undertake will
emerge. Before the board of directors of the foundation takes on any
major new duties, it shall consult with the broader GNOME community.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Fund Receipt and Disbursement
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">-----------------------------
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Individuals and organizations that want
to make a monetary contribution to the GNOME project will be able to
do so by making a contribution to the GNOME foundation. The
foundation will be in charge of disbursing these funds to the benefit
of GNOME and, to the extent possible, in accordance with the wishes
of the benefactor.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">===================================================</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">III. Basic Structure and Operation of
the Foundation</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">===================================================
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The foundation will be global in scope,
but incorporated in the United States. Affiliated foundations,
created for the purpose of promoting GNOME, supporting developers or
disbursement of funds, may be created in many countries or geographic
areas.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The GNOME foundation is divided into
three bodies: the Membership, the Board of Directors, and the
Advisory Board.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Membership
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">----------
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The Membership will be a large body
made up of people who have made a contribution to any module which is
part of GNOME. The intent of the Membership is to provide the
opportunity for all contributors to have a place and a voice in the
GNOME foundation. The Membership will be open to all people who want
to be a member and who have made any kind of contribution to any part
of the GNOME project, with no membership fee, and no requirement of
organizational or corporate affiliation.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The membership will have two
responsibilities: electing the Board of Directors, and issuing
popular referenda on any issue under the jurisdiction of the
foundation, at any time (hopefully an infrequent event).
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Board of Directors
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">------------------
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The board is the primary
decision-making body of the GNOME foundation. It is responsible for
ratifying all decisions the GNOME foundation makes. These decisions
can be overturned by referendum.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The board will be made up of a small,
limited number of people, elected by the membership. New seats on the
board may be made available as the project grows, subject to approval
by the board or referendum of the membership.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">No single organization or company will
be allowed to control more than 40% of the board seats, regardless of
election results. In the event that individuals affiliated with a
corporation or organization hold more than 40% of the seats,
affiliates from that corporation will be required to resign until 40%
is no longer held. Individuals affiliated with a company or
organization are people who are employees, officers, or members of
the board of directors of an organization; or have a significant
consulting relationship; or own at least 1%of the equity or debt, or
derivatives thereof, of a company.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Notwithstanding the above, members of
the board of directors shall act on behalf of all GNOME contributors
in the best interest of the GNOME project. Although board members may
be affiliated with companies that have an interest in the success of
GNOME, they will not be considered representatives of companies with
which they are affiliated. The GNOME Foundation Board of Advisors
provides a forum for corporate representation.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Advisory Board</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">---------------
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The Advisory Board is made up of
companies and organizations which have a desire to participate in
advising the foundation about releases and other decisions. The
Advisory Board will have no decision-making ability. The Advisory
Board is a place for its members to have open discussions about their
GNOME-related strategies. Membership in the forum is open to all
companies and groups who are interested in contributing to the GNOME
project, subject to the approval of the board of directors.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Corporate members will pay a membership
fee of $10,000 to join the Advisory Board. There is no membership fee
for non-profit organizations or companies with fewer than 10
employees. Additionally, membership fees may be waived upon request
by the board of directors. We value contributions of code and hackers
resource much more than membership dues!</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">From time to time, ad-hoc committees
may be formed, formally or informally, either by the board or the
membership.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">===================================================</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">IV. Board Meetings, Voting, Referendum
and Election</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">===================================================</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Board Meetings &amp; Votes</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">----------------------</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Voting sessions of the board of
directors will be formal, performed either in-person, telephonically,
via e-mail, or on IRC. This can be cryptographically authenticated
with a registry of public keys. A simple majority is required to
approve any measure. Often, decisions will be reached by consensus.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Minutes shall be kept for all meetings
of the board of directors. Votes on all topics will be recorded and
attributed. All of these records will be archived and made publicly
available immediately.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">On certain occasions, conversations
within the GNOME Foundation will be confidential. On those occasions,
notes from meetings etc. may be edited to maintain confidentiality.
We will work to keep confidential conversations down to a minimum.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Referendum
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">----------
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">A referendum can be issued by any
member of the foundation.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">To be accepted, a request for a
referendum must be endorsed by 10% of the Membership. The maximum
number of valid endorsements from Members affiliated (as defined
above) with any one corporation or organization shall be 5%.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">An electronic voting system will be
established online, with members voting on a web page or by e-mail.
In order for a referendum to pass, 1/3d of the total membership must
participate, and 2/3ds of the participating members must approve.
There will be a mailing list for all of the members, and all
referenda must be announced to the list by the initiator before they
are opened on the voting system. At least three days must pass before
the referendum is closed, and no referendum can remain open for
longer than fourteen days.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Elections and Board Size
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">------------------------
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Elections for the board of directors
will be regularly held every year. Candidates for election must be
members of the GNOME Foundation and shall nominate themselves.
Members may vote for a number of candidates equal to the number of
board slots that are available (in other words, if there are 10 slots
on the board of directors, then each member may vote for up to 10
candidates).</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The board shall be composed of those
candidates who receive the highest number of votes.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The board of directors may be recalled
by referendum, using the process described above. If the board of
directors is recalled by referendum, new elections shall be held
immediately.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Between elections, board vacancies or
new board slots shall be filled by appointment by the board of
directors.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The board of directors shall have at
least 7 members and no more than 15 members. Prior to each election,
the board of directors shall determine the number of board seats for
the next year. The initial board of directors shall be composed of 11
members.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">If more than half of the elected
candidates are affiliated with one company (as defined above),
elections returns shall be adjusted as follows. Individuals who are
affiliated with the company which has an excess of representatives
shall be removed based on the number of votes they received until
such individuals no longer hold a majority of the seats on the board.
Other candidates shall replace them, based on the number of votes
they received. (In other words, if there are 10 board seats and 6
people from company X were elected, than the one person from that
company who received the fewest number of votes will be replaced by
the candidate who received the 11th highest number of votes).</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">=======================================</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">V. Release Engineering / Defining GNOME
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">=======================================</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The board of directors will be
responsible for authorizing the release of a new version of GNOME.
The board will determine the set of modules which will make up the
release .
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Operational management of the release
may be handled by a board-appointed committee or individual, made up
of general Members and/or directors. The membership will be able to
affect all these decisions primarily by participating in the
discussions which lead up to them. In extreme cases, a referendum can
be used.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">=========</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">VI. Funds
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">=========</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">One of the primary purposes of the
GNOME foundation is to allow outsiders to contribute financially to
the continued development of GNOME. These outsiders will make
donations to the project, which will be disbursed by the board, under
the advice of the membership.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">=======================================</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">VII. Bootstrapping the GNOME Foundation</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">=======================================
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The membership will be populated with
all the consenting members of the GNOME-hackers mailing list, people
holding CVS accounts, and anyone else who speaks out and wants to
join when asked.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">A committee shall be established by the
current GNOME Steering Committee to manage the membership list, add
new members and oversee the elections.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">The first elections may be held prior
to the incorporation of the Foundation but shall be held no later
than 90 days from the incorporation of the GNOME Foundation. If the
Foundation is incorporated prior to the first elections, the GNOME
Steering Committee shall appoint on interim board of directors.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">=============</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">VIII. Authors</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">=============</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">This document was put together from
contributions by many people. The crucial first draft was written by
Nat Friedman based on discussions he had with Joe Shaw. The current
maintainer of this document is Bart Decrem, bart@eazel.com.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Numerous patches were submitted by:
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Joe Shaw</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Linas Vepstas</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Maciej Stachowiak</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Havoc Pennington</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Daniel Veillard</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Telsa Gwynne</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Mike Prestner</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Jim Gettys</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Alan Cox</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Kelly
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Frank Hecker</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Brian Behlendorff</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Robert Humphreys</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Rusty Conover</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Miguel de Icaza</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Elliott Lee</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Others</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Please let me know who I need to
delete/add.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">==============</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">IX. Change log</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">==============</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">-----------------------</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Changes since draft 4.1:</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">-----------------------</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- minor line-edits throughout</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Mission statement</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">-------------</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Rewrote mission statement. Removed
sentence &quot;GNOME Foundation will oversee the technical direction
of GNOME&quot;.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">I.Principles</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">------------</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Meritocracy:</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- Participation in the foundation is
intended only for those people who are responsible for actual
contributions to the software which makes up GNOME.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Change to: Participation in the
foundation is intended only for those individuals who are making
contributions to the GNOME project and the software which makes up
GNOME.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Reason: previous language appears to
exclude all non-hackers.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">III. Basic Structure</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">---------------</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- Board: qualified what it means to be
&quot;affiliated&quot; with a company: added materiality requirement
for consultants.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- Board: lowered the maximum number of
people who can be associated with any one company to 40% (previously
50%).</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- Board: clarified that board members
do not represent their employers.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- Board: changed 1% ownership rule to
include warrants and options.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">IV. Board Meetings, Voting, Elections
and Referendum</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">------------------------------------------------------</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- Elections and Board Size: rewrote
this. Removed slate provisions.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- Added provision that candidates must
be members.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">VII. Bootstrapping the Foundation</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">-----------------------------------</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- &quot;A committee shall be
established by the current GNOME Steering Committee to manage the
membership list and add new members.&quot; Added: &quot;and oversee
the elections&quot;.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- &quot;The first elections may be held
prior to the incorporation of the Foundation but shall be held no
later than 90 days from the incorporation of the GNOME Foundation. If
the Foundation is incorporated prior to the first elections, the
GNOME Steering Committee shall appoint on interim board of
directors.&quot; Made changes to account for elections prior to
incorporation and to remove slate provision.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">VIII. Some open issues</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">-----------------------</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Removed this section. Reason for
change: no longer needed.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">----------------------</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Changes since draft 4:
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">----------------------</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">[missed a few]</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- Added Authors listing</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Preface: Why a GNOME Foundation?:</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- &quot;Since the project was started
in 1998&quot;. Reason: avoid relative time reference.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- &quot;the number of paid developers
has grown dramatically&quot;</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- &quot;technology has STARTED TO
mature&quot;. Reason: false advertising.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- introduced the word Developer and
explained that we use Hackers as well.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- added &quot;We need a new structure
to more smoothly integrate new citizens into the community&quot;</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- changed: Over the next few years, we
want to offer a state-of-the-art, fully free desktop to many people
who today are not using computers</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- added &quot;To achieve our goals in a
timely manner, the project will need more focus than the curent
structure can offer.&quot;</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- changed: &quot;...the inevitable
conflicts that arise in a diverse</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">community.&quot;</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">----------------------</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Changes since draft 3:</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">----------------------</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- Added Preface: Why a GNOME
Foundation?</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- Added Mission Statement</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">replaced &quot;doesn't&quot; by &quot;does
not&quot; and made other minor word changes.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">renumbered sections.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">I.Principles</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- Renamed this to Principles of the
GNOME Foundation and created &quot;II. Tasks of the GNOME
Foundation&quot;. Reason: The principles and tasks are really two
different things that belong under separate headings..</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- Deleted introductory paragraph.
Reason: it tried to explain the link between Principles and Tasks.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Open and Public:</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- Deleted: We didn't get here by way of
smoke-filled rooms and power hierarchies. We got here because of
people. Reason: it's a negative statement that is somewhat
anachronistic. Second sentence is a platitude. Removed by request.
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- Moved last paragraph to
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Free Software:</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- Added: GNOME is part of the GNU
project and supports the goals of the GNU project as defined by the
Free Software Foundation.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- Deleted &quot;as determined by the
Board of Directors&quot;. Reason: this is implementation wording. The
board may delegate this task to a committee or deal with it in some
other way.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Meritocracy:</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- Changed &quot;participation should be
available only to those&quot; to &quot;participation is intended for&quot;
by request.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Build on What we have:</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- Deleted: &quot;Think: Emperor &quot;.
Reason: obscure and unnecessary.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Tasks:</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- Moved &quot;Fund Receipt &amp;
Disbursement&quot; to the end. Reason: less important function.</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">II. Structure and Operation</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">-----------------------</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Advisory Board:</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">- Modified: Corporate members will pay
an membership fee of $10,000 to join the Advisory Board. There is no
membership fee for non-profit organizations or companies with less
than 10 employees. Additionally, membership fees may be waived upon
request by the board of directors. We value contributions of code and
hackers resource much more than membership dues!</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in"><BR>
</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">III. Board Meetings, Voting, Elections
and Referendum</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">------------------------------------------------------</P>
<P STYLE="margin-bottom: 0in">Added Board Meetings section, which
includes openness and confidentiality clause. Reason: moved from the
Principles Section, where it didn't belong, since this is
operational.</P>
</BODY>
</HTML>
Reference in a new issue Copy permalink