34323c2705
2005-07-13 Owen Taylor <otaylor@redhat.com>
* foundation.gnome.org/finance/index.wml: Add 2004 GUADEC summary.
* foundation.gnome.org/about/index.wml: Add information about
advisory board fees, update advboard list.
* foundation.gnome.org/about/charter/index.wml: Note that the
advisory board information is out of date.
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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
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<html>
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<head>
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<title>The GNOME Foundation Charter</title>
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<meta name="cvsdate" content="$Date$" />
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</head>
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<body>
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<h1>Draft Charter for the GNOME Foundation</h1>
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<h2>Draft 0.61 (23 October 2000)</h2>
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<p>
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This document describes the purpose, basic structure and operational
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policies of a proposed GNOME foundation. Although certain issues are not
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addressed fully, the core functions of the foundation are defined and
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procedures for them are described.
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</p>
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<p>
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This document includes broad <q>mission level</q> statements and
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operational provisions. We are in the process of creating Articles of
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Incorporation and By-Laws that will incorporate this charter, cast in
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stone our fundamental beliefs, and give us the flexibility to amend
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implementation items.
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</p>
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<p>
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A ChangeLog and author's list are at the end of this document.
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</p>
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<h2>Preface: Why a GNOME Foundation?</h2>
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<p>
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Since the project was started in 1998, GNOME has grown tremendously. The
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technology has started to mature, the amount of code contributed has
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exploded, the number of developers (also known as GNOME hackers) who are
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contributing to GNOME has more than doubled. With the emergence of a
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GNOME industry, and as corporate partners are embracing GNOME, the number
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of hackers who are paid to work full-time on GNOME has grown
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dramatically, in addition to the hundreds of volunteer hackers in the
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community.
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</p>
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<p>
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As GNOME has grown, so have our goals. Over the next few years, we want
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to offer a state-of-the-art, fully free desktop to many people who today
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are not using computers because they are too expensive and too
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complicated to use.
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</p>
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<p>
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In short, GNOME is growing up.
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</p>
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<p>
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To achieve our goals in a timely manner, the project will need more focus
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than the current structure can offer. When GNOME was a smaller project,
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Miguel was able to make most of the key decisions. Today, there is a need
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for a forum that can provide GNOME, and the projects that make up GNOME,
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with the structure and support they will need to continue to grow. We
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need a more structured environment to smoothly integrate new citizens
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into the community. The GNOME Foundation will provide this support. The
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Foundation will also provide a place to resolve the inevitable conflicts
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that arise in a diverse community. Equally important, the Foundation can
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voice the decisions and positions of the GNOME project, and, therefore,
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can act as a liaison with the press and corporations who want to be
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involved with GNOME.
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</p>
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<p>
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Most importantly, the GNOME Foundation will provide transparency and
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representation. Whereas decisions in the past have often been made in an
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ad-hoc fashion and in private conversations between a small number of
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people, the foundation will provide a forum that is elected by the GNOME
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community, that is accountable to that community, and that will conduct
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its affairs in the open.
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</p>
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<h3>Mission Statement</h3>
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<p>
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The GNOME Foundation will work to further the goal of the GNOME project:
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to create a computing platform for use by the general public that is
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completely free software.
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</p>
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<p>
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To achieve this goal, the Foundation will coordinate releases of GNOME
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and determine which projects are part of GNOME. The Foundation will act
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as an official voice for the GNOME project, providing a means of
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communication with the press and with commercial and noncommercial
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organizations interested in GNOME software. The foundation may produce
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educational materials and documentation to help the public learn about
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GNOME software. In addition, it may sponsor GNOME-related technical
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conferences, and represent GNOME at relevant conferences sponsored by
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others, help create technical standards for the project and promote the
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use and development of GNOME software.
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</p>
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<h2>I. Principles of the GNOME Foundation</h2>
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<h3>Open and Public</h3>
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<p>
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In almost every sense of the word, GNOME is an open project. This is one
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of our greatest strengths, has always been, and should be the balefire by
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which we plot our course into the future.
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</p>
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<p>
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The foundation should not be exclusionary or elitist. Every GNOME
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contributor, however small his or her contribution, must have the
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opportunity to participate in determining the direction and actions of
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the project.
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</p>
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<p>
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The openness of GNOME has always been a point of pride for us, and an
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important characteristic which distinguishes us from many of the other
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open source projects out there. Anyone can become a contributor, write
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access to our CVS does not involve trial by fire or other masonic
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rituals, we don't use Access Control Lists, and we've always been
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exceedingly good about folding talented newcomers in our arms and
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welcoming them to the project. No resume required.
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</p>
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<p>
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Major components of GNOME -- things we now consider to be absolutely core
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to the project -- were begun by energetic individuals with the desire to
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create something cool. Look at glade, zvt, libxml, dia, GNOME vfs,
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libart, the desktop icons... all of these were created by people who had
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not previously contributed heavily to the project, but who are now
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considered to be among our heavy hitters.
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</p>
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<p>
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The GNOME foundation must not stifle the interest of outsiders. An
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ill-conceived foundation could discourage outsider participation
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directly, by establishing rules which limit the ability of potential
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contributors to make their mark, or indirectly, by engendering an
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alienating sense of elitism. The stained glass of the cathedral creates a
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colorful spectacle for those inside, but from the outside, the building
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is just a hulking grey edifice, intimidating and impenetrable.
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</p>
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<p>
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This principle has real, concrete meaning for the foundation: All
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discussions must be publicly viewable, any person must have the
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opportunity to contribute to the decision-making process, and every GNOME
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contributor must have the direct ability to influence the decisions which
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are made. The foundation must be democratic and friendly to those
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responsible for making GNOME what it is.
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</p>
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<h3>GNOME is Free Software</h3>
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<p>
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GNOME is part of the GNU project and supports the goals of the GNU
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project as defined by the Free Software Foundation. Free software
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licensing has always been a mainstay of GNOME, and we must ensure that
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this tradition continues. GNOME will include only Free software.
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</p>
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<h3>GNOME is a Meritocracy</h3>
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<p>
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Participation in the foundation is intended only for those individuals who
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are making contributions to the GNOME project and the software which makes
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up GNOME. A corporation, organization or individual should not be granted
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a place in the foundation unless its presence is justified by the merits
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of its contribution. Money cannot buy influence in the GNOME project: show
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us the code (or documentation, or translations, or leadership, or
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webmastering...).
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</p>
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<p>
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In the past, being a part of the GNOME project has simply meant
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<q>I wrote some code</q> or <q>I hang out on the mailing lists and build
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the thing from CVS frenetically every three hours.</q> There is no
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reason to change this.
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</p>
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<h3>Build on What we Have (or: too much structure is poison)</h3>
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<p>
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In many ways, GNOME is a unique project. Comprised of dozens of autonomous
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modules, GNOME has not been subject to iron-fisted structural
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leadership. Furthermore, there are many pieces of software which are core
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to GNOME which stand with one foot in our camp and one foot outside. There
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really is no clear analogue to GNOME among most other free software
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projects. GNOME is bigger than almost every other effort in existence ,
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more loosely organized, and possibly faster growing. Plus, GNOME sits on
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the frontier of the Linux application market, and is likely to continue to
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face growing pains as we try to meet the needs of ISVs (Independent
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Software Vendors) and others who are joining the movement.
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</p>
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<p>
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It would be impossible to impose a high degree of bureaucratic structure
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onto a heretofore amorphous and somewhat anarchic community. And it
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shouldn't be done, anyway. Let's not attempt to imitate some of the groups
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which are smaller, or which had more structure in their beginnings. Any
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new structure which the GNOME foundation provides, if taken too far, will
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be artificial, ignored, or at worst: really really annoying to developers.
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</p>
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<p>
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Furthermore, the foundation can have no real powers of enforcement;
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compliance with foundation decision should be an act of good-faith. If
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we've lost consensus to the point where we're regularly forcibly ejecting
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people from the foundation and co-opting their projects, we're sunk
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anyway.
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</p>
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<p>
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Heavy bureaucracy is not in our DNA. And it shouldn't be. So let's not
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try to graft an administrative superstructure onto the community we've
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built. Furthermore, too high a level of administrative overhead will gum
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up the works to the point where the foundation will completely cease to
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function and become useless and vestigial.
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</p>
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<p>
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Instead, the foundation will work with GNOME's strengths to make it
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better. A foundation that provides cohesion, vision, direction, and enough
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organization will be an incredible asset. A foundation that attempts to do
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this, but hides the iron fist under a velvet glove will not. Such an
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entity would likely be ignored, and words like <q>fork</q> would be
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thrown around.
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</p>
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<p>
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The foundation should provide the project with just enough organization to
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accomplish its goals effectively. Some level of structure will be
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important for decision making, communication, and interacting with outside
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parties.
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</p>
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<h3>Independence</h3>
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<p>
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The foundation must act in the best interests of GNOME, independent of
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influence from outside organizations and corporations. No single entity
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should have the ability to direct GNOME to its own ends.
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</p>
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<h2>II. Tasks of the Foundation</h2>
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<h3>Releasing GNOME, defining GNOME</h3>
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<p>
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The foundation bears the responsibility of coordinating each subsequent
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release of GNOME. For each release, this will include setting a schedule
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(whether or not it is overlooked), choosing the set of modules which are a
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part of the release, and preparing the appropriate marketing materials.
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</p>
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<p>
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GNOME is a loose collection of independent projects. The foundation will
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determine the set of modules which fall under the GNOME umbrella. Most
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often, the foundation will endorse a project as a GNOME project simply by
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including it in a release. In some cases, however, a project that is not
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scheduled to be included in any particular release will be designated as a
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part of GNOME. In these ways, the foundation will be <q>defining GNOME.</q>
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</p>
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<p>
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It should be apparent that these two tasks (defining GNOME and doing
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releases) are interrelated: most often, defining GNOME is just determining
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which modules are a part of any given release.
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</p>
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<h3>Public Image and Voice</h3>
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<p>
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The foundation will be the principal entity with the ability to make
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official public statements for GNOME, such as press releases. The
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foundation will also be responsible for maintaining the <q>GNOME
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brand,</q> and will have to determine the appropriate uses of the
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associated trademarks. The foundation will also be a hub for
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joint-marketing efforts by those organizations (corporate and non) which
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want to make GNOME-related announcements. Regional groups, created to
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promote GNOME in specific areas, may wish to make their own announcements
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about their efforts.
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</p>
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<h3>Corporate and Organizational Point of Contact</h3>
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<p>
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Companies and other organizations which want to communicate with the GNOME
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project should be able to use the foundation as their first point of
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contact. The foundation will be responsible for helping these
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organizations understand the GNOME project and become involved. The
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foundation will be vested with the power to represent GNOME in these
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conversations.
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</p>
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<p>
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The foundation will also act as a forum for discussions between the
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organizations and companies which have an interest in GNOME. There will be
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a subgroup of the foundation which will include members from these
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organizations to make this possible.
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</p>
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<h3>Standards Definition</h3>
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<p>
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As GNOME matures, it will become necessary to have an official set of
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standards which define GNOME compliance, for ISVs and for
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distributors. The foundation will be responsible for ratifying these
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standards, and authorizing the application of the GNOME trademark to them.
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</p>
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<h3>Direction and Vision</h3>
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<p>
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The GNOME foundation will provide a sense of leadership and cohesive
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direction to the GNOME project. The foundation will work to communicate a
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vision and set of goals for the future releases of GNOME. These should be
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communicated to the general public and to the project at large.
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</p>
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<p>
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As GNOME evolves, other duties which are appropriate and necessary for the
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foundation to undertake will emerge. Before the board of directors of the
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foundation takes on any major new duties, it shall consult with the
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broader GNOME community.
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</p>
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<h3>Fund Receipt and Disbursement</h3>
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<p>
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Individuals and organizations that want to make a monetary contribution
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to the GNOME project will be able to do so by making a contribution to
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the GNOME foundation. The foundation will be in charge of disbursing
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these funds to the benefit of GNOME and, to the extent possible, in
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accordance with the wishes of the benefactor.
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</p>
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<h3>III. Basic Structure and Operation of the Foundation</h3>
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<p>
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The foundation will be global in scope, but incorporated in the United
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States. Affiliated foundations, created for the purpose of promoting
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GNOME, supporting developers or disbursement of funds, may be created in
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many countries or geographic areas.
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</p>
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<p>
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The GNOME foundation is divided into three bodies: the Membership, the
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Board of Directors, and the Advisory Board.
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</p>
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<h3>Membership</h3>
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<p>
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The Membership will be a large body made up of people who have made a
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contribution to any module which is part of GNOME. The intent of the
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Membership is to provide the opportunity for all contributors to have a
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place and a voice in the GNOME foundation. The Membership will be open to
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all people who want to be a member and who have made any kind of
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contribution to any part of the GNOME project, with no membership fee,
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and no requirement of organizational or corporate affiliation.
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</p>
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<p>
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The membership will have two responsibilities: electing the Board of
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Directors, and issuing popular referenda on any issue under the
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jurisdiction of the foundation, at any time (hopefully an infrequent
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event).
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</p>
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<h3>Board of Directors</h3>
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<p>
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The board is the primary decision-making body of the GNOME foundation. It
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is responsible for ratifying all decisions the GNOME foundation
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makes. These decisions can be overturned by referendum.
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</p>
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<p>
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The board will be made up of a small, limited number of people, elected
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by the membership. New seats on the board may be made available as the
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project grows, subject to approval by the board or referendum of the
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membership.
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</p>
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<p>
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No single organization or company will be allowed to control more than
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40% of the board seats, regardless of election results. In the event that
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individuals affiliated with a corporation or organization hold more than
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40% of the seats, affiliates from that corporation will be required to
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resign until 40% is no longer held. Individuals affiliated with a company
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or organization are people who are employees, officers, or members of the
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board of directors of an organization; or have a significant consulting
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relationship; or own at least 1% of the equity or debt, or derivatives
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thereof, of a company.
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</p>
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<p>
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Notwithstanding the above, members of the board of directors shall act on
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behalf of all GNOME contributors in the best interest of the GNOME
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project. Although board members may be affiliated with companies that
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have an interest in the success of GNOME, they will not be considered
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representatives of companies with which they are affiliated. The GNOME
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Foundation Board of Advisors provides a forum for corporate
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representation.
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</p>
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<h3>Advisory Board</h3>
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<p>
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The Advisory Board is made up of companies and organizations which have a
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desire to participate in advising the foundation about releases and other
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decisions. The Advisory Board will have no decision-making ability. The
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Advisory Board is a place for its members to have open discussions about
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their GNOME-related strategies. Membership in the forum is open to all
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companies and groups who are interested in contributing to the GNOME
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project, subject to the approval of the board of directors.
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</p>
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<p><b>Note the following information about advisory board fees is
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outdated. Please see <a href="http://foundation.gnome.org/about/">here</a> for up-to-date information</b></p>
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<p>
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Corporate members will pay a membership fee of $10,000 to join the
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Advisory Board. There is no membership fee for non-profit organizations
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or companies with fewer than 10 employees. Additionally, membership fees
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may be waived upon request by the board of directors. We value
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contributions of code and hackers resource much more than membership
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dues!
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</p>
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<p>
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From time to time, ad-hoc committees may be formed, formally or
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informally, either by the board or the membership.
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</p>
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<h2>IV. Board Meetings, Voting, Referendum and Election</h2>
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<h3>Board Meetings & Votes</h3>
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<p>
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Voting sessions of the board of directors will be formal, performed
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either in-person, telephonically, via e-mail, or on IRC. This can be
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cryptographically authenticated with a registry of public keys. A simple
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majority is required to approve any measure. Often, decisions will be
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reached by consensus.
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</p>
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<p>
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Minutes shall be kept for all meetings of the board of directors. Votes
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on all topics will be recorded and attributed. All of these records will
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be archived and made publicly available immediately.
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</p>
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<p>
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On certain occasions, conversations within the GNOME Foundation will be
|
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confidential. On those occasions, notes from meetings etc. may be edited
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to maintain confidentiality. We will work to keep confidential
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conversations down to a minimum.
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</p>
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<h3>Referendum</h3>
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<p>
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A referendum can be issued by any member of the foundation.
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</p>
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<p>
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To be accepted, a request for a referendum must be endorsed by 10% of the
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Membership. The maximum number of valid endorsements from Members
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affiliated (as defined above) with any one corporation or organization
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shall be 5%.
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</p>
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<p>
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An electronic voting system will be established online, with members
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voting on a web page or by e-mail. In order for a referendum to pass,
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1/3d of the total membership must participate, and 2/3ds of the
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participating members must approve. There will be a mailing list for all
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of the members, and all referenda must be announced to the list by the
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initiator before they are opened on the voting system. At least three
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days must pass before the referendum is closed, and no referendum can
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remain open for longer than fourteen days.
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</p>
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<h3>Elections and Board Size</h3>
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<p>
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Elections for the board of directors will be regularly held every
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year. Candidates for election must be members of the GNOME Foundation and
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shall nominate themselves. Members may vote for a number of candidates
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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>
|
|
The board shall be composed of those candidates who receive the highest
|
|
number of votes.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
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>
|
|
Between elections, board vacancies or new board slots shall be filled by
|
|
appointment by the board of directors.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
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>
|
|
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>
|
|
|
|
<h2>V. Release Engineering / Defining GNOME</h2>
|
|
<p>
|
|
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>
|
|
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>
|
|
|
|
<h2>VI. Funds</h2>
|
|
<p>
|
|
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>
|
|
|
|
<h2>VII. Bootstrapping the GNOME Foundation</h2>
|
|
<p>
|
|
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>
|
|
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>
|
|
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>
|
|
|
|
<h3>VIII. Authors</h3>
|
|
<p>
|
|
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. This document is maintained by the GNOME Foundation
|
|
<a href="mailto:board@gnome.org">Board of directors</a>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Numerous patches were submitted by:
|
|
</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>Joe Shaw</li>
|
|
<li>Linas Vepstas</li>
|
|
<li>Maciej Stachowiak</li>
|
|
<li>Havoc Pennington</li>
|
|
<li>Daniel Veillard</li>
|
|
<li>Telsa Gwynne</li>
|
|
<li>Mike Prestner</li>
|
|
<li>Jim Gettys</li>
|
|
<li>Alan Cox</li>
|
|
<li>Kelly </li>
|
|
<li>Frank Hecker</li>
|
|
<li>Brian Behlendorff</li>
|
|
<li>Robert Humphreys</li>
|
|
<li>Rusty Conover</li>
|
|
<li>Miguel de Icaza</li>
|
|
<li>Elliott Lee</li>
|
|
<li>Others</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<p>Please let me know who I need to delete/add.</p>
|
|
|
|
<h2>IX. Change log</h2>
|
|
|
|
<h3>Changes since draft 4.1:</h3>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>minor line-edits throughout</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<h4>Mission statement</h4>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Rewrote mission statement. Removed sentence <q>GNOME Foundation will
|
|
oversee the technical direction of GNOME</q>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<h4>I. Principles</h4>
|
|
<p>Meritocracy:</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
Participation in the foundation is intended only for those people who
|
|
are responsible for actual contributions to the software which makes up
|
|
GNOME.
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
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>
|
|
Reason: previous language appears to exclude all non-hackers.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<h4>III. Basic Structure</h4>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
Board: qualified what it means to be <q>affiliated</q> with a
|
|
company: added materiality requirement for consultants.
|
|
</li>
|
|
|
|
<li>
|
|
Board: lowered the maximum number of people who can be associated with
|
|
any one company to 40% (previously 50%).
|
|
</li>
|
|
|
|
<li>
|
|
Board: clarified that board members do not represent their
|
|
employers.
|
|
</li>
|
|
|
|
<li>
|
|
Board: changed 1% ownership rule to include warrants and options.
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<h4>IV. Board Meetings, Voting, Elections and Referendum</h4>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>Elections and Board Size: rewrote this. Removed slate provisions.</li>
|
|
|
|
<li>Added provision that candidates must be members.</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<h4>VII. Bootstrapping the Foundation</h4>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<q>A committee shall be established by the current GNOME Steering
|
|
Committee to manage the membership list and add new members.</q> Added:
|
|
<q>and oversee the elections</q>.
|
|
</li>
|
|
|
|
<li>
|
|
<q>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.</q> Made changes to account for elections prior to
|
|
incorporation and to remove slate provision.
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<h4>VIII. Some open issues</h4>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Removed this section. Reason for change: no longer needed.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<h3>Changes since draft 4:</h3>
|
|
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>[missed a few]</li>
|
|
<li>- Added Authors listing</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<h4>Preface: Why a GNOME Foundation?:</h4>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
<q>Since the project was started in 1998</q>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Reason: avoid relative time reference.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li><q>the number of paid developers has grown dramatically</q></li>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
<q>technology has STARTED TO mature</q>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Reason: false advertising.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>introduced the word Developer and explained that we use Hackers as well.</li>
|
|
<li>added <q>We need a new structure to more smoothly integrate new citizens into the community</q></li>
|
|
<li>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</li>
|
|
<li>added <q>To achieve our goals in a timely manner, the project will need more focus than the curent structure can offer.</q></li>
|
|
<li>changed: <q>...the inevitable conflicts that arise in a diverse community.</q></li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<h3>Changes since draft 3:</h3>
|
|
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>Added Preface: Why a GNOME Foundation?</li>
|
|
|
|
<li>Added Mission Statement</li>
|
|
<li>replaced <q>doesn't</q> by <q>does not</q> and made other minor word changes.</li>
|
|
|
|
<li>renumbered sections.</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<h4>I. Principles</h4>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Renamed this to Principles of the GNOME Foundation and created
|
|
<q>II. Tasks of the GNOME Foundation</q>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Reason: The principles and tasks are really two different things
|
|
that belong under separate headings.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Deleted introductory paragraph.
|
|
</p>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Reason: it tried to explain the link between Principles and Tasks.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<h5>Open and Public:</h5>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Deleted: We didn't get here by way of smoke-filled rooms and power
|
|
hierarchies. We got here because of people.
|
|
</p>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Reason: it's a negative statement that is somewhat
|
|
anachronistic. Second sentence is a platitude. Removed by request.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
<li>Moved last paragraph to:</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<h5>Free Software:</h5>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Added: GNOME is part of the GNU project and supports the goals of the
|
|
GNU project as defined by the Free Software Foundation.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Deleted <q>as determined by the Board of Directors</q>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Reason: this is implementation wording. The board may delegate this
|
|
task to a committee or deal with it in some other way.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<h5>Meritocracy</h5>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
Changed <q>participation should be available only to those</q> to
|
|
<q>participation is intended for</q> by request.
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<h5>Build on What we have</h5>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Deleted: <q>Think: Emperor</q>.
|
|
</p>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Reason: obscure and unnecessary.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<h5>Tasks:</h5>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Moved "Fund Receipt & Disbursement" to the end.
|
|
</p>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Reason: less important function.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<h4>II. Structure and Operation</h4>
|
|
|
|
<h5>Advisory Board:</h5>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
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!
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<h5>III. Board Meetings, Voting, Elections and Referendum</h5>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Added Board Meetings section, which includes openness and
|
|
confidentiality clause.
|
|
</p>
|
|
<p>
|
|
Reason: moved from the Principles Section, where it didn't belong,
|
|
since this is operational.
|
|
</p>
|
|
</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
</body>
|
|
</html>
|