2013-11-15 18:02:39 +00:00
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# Health of the Development Community
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2013-11-15 18:36:47 +00:00
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## Good License and Legal Requirements Choices
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2013-11-15 18:02:39 +00:00
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<a id="license-approved"></a>
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Obviously, code that's not under a license that is both
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[OSI approved](http://opensource.org/licenses/alphabetical) and is not
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[approved by FSF as a Free Software license](http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#SoftwareLicenses)
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is completely useless to us.
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<a id="gpl-compatible"></a>
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It would also be quite preferable if the code were under a
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[a license that FSF has determined is GPL-compatible](http://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#GPLCompatibleLicenses),
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so that code from GPL'd projects can be easily shared and GPL'd applications
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can be built on top of anything we build. Code not under a GPL-compatible
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license would face a high burden (i.e., the code would really have to be
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absolutely wonderful in all other respects) to dictate such a license choice.
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2013-11-15 18:36:47 +00:00
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<a id="no-cla-for-profit"></a>
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If the project has a CLA other than inbound=outbound, or has copyright
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assignment, the beneficiary has to be a 501(c)(3) non-profit, as non-profit
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contributors may not be legally permitted to give away code assets to a
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for-profit entity or an entity with a different tax status.
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Even for 501(c)(3)'s requesting a CLA or copyright assignment, there would
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need to be a confirmation that the missions of the orgs were sufficiently
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aligned.
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Given that the project is going to solicit support and contributions from
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501(c)(3)'s, this issue is particularly important.
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2013-11-15 18:55:19 +00:00
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## Developer Documentation and Community
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2013-11-15 18:36:47 +00:00
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2013-11-15 18:45:46 +00:00
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<a id="dev-docs"></a>
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The right choice has to have an accessible codebase. Since no accounting
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package yet deals with the issues specific to non-profit organizations, this
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project will have to focus on bringing developers *to* the new project.
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<a id="dev-welcoming"></a>
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As such, the codebase needs to be accessible. Communication with the
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core developers should be possible and interactive. The project should
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be willing to accept new contributors who might want to make substantial
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changes to the codebase.
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2013-11-15 18:55:19 +00:00
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<a id="dev-count"></a>
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A project with just one or two active developers, or where all the current
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developers appear to be employed by one company, has serious community health
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issues. Building a community around such a codebase is an uphill battle. If
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we build on such a project, we should be prepared to become the maintainer of
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the project if we have to, since the company or few individuals could move on
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with short notice.
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