LinuxSA Mailing list archives

  From: Jason Tan <jason@rebel.rebel.net.au>
  To  : <michaeld@senet.com.au>
  Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2001 12:56:16 +1030 (CST)

Re: LinuxSA, Organisers and incorporation

On Tue, 27 Feb 2001 michaeld@senet.com.au wrote:

> Richard Russell openned the following can of worms:
> >
> > IMHO, it's time.
> 
> I agree.  It's probably time.  
> 
> But... :-) we need to realise that incorporation means covering our backsides
> with insurance.  This will mean we need $$$.  This means we need to have the
> concept of membership and membership fees.  


Alternatively we could have sponsors.

AUUG has sponsors. And I am sure other organisaitons have sponsors.

We could take that approach try to raise funding like that.


The sponsor of course gets advertising sopace on any publications that the
organison produces and on the web site.

Sponsoprship need not be a cheque or cash. For example netcraft now donate
considerable resources to linux sa and should of course be continued to
be recognised as such.

We could also do thinking such as introduce small surcharges eg at the
installfest we chagre a few dollars (like $5) to peopel who want
intsallations.

Also members might make donations.

In this way it may be possible for us to generate the necessary funds
without intorducing memebrship.

Does anyone have any idea what sort of funds would be required? Obviously
some insurance of some sort seeems to be necessary. THis woudl appear to
be the greatest expense.

Also I presume there are fees for registration of incoorportion either
initally, periodically or both. Presumably this would eb a few hundred
dollars per year max.

Stationaryand postage once again presumably a few hundred a year assuming
we do nto have mass maillouts to mebers.

What other expenses might an formally organsied organistation incur?

Possibly legal fees at least initally and perhaps peridocially.

BTW I think incorporation generally would be a good thing, and support it
fully.

I would also like to volunteer to  help with drafting the consitution and
other similar instruments if we do incorproate.

As someone else suggested I think an active role in public ediucation
would be good, as think that we would be well served with a
spokesperson/press officer.


> 
> And if we have membership fees then people like Compaq may want something for
> using their place every month, Netcraft might want something for hosting the web
> page and mailing lists, AUUG may see us as a competitor and be less likely to

I think a low cost or free venue will always be avaialbe n some form,,
there are always community centres and the like, although they may not be
as centrally located as compaq.

I know of at east one isp in adelaide that will host free domains such as
.asn.au and .org.au for free as long s the organisation has at least one
dial up account with them.

But even so I suspect a free or extrememely cheap co location deal coudl
eb organised for linux sa if netcraft were to withdrwa sponsorship or to
wnat to chrarge feees . Of course I get the impression that this is not
likely.

We would not need auug to "help us out" if we
were incorporated as we would be our own legal entity and have our own
insurance.

Of course I cant imagine that we would not want to work with them or they
with us.

I get the impresson that AUUG is a slightly different kind of best than
linuxsa.

If we were to charge menbership fees, then I reckon the only thing that
memebrs should get different from non members is maybe a pin or similar
low merchandise, preference for any giveaway, or any event and hopefully a
mebership card(ideally with discounts that we migth negotiate at various
places - eg bookshops, and hardware suppliers, perhaps isps) and kudos.

I beleive that with that sufficient people would join to keep the
organisaiton afloat.

Jason

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