[OSGeo-Discuss] Proposed process for selecting OSGeo charter members

[Duarte Carreira]

Well I just have to chime in...

I do promote osgeo projects all the time. I don't get paid. I am a Charter Member. This sometimes is useful for people to understand the sense of community that exists in Open Source projects, as opposed to "other associations" who are in fact many times seen (and are in fact) protectorate systems for a profession or market/business (also lobbying) generally benefiting a well defined group of individuals and companies.

So if I have to pay for membership I will have no feedback for that money since all the work I do promoting and educating on open source in gis is volunteered. And I still am requested to pay on top of that...

This is to say membership has value *for OSGeo*. Many times it has no monetary value for volunteers. So I can flip this and say, OSGeo should be paying me and thousands of volunteers around the world. At least a small recognition should be given that OSGeo reach is based on people who will not pay the fees, have no income from open source, and still do the work because they see some kind of social/community/long term general benefit from open source. Paying fees seems to undermine the open relationship between OSGeo and its bases. 

I am not 100% against fees but there should be always a way to not pay fees and keep the open free model, volunteer based, membership. If you want, you can have the fees as donations and not compulsory. Give a badge to those who pay.

Best,
Duarte



-----Mensagem original-----
De: Mr. Puneet Kishor [mailto:punk.kish at gmail.com] 
Enviada: segunda-feira, 23 de Junho de 2014 17:41
Para: Howard Butler
Cc: ML osgeo discuss
Assunto: Re: [OSGeo-Discuss] Proposed process for selecting OSGeo charter members



> On Jun 23, 2014, at 6:08 PM, Howard Butler <howard at hobu.co> wrote:
> 
> Do you lose a significant benefit by not being a Charter Member? Just the ability to vote for the board and the ability to tout your exclusivity on a vita/resume. Anything else? Lack of membership does not prevent anyone from participating now, and we wouldn't want it to (unlike many other professional organizations).

I don't lose anything significant, which implies that everything significant I gain from OSGeo's community is unaffected by my membership. This is one of the reasons I don't attend foss4g anymore (actually, mainly because I can't afford to do so). I will still support all the community ideals and aspirations to the fullest possible.

In short, I consider this both my vote for membership dues and the concurrent renunciation of my membership as a result.

--
Puneet Kishor