[Foss4g2008loc] Feedback from GISSA National Council meeting on 4 Oct

[Frank Warmerdam]

Zoltan Szecsei wrote:
> Gavin Fleming wrote:
>> Re financial backing, so far GISSA is taking all the risk and we have 
>> no backing from OSGeo other than statements in the RFP to the effect 
>> that OSGeo would provide bridging finance (which did not come about 
>> and shouldn’t be necessary now) and that OSGeo would cover or share 
>> losses if they should occur. That is why we are drafting an agreement 
>> with OSGeo to cover these bases more formally.
>>
> 
> Hi Gavin (and all),
> Presumably with checks that they can afford to come to the party, should 
> the wheels fall off? It's all well enough to get a commitment, but 
> collecting the money from them will be our problem and we may never see it.
> Furthermore, please also be candid about the profit shares.
> 
> I would like to see a "shareholding" based on pro rata cash in the LOC's 
> South African bank account - so do not refuse the startup bridging 
> finance even though it will be for collateral rather than bridging.

Zoltan,

As Gavin mentions, I believe there will be a contract signed between GISSA
and OSGeo making it clear how losses will be covered, and how profits would
be distributed.

There was some discussion in Victoria of a model where GISSA and OSGeo
accept 50/50 responsibility for any loss, and where any profit would
be 1/3 for GISSA, 1/3 for OSGeo and 1/3 set aside for some sort of
charitable sponsorship for students.  This mechanism would be acceptable
to me, though it will need to be presented to the OSGeo board for approval
before we can sign.

Bridge funding is exactly what it sounds like, and I don't think we are
likely to put in funds unless there is a need.

Best regards,
-- 
---------------------------------------+--------------------------------------
I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam, warmerdam at pobox.com
light and sound - activate the windows | http://pobox.com/~warmerdam
and watch the world go round - Rush    | President OSGeo, http://osgeo.org