[SAC] Domain Name Hosting

[Howard Butler]

On Feb 8, 2010, at 4:02 PM, Christopher Schmidt wrote:

> Currently, OSGeo hosts domains for several of its incubated projects, but
> in most cases, no more than one.
> 
> 1. I would like to motion that for any incubated projects, it is expected
>    that OSGeo will host one domain by default, and more upon request +
>    approval by SAC.
> 
>    1.1) if SAC is supportive of this, I would like to propose that OSGeo
>         hosts these three domains of OpenLayers.
> 
> 2. I would like to know what people's opinions are on hosting domain names
>    for 'friends of OSGeo' projects, ones that are not incubated (usually
>    because they are too small). It seems to me that hosting up to one
>    domain for these would be fair, but that hosting additional domain
>    names should be only associated with a donation of some sort that would
>    financially support that hosting -- so a minimal $500 sponsorship would
>    presumably support some number of years of hosting for domains, and 
>    OSGeo could accept the burden of doing so at that point. 
> 

I think it should be no problem for SAC to take on paying for domains for any incubated and incubating projects, including typodomains, and other variants within reason.  The cost is not so great.  Or maybe so much domain $$/year/project.  (no SSL certs though)

For affiliates, I don't know that we should be so generous, but I don't see a problem with SAC even maintaining one or two domains in that instance as well.  Ownership of the domain name is one of the most effective "project ownership" chits available, and handing over the keys to an affiliate domain is in essence trusting SAC to steward things in event of conflict or abandonment.  This is a better situation than if someone just silently walks away or makes a big stink about taking their ball and playing elsewhere.  

I think in this instance we should look to worry about it when the bill is too high and we need to prune stuff, not the other way.

Howard