Here is few notes to address a few more concerns I have encountered, I'll pose them retorically.
1. I heard that some people have been asked to be on the board, why weren't the developers consulted? I'm a developer, why wasn't I asked? Who are these board members?
In California every corporation that has not applied and achieved tax-exempt status from the IRS has to pay an 800 dollar "franchise tax." In order to get tax-exempt status, you must meet certain requirements, write your bylaws, have your first board meeting, and attach the bylaws and the minutes of your first meeting to the tax-exempt form and set it to the IRS (and the state franchise tax board).
At some point, I needed to make sure that there would be sufficient interest in being board members to be able to have the first board meeting. Otherwise, seeing how I am the only board member at the moment (every corporation needs one initial board member) I would have to pay the 800 dollar franchise tax fee. I didn't want to do that. I also didn't know if non-US-residents can be on the board, so yosh and I came up with a list of all US contributors and interested people and sent them mail asking about being TGF board members. Yosh, Mat, Nathan, were the ones who expressed interest at the time. This meant I had enough poeple interested that I felt I could contine without undue risk to myself.
They are, in fact, not board members, though it seems likely that they will try to become one. I can't elect new board members until the bylaws are written (and, in fact, if the bylaws define a voting membership, I _can't_ elect. That is the members job).
Now that I know that there are no residency requirements and and the only age requirement is 18 (so that you can enter contracts) I've asked (in my last mail) more generally, and with greater specificity, who would like to be involved.
2. Will The GIMP Foundation have a steering committee?
No, not exactly. The GIMP has always been a contributor driven project, and I see no reason (or even ability) to change that. If TGF has an object called a steering committee it will only be able to be in charge of TGF employees. Noone is going to be telling volunteers what to do (unless of course, they are specific volunteering their time to TGF, but that is another matter entirely).
3. This thing is still vague to me. Aren't you assuming you will have money? What exactly is it supposed to do? Why should I care? Why should I get invovled? Why should I not get invovled.
Yes, I am assuming we will have money. Without money, this whole thing is just an exercise is futility. Getting more money will be one of this things TGF will need to focus on. More or less, the purpose of TGF is to provide a public (and scientific) service by ensuring the distrobution, and development of The GIMP. What this boils down to it getting and spending money for the good of The GIMP. You should care because the money will be spend to support your activities (and perhaps even compensate you directly). You should get invovled if you want to have a say in how that money is spent, or want to get invovled with The GIMP in other ways. Undoubtably marketing style stuff will have a place in The GIMP, and I already know that there are more than a few non-technical people interested in contrubting to something like that. The only reason you should not get invovled is if you don't want to spend the time on it. By the nature of a corporation, no one is personally liable, so there is no risk for getting involved (including, but not limited to, protection for lawsuits and bad business deals made in good faith).
Please let me know if anyone has and more concerns. I will address them as best I can.
-- Dan
