[Consortium] linuxaudio.org

[Marek Peteraj]

> 
> If you don't want to subscribe, so be it.  

> But don't come back later
> accusing anyone of keeping discussions "closed".

What are you talking about? I contacted Daniel immidiatelly after i
found out about this. Pretty much everything was private at that time.
That's a huge difference. And there's still no neutral place which would
serve for advocacy related discussions.

>   And don't whine if I
> forget to put you in Cc:.

You don't have to. Luckily i can *now* read it here:
http://lists.agnula.org/pipermail/consortium/2004-January/thread.html


> > Was a consortium really launched to *create*?
> 
> Yes, in the widest possible sense of "creating" (which is not only
> writing code, although this is of course a very important part).
> 
> And of  course,  focusing on  a   press release  *title*  is  quite an
> interesting way to discuss the goals and workings of any organization.

Discussing? I haven't seen any discussions. 

> 
> Do you usually reply to e-mails on the basis of the Subject: line ?

?

> 
> > Who will be given credit if the linux audio apps become widely used? 
> > The consortium? It's members? Which members?
> 
> I suppose  that  intelligent    people  will  give  credit   to    the
> applications'   authors,    to documentation   writers',   to  events'
> organizers, etc, etc.
> 
> > The problem is that projects aren't organisations from a legal point
> > of view.  
> 
> Not all of them.

*None* of them. There's only one relationship between the authors of a
project and the project itself. Copyright. 

> 
> > Combining them with companies doesn't make much sense. A foundation
> > would offer additional protection as it would consist of developers
> > participating in linux audio projects which are subject to such
> > additional protection.
> 
> Which additional protection, *exactly*?

So what if a company(member) that has no direct involvement in a project
abuses that project(member)? How is your consortium going to protect the
project? 

> 
> > Problems such as those Fred pointed out could be easily avoided.
> 
> Please show how.

Electing Fred as a member of that organization since he's a natural
person, he's active in a project.

> > Unfortunately this isn't happening. It puts a consortium of
> > companies in the spotlight while keeping the community aside.
> 
> Of the 18 members currently listed on:
> 
> http://linuxaudio.org/en/members/index.html
> 
> we have:
> 
> - 10 Libre Software projects (AGNULA, ALSA, Ardour, Audacity,
> dyne:bolic, GStreamer, Jack, Jamin, Plugin.org.uk, Rosegarden)
> 
> -  2  companies which   are    directly  involved with  Libre    audio
> applications (Fervent Software, Linux Audio Systems)
> 
> - 2 companies (Mandrake Soft, 4Front Technologies) which might not be
> *so* directly involved, but have contributed to Libre Software in
> general;
> 
> - 4 companies (Boost Hardware, Core Sound, Lionstracs, Mirror Image
> Studios) which have showed interest in Libre Software and are
> providing customers with GNU/Linux based audio systems;

> I honestly  can't  see how the   companies are put  into the spotlight
> (supposing this is wrong "per se", something I don't believe).


"consortium of companies and libre software projects"
That's
1. companies
2. libre software projects.

> 
> > I  was surprised to  see  how many of lad  subscribers  and you guys
> > underestimate  the  issue  that  LAD is  not  "only a"  mailing list
> > anymore.
> 
> You  underestimated it  in  the  first   place, given  the  fact  that
> linuxaudio.org has been free for a long time.

? 

I did underestimate the fact that somebody else might get the domain for
different purposes. 

I *don't* underestimate the importance of LAD.

> 
> > Just  an example -  2 job offerings were  posted  on LAD during this
> > week. Having a job bulletin board  on linuxaudio.org would come very
> > handy   for those searching   for  *linux audio*  related  jobs. Per
> > analogiam, *linux audio*   users, developers etc   would find *linux
> > audio* related information.
> 
> Again: I'm more than willing to propose the other consortium's members
> to provide  hosting space for such services.   Are you volunteering to
> maintain them?

Not unless the domain acts as home for LAD, LAU and LAA at first place.
I'm even willing to buy that domain for the purpose of providing it for
the three mailinglists. 

We need *basic* services first, if we want to promote linux audio.
That's providing news, and documentation, tutorials for both developers
and users.

Establishing a serious organization governed by law(ownership,
contracts, tax exemptions, grants, etc) and providing services is the
last step.

Marek