[Consortium] poll : Advertising vs Linux Audio

[Robin Gareus]

Patrick,

We talk at cross-purposes.

This sort discussion style on the mailing list is not fruitful. Since
you are a member of the Mgmt board, please bring it up on the next
Consortium meeting. A common table and discussion over some beverage
seems a more appropriate way.

Since you addressed it to me, I'll answer your last question:

On 04/24/2012 01:46 AM, Patrick Shirkey wrote:
> 
> On Mon, April 23, 2012 2:15 pm, Robin Gareus wrote:
[..]

>> http://linuxaudio.org/policy :)
>>
>> Let me interpret it like this: If a sponsor support our cause:
>> "promote and enable the use of Linux kernel based systems for
>> professional audio use" - we can link to and /advertise/ for them.
>>
>> A good example is your previous endeavor: http://awards.linuxaudio.org/
>> Commercial companies sponsor a prize for Linux-Musicians; the companies
>> in question also directly promote audio and/or GNU/Linux. We add a link
>> to and logo of those companies and the prize-money goes directly to the
>> musician(s). Great.
>>
>> If an unrelated 3rd party wants to pay linuxaudio.org for SEO, ads or
>> whatever - even if we could use the money to do great things for LAO -
>> it's more or less a no go. -- At least for the time being.
>>
>> For that to happen, linuxaudio.org would need to become a much larger
>> organization in order to balance commercial interest, retain its
>> independence and handle bureaucratic issues. It'd also require revising
>> the policy which can be only done by a majority decision of the
>> Linuxaudio.org Management Board.
>>
> 
> And you are opposed to that?

No, not in general.
However, given the available wo/manpower and state of LAO at the moment:
Yes, I am.


The long version:

There are zero full-time persons involved in linuxaudio.org. There's
maybe 0.2 persons taking care of the LAO online infrastructure (we're
less than a handful and we've all got day-time-jobs, family, a life and
other projects..). Going [semi-]commercial with no team will be disastrous.

The most active parts of LAO are the email-lists, followed by a group of
dedicated individuals who volunteer to be wiki editors and LAC
organizers - the motivation of LAO contributors and users is quite
diverse and it'd be too easy to forget where we came from.

2c,
robin