23 Jan
2004
23 Jan
'04
1:09 p.m.
Hi Fred,
WRT our earlier discussion about SRL joining the
group, this is
something I'd like to do. I now need to run this past the
management folks at our Corporate offices -- which brings me to the
point of this message: the word "consortium". In light of the
discussions over the past week or so, my understanding is that the
organization is a group to advocate informally the use of
Linux-based audio solutions, with no binding legal agreements
between members. That being the case, I'm not sure that
"consortium" is an accurate description. Perhaps "Advocacy Group"
would be a better term.
My original aim was to eventually move beyond advocacy alone to
include co-development projects and the like. Of course, that's up to
the members.
The reason I bring this up is that, in the US at
least, the word
"consortium" comes weighted with some rather heavy legal baggage,
implying formal, close relations between members by means of
binding legal agreements if not actual collective control and
ownership.
I wasn't aware of that - I hadn't heard of that usage in the UK. What
you're describing would be called a 'partnership' here.
I've just found this feature on Google:
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=define:Consortium
I like the definition from biology:
'Two or more members of a natural assemblage in which each organism
benefits from the other. The group may collectively carryout some
process that no single member can accomplish on its own.'
That being the case, any proposal on my part that
Salem
join this "consortium" will put all the legal types at Corporate
into hyperdrive. At best, it would make obtaining such approval an
extremely long, arduous process. More likely, such consent would
never be obtained at all.
Lawyers, eh?
So, with these sorts of issues in mind, would it be
possible to
characterize the group by means of a less intimidating term?
"Advocacy group" works for me (it is, after all, a purely voluntary
association that carries no legal obligation with it), although I'd
be glad to talk about alternatives.
It is the case that we've already announced linuxaudio.org as a
consortium. However, once the management board is in place -
hopefully next week - they could discuss this issue. We certainly
don't want to put anyone off from joining.
I suggest that you approach your people in the meantime and test their
reactions to the idea, explaining that your company will not be
expected to sign any contract.
Personally, I think goodwill, trust and peer pressure are far more
powerful than contracts. I suppose that when you sign a contract,
you've already acknowledged that trust has failed to be established!
Cheers
Daniel