Re: [Fsfe-uk] RFC: Sponsorship

[MJ Ray]

On 2003-10-14 18:52:13 +0100 Brian Gough <address@hidden> 
wrote:

> I would prefer that literature on free software did not have company
> logos on it, as I think it would diminish the message -- and has
> practical problems (see below).

Sorry, you didn't flag the practical problems clearly enough for me to 
see them.

> An example of existing practice: FSF/FSFE both use the same model --
> pay an annual fee for a listing on the website and the company can use
> the patron logo in their literature that year.

Personally, I do not like this policy because it requires use of 
restrictive copyright or trademark licences.  This causes practical 
problems: for example, 2003 FSFE supporter images used on the web must 
link to a URL that 404s at the moment (which I will now report).

> This is very simple
> and avoids value judgments over acceptable sponsors.

Do they really turn away no sponsorship?

> In that case the best approach in my opinion for AFFS distribute
> advertising leaflets for sponsors alongside its own material for any
> companies that donate to AFFS.

I think that this seems cumbersome for us to do.  It would be 
difficult to enforce distribution in this way.  I think it may 
associate AFFS with undesirable advertising and having an AFFS 
information leaflet in amongst adverts would surely hide the message a 
bit.  I suspect it would be less attractive to sponsors, too.

> This avoids the problem of reprinting
> things if the company stops being a sponsor or a new one is added.

I hope to avoid this by only the sponsored item and discussion of it 
including sponsor details.  For example, if a print-run of a leaflet 
is sponsored, the leaflet is marked and it is mentioned when that 
leaflet is discussed ("the sponsorname leaflet run" instead of 
LEAF0001 or whatever), but I don't think it should be mentioned in any 
other leaflets, for example.

> Of
> course, any advertising should only be for parts of their business not
> related to proprietary software.

Of course.  I think having to promote free software would require 
refusing proprietary software sponsorships.  Should this be stated?

--
MJR/slef     My Opinion Only and possibly not of any group I know.
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