Re: [Fsfe-uk] RFC: Sponsorship

[Andrew Savory]

Hi,

(There's been references by Mark to "opinions expressed so far" ... I
haven't seen them on this list. Were they on the affs-cttee-cabal list?)

On Tue, 14 Oct 2003, Brian Gough 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).

Can you explain how you think company logos would diminish the message?

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

I doubt listings on our web site would be much incentive - we don't get
even near the amount of traffic the FSF/FSFE gets. (How much traffic _do_
we get?)

> 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 distributing advertising leaflets alongside AFFS ones may prove
cumbersome in the long run.

- Do we want to be carrying two or more lots of leaflets around?
  - how do we get their leaflets to AFFS events?
  - do we carry them away again at the end?

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

Presumably if a sponsor gives us £n with which we subsidise printing for
leaflets, their details on the leaflet will always be valid.

I don't think we'd need to re-print when a sponsor's money runs out, or
when we get new sponsor money. We'd only re-print when we need new
material.

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

This would be difficult to police. If the FLOSS part of IBM donates, do we
accept money from them even though the rest of IBM sells proprietary
software? If so, what about if IBM's services division donate, even though
they promote both FLOSS and proprietary? Can we draw a line, or do we
leave it as a value judgement each time? (The difficulty with the latter
is ensuring fair treatment for all.)


Andrew.

-- 
Andrew Savory                                Email: address@hidden
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