Apply for membership and meet us at FOSDEM

[Carsten Agger]

On 02/05/2018 12:06 PM, Florian Snow wrote:
> Hi Daniel,
>
>
> Daniel Pocock <daniel at pocock.pro> writes:
>> It is quite simple to explain:
>>
>> - the funds from fellowship/supporters pay the salaries and other major
>> expenses (over 50% of the budget comes from fellowship/supporter donations)
>>
>> - but the fellowship/supporters only have 2 votes in the GA (and none
>> after the change), although some GA members are also
>> fellowship/supporter members too
> I am not sure if a financial contribution alone warrants a voice in the
> GA.  What about other donors, such as Google:  Should they get a vote in
> the GA?  Don't get me wrong:  I want the community to have a say in what
> direction the FSFE moves in, but I am not sure that financial
> contribution is the right criterion.  That is something I would like to
> define more clearly and then I see a good way forward to remove the
> Fellowship seats and tell the community as a whole, not just financial
> contributors how they can gain more influence within our organization.

Of course Google could not have a voice in the GA - they're a 
proprietary software company and by definition are not committed to the 
values of free software.

Regarding supporters/Fellows, I guess the point is whether the annual 
support should be considered "membership dues" or not. I.e., supporting 
an association financially doesn't by default give you any influence. If 
you join it, however, become a member and pay membership dues, that 
makes you a member.

So I think the point Daniel has been raising is this: Could 
supporters/fellows, before joining, have received the erroneous 
impression that their payments constitute membership dues for membership 
in the FSFE? Or, should they constitute such membership dues.

As I stated earlier I don't have the answer for that but found the 
arrangement a bit complicated when I became a Fellow back in 2011.

Best
Carsten