[SOLVED] FreeCAD partnership with Software Freedom Conservancy

[FinixFighter]

Hello! I already read the motivation about FreeCAD not establishing a non-profit organization/foundation on the FreeCAD website, but I think there is a workaround for those problem. In fact FreeCAD should be eligible for becoming a partner of the Software Freedom Conservancy, which handle all the legal aspects of an organization (here are more information https://sfconservancy.org/about/), so that FreeCAD can focus on developing.
Another alternative could be the Software in the Public Interest! Moreover, both these organizations are available on AmazonSmile, that means that when we purchase something on AmazonSmile then the 0.5% will be donated to the chosen charity (for example SFC), so it could also be a chance to improve and speed up FreeCAD development
What do you think?

[vocx]

Hello! I already read the motivation about FreeCAD not establishing a non-profit organization/foundation on the FreeCAD website, ...

And where did you read that exactly?

See a previous discussion About funding and all that.

The biggest problem is organization and manpower. The top developers are all busy people. In order to do what you want, we would need a person that is fully employed to work on FreeCAD. That means a budget of USD 50 000 per year, unless you can get somebody from outside of Europe or North America, willing to work for cheap (USD 5000 per year?).

[kkremitzki]

I contacted the SFC about a year ago on potentially joining. They sent me back a semi-long questionnaire about the project which I got about 80% done with and then haven't finished. It's on my list!

[FinixFighter]

I contacted the SFC about a year ago on potentially joining. They sent me back a semi-long questionnaire about the project which I got about 80% done with and then haven't finished. It's on my list!

What a great news! I'm so happy to hear that! Keep up the good work!!

[FinixFighter]

Hello! I already read the motivation about FreeCAD not establishing a non-profit organization/foundation on the FreeCAD website, ...

And where did you read that exactly?

See a previous discussion About funding and all that.

The biggest problem is organization and manpower. The top developers are all busy people. In order to do what you want, we would need a person that is fully employed to work on FreeCAD. That means a budget of USD 50 000 per year, unless you can get somebody from outside of Europe or North America, willing to work for cheap (USD 5000 per year?).

I read it here https://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/Donate
You say that developers are all busy people, and you're completely right, that's exactly why I was talking about organizations like Freedom Software Conservancy, which handle all the organizational and legal aspects.

[vocx]

... which handle all the organizational and legal aspects.

What "organization" and "legal" aspects? Seriously, you cannot just say, "well, some aspects". You have to be very specific what you mean. It is impossible for somebody external to the project to manage the project, somebody from inside needs to be an active participant.

Also beware that what you linked to is the FreeCAD wiki, which is editable by any user. The information contained in the wiki very often is outdated.

[FinixFighter]

What "organization" and "legal" aspects? Seriously, you cannot just say, "well, some aspects". You have to be very specific what you mean. It is impossible for somebody external to the project to manage the project, somebody from inside needs to be an active participant.

Also beware that what you linked to is the FreeCAD wiki, which is editable by any user. The information contained in the wiki very often is outdated.

This is Software Freedom Conservancy's About page: https://sfconservancy.org/about/, on their website you can find all info about them and what they do.
Then, about the freecad wiki, yes, it is FreeCAD wiki, in fact you can land on that page just by clicking "Donate" button on FreeCAD home. The page is updated to October 17 2019.
Please, be sure you know what SFC is before asking for what they do, secondly, if you don't know how you can land on that page then I think that you never went on FreeCAD website...

[kkremitzki]

ping

Would you be interested in trying to help me with this?

[yorik]

@Kunda1 has my vote

One question I'd like to raise with FSF: Our friends at BRL-CAD are also in the process of creating an NGO that could receive money and redistribute it to different projects. The aim is basically to gather all the excellent FOSS CAD projects we're already doing GSOC with. This takes some time, obviously, as all things in the FOSS world, but I have confidence it will happen some day. We should check with FSF if there is no conflict with them there. I believe not (I think I remember having read you can still keep your other money-collecting channels when joining them) but it doesn't harm asking...

[Kunda1]

Would you be interested in trying to help me with this?

Yes. Let me know how.