[FFmpeg-devel] [RFC] FFmpeg Foundation

[Michael Niedermayer]

On Thu, Oct 29, 2009 at 01:18:52AM +0100, Alex Beregszaszi wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> On Wed, 2009-10-28 at 19:40 -0400, Ronald S. Bultje wrote:
> > Hi,
> > 
> > some developers have stated the intent to set up a NGO
> > (non-governmental organization) to help us bring some structure,
> > support and funding into the project. We haven't decided on a name
> > yet, although people agree that we dislike "FFmpeg Foundation" - if
> > you can suggest better names, please do so in this thread. Right now,
> > we're at a point where I think most of the stuff is decided and there
> > is just some paperwork to be filled out. All this with many thanks to
> > Karen at the SFLC who helped to get all this going. The NGO will be
> > registered in Delaware, USA (for administrative reasons). Its goal
> > will be to "advance the state of free and open multimedia" or
> > something like that.
> > 
> > For the time being, this organization will be run by a board
> > consisting of 7 members. For the starting board, the following
> > developers have volunteerd:
> > - Baptiste Coudurier
> > - Benjamin Larsson
> > - Carl Eugen Hoyos
> > - Diego Biurrun
> > - Mans Rullgard
> > - Michael Niedermayer
> > - Ronald S. Bultje
> > If you feel that these members will not be able to appropriately
> > represent this project, now would be a good time to speak up and
> > suggest something better. For the near future, the directors will
> > elect a new board at the end of their yearly term (and that might end
> > up in the same 7 members). If there's enough interest, we might set up
> > a member-structure so the board can be properly elected by its members
> > (=developers, contributors, etc.), but ATM we lack the structure for
> > even that ample task, so not for now.
> > 
> > The NGO will set up a bank account to accept tax-deductible donations
> > (bank, paypal, etc.) from organizations, users and companies to
> > benefit the further advance of "open / free multimedia". These might
> > be spend on FFmpeg development, FFmpeg development hackparties, FFmpeg
> > developers attending conferences or anything else that we will would
> > serve the greater good of "open / free multimedia" (i.e. it doesn't
> > have to be FFmpeg, specifically). We will also accept donations for a
> > specific purpose (e.g. Snow, etc.). Lastly, we will host a bank
> > account for MPlayer for donations intended specifically for MPlayer,
> > rather than FFmpeg.
> > 
> > Comments?
> 
> Im volunteering to do some paperwork or be in board if needed. Also once

> the legal entity is set up we can organize the transfer of domain
> owernership rights of mplayerhq.hu - currently Im the owner.

if something US based owns the domain, cant they then be forced by a US
court to do something?
not sure if this is a realistic threat but with all of MPAA/RIAA/MS/REAL/...
US based ....


[...]
-- 
Michael     GnuPG fingerprint: 9FF2128B147EF6730BADF133611EC787040B0FAB

In fact, the RIAA has been known to suggest that students drop out
of college or go to community college in order to be able to afford
settlements. -- The RIAA
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