[ale] OT -- Questions about how to get funds for open source

Tue Jan 18 05:46:21 EST 2011

Chuck,

You could write a book about your project or a how-to, and get your
publisher to shoulder a little of the cost of marketing your book.   I
did this a few years ago, and got to talk about open-source security
tools at SecureWorldExpos in Seattle and Dallas.  

Profit is basically a taboo concept in the open-source communities,
sadly.  You almost never hear about how projects make running expenses,
except through donation campaigns.  Hardly ever a solid P & L.  Since
most are private concerns, and don't have to disclose, they don't.
Non-profits do have to disclose the data, I believe, but there is a
difference between data printout and the processes related, which may
not have to be disclosed.  Enrolling big corporate sponsor(s)  may or
may not be the answer.  It would depend what value they saw for
themselves.

Wolf

-----Original Message-----
From: Chuck Payne <terrorpup at gmail.com>
Reply-to: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts <ale at ale.org>
To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts <ale at ale.org>
Subject: Re: [ale] OT -- Questions about how to get funds for open
source
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2011 16:09:33 -0500

On Mon, Jan 17, 2011 at 3:49 PM, Greg Freemyer <greg.freemyer at gmail.com> wrote:
> Chuck,
>
> This is an example of why openSUSE needs a foundation.
>
> SpiderOak as an example has offered to give openSUSE 15% of all sales
> that come from openSUSE users.  But openSUSE has no way to accept the
> money, so it has to refuse it for now.
>
> I assume all openSUSE funds for now come from Novell, but that's just
> an assumption.
>
> Thus by asking how projects are funded, you're putting the cart before
> the horse.
>
> fyi: last year I gave a presentation in Montreal for a OSS project.
> They didn't provide any funds, so I wrapped a vacation around it and
> paid it all myself.  I suspect that's not that uncommon when a project
> is still getting organized.
>
> fyi2: A lot of employers like the visibility of their employees being
> associated with a project and will pay travel expenses as long as you
> give your employer some recognition.  Maybe you could approach your
> employer about picking up the shortage?
>
> Greg
>
> On Mon, Jan 17, 2011 at 3:27 PM, Chuck Payne <terrorpup at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Guys,
>>
>> I been asking round how people get funds for open source project. This
>> year I have a lot of traveling, but the group can't pay the traveling,
>> they have told me at most 60 to 80%, I wouldn't mind, but I don't have
>> those kind of funds. I been asking how do open source fund they
>> projects.
>>
>> Does anyone know? Are people really paying out of their pockets on a
>> lot of projects? I am really wonder.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> PUP
>>
>>
>> ( Please keep in mind, I am not asking for Funds, I am asking for information)
>>
>> --
>> -----------------------------------------
>> Discover it! Enjoy it! Share it! openSUSE Linux.
>> -----------------------------------------
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>>
>> Have you tried SUSE Studio? Need to create a Live CD,  an app you want
>> to package and distribute , or create your own linux distro. Give SUSE
>> Studio a try. www.susestudio.com.
>>
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>
>
>
> --
> Greg Freemyer
> Head of EDD Tape Extraction and Processing team
> Litigation Triage Solutions Specialist
> http://www.linkedin.com/in/gregfreemyer
> CNN/TruTV Aired Forensic Imaging Demo -
>    http://insession.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/23/how-computer-evidence-gets-retrieved/
>
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> The Intersection of Evidence & Technology
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>
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Guys,

Thanks, I didn't want to spot light openSUSE. This we have so many
people traveling they told use they can't cover the total cost, but I
am being asked to travel to LA, Austin, and Indiana. I love doing
this, but I really don't have the funds to do it. I just wonder how
the others do it. Most Ambassadors for Fedora, are Red Hat Employes.
Most of the Ubuntu folks work for Canocial. Of course most of the
folks that are that booths work for the companies they are
representing.

I have talking to my company, only problem that have pointed out, the
are RHEL shop, They are VOIP Company, and are not using openSUSE any
where.

Thanks guys for the info. This has been something I been wondering
about in open source community in general, and it something you don't
hear many talk about.

Chuck

-- 
-----------------------------------------
Discover it! Enjoy it! Share it! openSUSE Linux.
-----------------------------------------
openSUSE -- en.opensuse.org/User:Terrorpup
openSUSE Ambassador/openSUSE Member
skype,twiiter,identica,friendfeed -- terrorpup
freenode(irc) --terrorpup/lupinstein
Register Linux Userid: 155363

Have you tried SUSE Studio? Need to create a Live CD,  an app you want
to package and distribute , or create your own linux distro. Give SUSE
Studio a try. www.susestudio.com.

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