New Members FAQ board

[Kindred]

yes, you have apparently missed 2+ years pf debate...

[Windy]

http://www.simplemachines.org/about/opensource.php
^^ Summed up here.

[flapjack]

ah, so you just change the meaning of Open Source Software just for your use? if that's no biggie, can you do the same with taxes, I'm fed up with the amount of money I have to give back, maybe just change the definition and we will be all sorted?

[mighty_joe_young]

Ok then why do you charge people $50 to use the help desk (charter membership )? this seems so contradictive if you ask me
And as for the missed 2 years debate , the is no reason why there should not be a  review

I am not talking about this free SMF ,i am talking about a new form of SMF .with a name something like SMF PRO
Linux is open sorce ,but they do have the sence to have a payed virsion to cover there costs
And as for people buying books ,yes thay would ,you would sell thousands of them ,a book is so much better than a doc
And Beta Testers ,you would not have to pay anything anymore ,As you did say Flapjack,,,I'm fed up with the amount of money I have to give back

And as for yourself Kindred you would most probabley end up with a full time payed job ,just a nice little reward for yourself FOR all the hard work you put into SMF

[Kindred]

Joe,

The $50 is a DONATION to the SMF project. In return for that donation, we give the donator a year "charter membership" and access to the help desk. It's done as a recognition of the donation, not as a payment of service. (the same way that your local PBS [TV Station] (if you are in the US) does)

and.... can I say this enough times?   NO!! !!!  such a paid release would violate our charter.

In addition, if this was a paid job, it would cease to be fun.


Why is a book better than a free document with the same information?

* Kindred is honestly puzzled*

Flapjack, as I said... see 2 years of debate.

[青山 素子]

Okay, review time!

Ok then why do you charge people $50 to use the help desk (charter membership )? this seems so contradictive if you ask me

Much like PBS in the US, if you donate at a certain level you get a gift. With SMF, the level is $50 (or about) and that gift includes access to special builds and a helpdesk interface for one-on-one help.

Here is a local PBS station's list of various "thank you" gifts that you can donate to receive: Thank You Gifts | KCET

And as for the missed 2 years debate , the is no reason why there should not be a  review

I see no problem with a review, but the circumstances haven't changed enough to really make one worthwhile...

I am not talking about this free SMF ,i am talking about a new form of SMF .with a name something like SMF PRO

Some of the suggestions you make are problematic with this "pro" edition. Including pre-installed modifications means that the SMF team would need to get permission from each modification author to include their work in a paid compilation. This adds license difficulties at the very least. Also keep in mind that the entire team is working on this project on their spare time and adding a paid product with support expectations is a bit much to ask from volunteers.

Linux is open sorce ,but they do have the sence to have a payed virsion to cover there costs

Last I checked, Linux had only a free edition available. Now, some distributions might have for-fee options but those fees are usually for non-open-source items like Fluendo codecs or telephone support. Those companies are for-profit and actually usually making quite a bit of money, by the way (RedHat is doing quite well, for instance).

And as for people buying books ,yes thay would ,you would sell thousands of them ,a book is so much better than a doc

Once again, asking volunteers to go through a full publishing process is a bit much. Even with the friendlier presses like No Starch, it's quite a bit of work to demand of someone who isn't being paid.

And Beta Testers ,you would not have to pay anything anymore ,As you did say Flapjack,,,I'm fed up with the amount of money I have to give back

As far as I know, the beta tester group don't have to pay a thing as they are invited based on their quality bug reports and solid testing of SMF releases.

And as for yourself Kindred you would most probabley end up with a full time payed job ,just a nice little reward for yourself FOR all the hard work you put into SMF

Let's not bring that up. Last time it was suggested to provide the managing partner of the LLC with a small stipend for all the various work they did it was very... contentious... in the staff board where it was brought up. I'm pretty sure that was when accusations of stealing money started surfacing.


Edit: Added link to KCET donation gift page.

[Oya]

Including pre-installed modifications means that the SMF team would need to get permission from each modification author to include their work in a paid compilation

no they don't, see the smf license clause 2b

When a Modification to the Package is released, a non-exclusive royalty-free right is granted to Simple Machines LLC to distribute the Modification in future versions of the Package provided such versions remain available under the terms of this Agreement in addition to any other license(s) of the initial developer.

they are invited based on their quality bug reports and solid testing of SMF releases.

even ones who it seems haven't read the license and didn't know smf wasn't free as in speech software? (their admission, my inference)

[青山 素子]

no they don't, see the smf license clause 2b

I won't debate this, but will note that the section has never been used or tried. At least some authors have chosen to use a compatible license (but not the SMF license) and this has been allowed, which might render that section as unenforceable.

they are invited based on their quality bug reports and solid testing of SMF releases.

even ones who it seems haven't read the license and didn't know smf wasn't free as in speech software? (their admission, my inference)

Might I note that Flapjack was mentioning income taxes in his facetious statement, not paying for any rank with SMF? It might have been a bad example from him, but wasn't intended to indicate that one had to pay for SMF.

(Frankly, many of the volunteers donate to the project in some way or another. I know I spent at least $10 monetarily for a few phone calls to Canada over SMF privacy following their guidelines. I know I spent and still spend a ton of time on SMF.)

[mighty_joe_young]

I undestand peoples concerns , lets look at the downside , 5 years time down the line , is SMF stil be around ? with more people joining this forum ,this means alot more bandwidth and maybe a bigger server , which amounts to very high costs

As for the mods ,SMF could purchase these mods out right from members .Lets not forget people well still be posting free mods on the forum also , I think it`s silly if you just say NO  ,. Ok some members see SFM as a hobby . Quite alot of people that come on this forum do have a busness to run .,and i feel that these people would be more than happy to have some sort of SMF pro forum .

Also lots of member would also benefit ,through selling pro templates to SMF , or doing some coding . Peps can still have lots of fun with this free vershion ,which is great . Linux sell there software on disk which you can purchase .http://store.linux.com/This is only my view ,but i feel that if SMF don`t move with the times ,SMF might not be around in the next 10 years .

Kindred you cant just come out with NO when you have not spoken to to other staff ,I feel it should be debated with all members of the FMS staff and maybe even some of the members ,that do want this

[Kindred]

actually... as operations manager and president... I CAN just say no. (in addition this was discussed and rejected a LONG time ago...  and as I have said, it violates our charter.

[mighty_joe_young]

What more can i say not alot . 

In the next few years when SMF is no longer around . Please remeber this ,and think to your self you had the chance of a life time .

[flapjack]

don be upset, it seems to me mighty_joe_young, that you have very little experience on how things work in real life. SMF is not some small school project and it doesn't work the way you describe it:

Kindred you cant just come out with NO when you have not spoken to to other staff ,I feel it should be debated with all members of the FMS staff and maybe even some of the members ,that do want this

this has nothing to do what team wants or doesn't want. SMF is a business like many others and is not ruled by collective nor its community.

as for your other ideas - I don't want to go into details but most of them are just naive.
and what I said about taxes was just sarcasm, seems you didn't get that one too

[mighty_joe_young]

No Flapjack i talk sence ,and see great things that could be done with SMF .

Which you can`t knock because no one well take steps to try .So you don`t know the outcome .You can`t knock something unless you try it.
Thats wot every one said about Bill Gates when he came up with windows . Flap jack why should i be upset ? Who cares if it stays free . I have my own forum to run and website ,so i realy could not care less . I think you or a bit cheeky Flap jack ,and alittle out of order putting them personal comments ,If i put i think that your a @ob head,how would you feel  ,please dont get personal if you make a post about me . There is a big difference posting about this software ,and posting personal comments

[flapjack]

My point was, is you want just the facts, that none of what you said in this topics makes much sense to me.
I'm done here, cya

[mighty_joe_young]

I am not going to even comment on your last post Flapjack .

Regards

[kat]

Kindred you cant just come out with NO when you have not spoken to to other staff ,I feel it should be debated with all members of the FMS staff and maybe even some of the members ,that do want this

Of course he can. As, indeed, any team member can. (Even those of FMS, whoever they are)

SMF is free and it always will be.

Unless, maybe, someone offers us a few zillion bucks to buy us out...

[mighty_joe_young]

Kindred you cant just come out with NO when you have not spoken to to other staff ,I feel it should be debated with all members of the FMS staff and maybe even some of the members ,that do want this

Of course he can. As, indeed, any team member can. (Even those of FMS, whoever they are)

SMF is free and it always will be.

Well all i can say is if this is how you plan things ,then i realy do now feel that it would be best to keep this software free.
Kindred can say NO , that is his view . And i have my views ,that is wot makes a great forum having debate on topics ,

Regards 

[kat]

Yeah. But, I don't mean to funny or nasty, your views in this matter are irrelevant, really, aren't they?

[mighty_joe_young]

Yeah. But, I don't mean to funny or nasty, your views in this matter are irrelevant, really, aren't they?

Then i could respond to your comment that you or not taking the views of any of your members into account . Rember with no members you wont have a forum or SFM , members views or very important

Regards 

[kat]

Because the views of our members, on this subject, are also irrelevant.

As Kindred said, it's part of our charter.

Once again, SMF is and always will be, FREE!