Hello,
After all the feedback and discussions, I think I have a clearer idea of what
I would like to try. The basic outline is as follows:
- Both the source and the binaries will remain under the modified GPL license
that Bacula now uses.
- The source and binary licenses will be separated.
- Included with the binary license will be some fee/support/donation structure
for corporations either very similar to what I previously published, or based
on the number of computers using the product (most likely the former). This
fee/support/donation structure will not be legally binding but strongly
encouraged.
- Each donator will be given a unique donator number (probably the base Bacula
version followed by a unique sequential number -- e.g. 1.38-1, 1.38-2, ...).
(people/corporations who have contributed to Landon's project will be assumed
to have contributed for the use of version 1.38).
- Corporate non-donors will be discourged from using our email lists, and can
be ignored.
- I suggest that we respond to initial questions from corporations about
Bacula capabilities, but if they want help/advice on setting up or testing
Bacula, they should make a contribution -- after all, this is support, and
all of you who answer questions will then be directly helping provide support
AND funding for additional Bacula projects (see below).
- Corporate donors will have two major services:
1. They can freely use our email lists
2. If they get no response to their questions on the list, they can email me
(including their donor number), and I will guarantee some form of response. I
cannot provide support as such, but I can help them find solutions to their
problems. This point applies to any donor corporate or not.
3. We may be able to find additional benefits to offer to donors -- e.g.
official recognition as a Bacula support organization, ... there were a
number of ideas along this line.-
- For future development, I will develop a list of projects. The projects will
be implemented only if someone signs up to do them (I will certainly sign up
for some, but far fewer than I have in the past).
- Donors can contribute funds directed to specific projects (much like the
Google programming and similar to Landon's project) and the developer for that
project will be paid if he completes the project according to a negotiated
list of requirements.
- If Bacula receives sufficient non-allocated funds, I can assign them to
particular projects.
So, that is very roughly my idea. Putting it into practice will require a lot
of work and a lot of writing. There are a lot of details to be filled in (the
voluntary "donation" structure, definition of projects, value of
projects, ...).
I hope that this scheme is acceptable to even the most ardent GPL advocates
since no payment is legally required. If Source Forge begins complaining
about this (I doubt it), I will move the binaries (and if necessary, the
source) off their servers.
For those of you who strongly urged providing support for fees, OK, let's do
it. Now I need you to show me how to do it with concrete ideas and/or
commitments. Below is one concrete idea:
If we want, we could implement a donor only list where subscription would be
conditional on making a donation or being a Bacula support provider. For such
a list to work, I'll need Bacula support providers. This is just a thought.
In fact, it wouldn't require any more commitment than what you guys are doing
today, just that enough of you are willing to be designated as a support
provider. I'm not planning to implement this idea unless I get sufficient
positive feedback and and a good number of support providers.
--
Best regards,
Kern
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