On Mon, Aug 12, 2002 at 06:16:04PM -0500, Neal wrote: > After the last meeting, it struck me that others may have dollar > signs before their eyes, and as with linux, will gladly build upon > the work - the donated, <free> work of others, becoming the Redhat > of Twin Cities wireless. Wow, that is pretty short sighted. How about the $$s that are required to make it work in the first place? I know that there are people who wanna make a buck, and that's cool. There are those that don't want it to make a buck, and that's cool. But you can not do the full 'plan' without cash, and I doubt anyone here is altruistic enough to donate the many thousands of dollars and manhours just because it is fun. Or if there is someone, very very cool, but I don't think there is anyone on this list that is able to do so. > If the cloud is successful, then commercial interests, whether > individual or corporate, or a combination of the two, will use the > network. This fact will transform the network into a de facto > commercial entity. That incurs liability. You ahve liability regardless. > Once any thing of value is exchanged, this project will be a > commercial enterprise. This group really should consider the > ramifications of this: once commercial traffic is allowed on the > cloud, and such traffic is transferred to the Internet, this group > will become a wireless backbone supplier, and anyone running an AP, > an ISP. Again, short sighted. > Considering the above, I strongly suggest, at the very least, > incorporating as a non-profit. That way, any work that is done can > only be used for the TCWUG wireless network, and any work: siting, > propagation estimates, development methods and data, antenna > configurations, et. al. would be proprietary, and could only be used > if TCWUG, as a non-profit corporate entity, gives permission, in > return for a fee, for the use of such facilities or proprietary > methods and data. The moneys would be re-invested into TCWUG. Call > it a cooperative. Sure, and who will do the work? Where does the initial money come from? > I am <not> going to give anyone the benefit of my knowledge of and > experience in urban radio propagation if that knowledge will be > exploited for <their> enrichment, but I will gladly donate it as a > volunteer for a non-profit, as long as the work is protected. Your choice, no one is forcing you to do anything. -- Mike Horwath IRC: Drechsau drechsau at Geeks.ORG Home: 763-540-6815 1901 Sumter Ave N, Golden Valley, MN 55427 Opinions stated in this message, or any message posted by myself through my Geeks.ORG address, are mine and mine alone, period.