Foundation Board Minutes for Tue, February 7th 2017, 18:00 UTC

Next meeting date Tue, February 14th 2017, 18:00 UTC

Wiki: https://wiki.gnome.org/FoundationBoard/Minutes/20170207

Attending

• Cosimo Cecchi
• Allan Day
• Alexandre Franke
• Jim Hall

• Shaun McCance

• Nuritzi Sanchez
• Rosanna Yuen

Regrets

• Meg Ford

Missing

Agenda

• Board organisation and workflow
• Outreachy Sponsorship email
• Software Inquiry email
• ED Hiring Update
• GNOME domains email
• Participation in academic survey email
• Review ongoing items

Minutes

• Outreachy Sponsorship email
  • VOTE: Approve sponsorship ($6500) of one GNOME intern for Outreachy in Spring 2017 if there's no other sponsor
    • +1 Alexandre, Nuritzi, Shaun, Allan, Cosimo. PASSED
• Board organisation and workflow
  • We use the mailing list a lot less, and discuss more in the meeting. In the past the mailing list was used more
    • Alexandre would like to encourage people to use the mailing list, to focus the meeting time on things that do require personal discussion
  • About the minutes
    • Currently we have this large body of text with our ongoing items in our pad
    • Alexandre would like to move the ongoing section into a wiki page
    • Cosimo feels that the wiki would be a bit better but would still require a lot of maintenance
• Software Inquiry email
  • They are able to sell the software, provided they respect the license
  • ACTION: Alexandre to get back to them
• ED Hiring Update
  • Need to finish setting up payroll, things seem to be moving along well
  • Few more things to do/think about
    • Employee handbook
    • Laptop
      • In the ballpark of $1200-$1500, he could send us a budget/quote for us to approve
      • ACTION: Allan to communicate this to Neil
    • Workplace assessment questionnaire
    • Manager
• GNOME domains email
  • Somebody purchased gnomedesktop.org/com and other domains, wondering if they should renew and pass them to us
    • They would want to renew them for another year
    • That feels like pushing the decision to the next Boad
    • We should only ask him to renew the domains if we want to keep them
  • We can encourage this person to offer the domains to the community directly
  • ACTION: Cosimo to respond
• Participation in academic survey email
  • This person should feel empowered to contact the community directly
  • ACTION: Cosimo to respond

Ongoing

This section includes items which have seen an update in the last 30 days. Format is "YYYY-MM-DD, action|discussion|abstract" for this and subsequent minutes sections

• GNOME domains email
  • We can encourage this person to offer the domains to the community directly
  • ACTION: Cosimo to respond
• Participation in academic survey email
  • This person should feel empowered to contact the community directly
  • ACTION: Cosimo to respond
• Software Inquiry email
  • They are able to sell the software, provided they respect the license
  • ACTION: Alexandre to get back to them
• ED hiring update
  • 2017-02-07
    • Need to finish setting up payroll, things seem to be moving along well
    • Few more things to do/think about
      • Employee handbook
      • Laptop
        • In the ballpark of $1200-$1500, he could send us a budget/quote for us to approve
        • ACTION: Allan to communicate this to Neil
      • Workplace assessment questionnaire
      • Manager
• Should the GNOME Foundation issue a statement about the immigration ban?

  • The Linux Foundation did: https://www.linux.com/blog/linux-foundation-executive-directors-statement-immigration-ban

  • 2017-01-31
    • Jim thinks our statement should be about Freedom and not specifically the ban
    • Allan reminds us that the bylaws state we shouldn't engage in politics
    • He also expresses concerns about how it would impact the foundation
    • We could ask Luis for advice
    • ACTION: Nuritzi to ask Luis if that would be an issue

    • ACTION: Allan to draft a statement https://etherpad.gnome.org/p/GNOME_immigration_ban_statement

• 2017 Budget
  • ACTION: Nuritzi to send a framadate for a budget meeting with the board, Neil and Kat
• From the mailing list - patreon campaign
  • 2017-02-07
    • For now, we are promoting the campaigns but not getting involved directly
    • ACTION: Nuritzi to ask Neil for his opinion
• Pitivi fundraiser beneficiary
  • 2017-01-10
    • Kat sent Alexandre a version of the contract, Alexandre got back to Kat with some questions as to what still remains to be done
  • 2017-02-07
    • ACTION: Alexandre to finish the contract draft for the Board to review
• Jeff's reimbursement request for GUADEC 2016 travel, annual reports printing and shipping
  • VOTE: send Jeff the funds (using CAD) (pre-approved)
    • +1 Nuritzi, Allan, Alexandre, Jim, Meg. Vote passed
• libertyVPS server donation
  • 2016-12-20
    • ACTION: Meg to check with sysadmins whether we actually need a server
  • 2017-01-10
    • Meg sent an email and is waiting to hear back from the sysadmin team.
• Chrome Store account for managing GNOME Shell integration browser extension
  • 2016-12-20
    • ACTION: Shaun to find out more about what's involved in creating an account
• Dropping dates in copyright claims on our websites
  • 2016-12-06
    • ACTION: Alexandre to send an email to foundation-list with a proposal for discussion
  • 2016-12-20
    • Next step seems to be to reach out to Creative Commons to get advice on what exactly can and should be done
  • 2017-01-24
    • Alexandre reached out to Creative commons
• USPTO trademark email
  • We got an email about renewal for our logo.
  • 2017-01-26
    • Conversation with Pam about the details of the renewal. No confirmation that the renewal has happened yet.
• Google Play account
  • 2016-09-27

    • https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=771981 was done, we need to pay a $25 one-time fee for the developer account

  • 2016-10-04
    • Payment is authorized
    • ACTION: Rosanna to make the payment and follow up with Ankit
  • 2016-10-18
    • Rosanna is waiting for Ankit to reply about the gmail account
  • 2016-11-01
    • Board is discussing who should have access to the credit card associated to the account
  • 2016-11-29

    • ACTION: Rosanna to look into getting a PayPal credit card

  • 2016-12-20

    • Rosanna has been collating materials to update the PayPal account owner before looking into the credit card

• Privacy campaign funds
  • 2016-09-27
    • Draft is out for the Board to review and give feedback
    • ACTION: Cosimo to try and form a committee to review internship proposals
  • 2016-10-26
    • We are aiming for an internship round in spring 2017
• Bitcoins donations data
  • 2017-02-07
    • Neil will help with this going forward

Ongoing but stalled

This section includes items which haven't seen an update in the last 30 days.

• Owncloud shared calendar for the board
  • 2016-08-10
    • Cosimo tested creating an event, but with mixed results
    • ACTION: Cosimo to take it on from here

  • 2016-09-06 - Allan has started a list of reoccuring events on the wiki - https://wiki.gnome.org/FoundationBoardPrivate/Minutes/UpcomingAgenda

• Money raised for defense against Groupon
  • Kat to draft a call for Free Desktop-style hackfests which would be sponsored with money raised for defence against Groupon
  • 2016-09-06
    • We probably don't want to track exactly this money flow, but the initiatives that the Board has been pursuing (Flatpak, LAS GNOME) are good fits for the original intent this money was kept for
    • We can consider making a PR or some other form of announcement about how we're currently making use of this money
• Paypal Giving Fund
  • Alexandre suggested in december 2015 to get us enrolled in the program
    • That would give us exposure. For example Humble bundle allows to direct the charity part of purchases towards any of their participants
  • Zana tried to get us in sometime before may 2016, we never heard back.
  • 2016-09-06
    • ACTION: Zana to look into it.
• From the mailing list - "support my volunteer program" (Allan)
  • 2016-08-30
    • There's very little information in the message, unclear how they're related to GNOME
    • ACTION: Shaun to reply asking for more information
• Google ad grant
  • 2016-08-10
    • ACTION: Shaun will pick this up again and try to register us into the program when he's back in the US
    • The actual ad campaigns would probably need to be managed by the Engagement/Marketing team
    • ACTION: Nuritzi to discuss with the Engagement Team and let the board know if they want to start using Google ad
• Sysadmin fundraising levels and perks
  • 2016-08-10, ACTION: Nuritzi to take on this project and figure out what it entails
• Web page for prior pants winners
  • 2016-08-10, ACTION: Shaun and Allan to add the web page
• Status of logo copyright
  • 2015-12-01, ACTION: Shaun to send out email to d-d-l with proposal
  • 2015-12-08 to 2016-01-19, No updates.
  • 2016-02-02, Shaun will try to pick it up this week
  • 2016-08-10, ACTION: Shaun will send a proposal to licence the asset with dual LGPLv3/CC-BY-SA-4.0 (similar to adwaita-icon-theme)
• Friends of GNOME
  • 2016-04-11, ACTION: Alexandre to request more information about the donation data from the European donations system (Wau Holland Stiftung Foundation)
  • 2016-08-10
    • ACTION: Allan to get in touch with Tobi and the sysadmin team to migrate the FoG infrastructure over to GNOME

Ongoing but no director assigned

This section includes items which haven't seen an update in the last 30 days and have no Director assigned

Nice to have

This section includes items which we would love to see happen at some point but lack the time to effectively become reality

• Contract template for future use organizations for which we handle money
  • Kat to draft this
• Privacy policy for GNOME services

  • Current draft is at https://wiki.gnome.org/Foundation/Privacy

  • Sysadmin Team's NDA should also be covered when dealing with this item
  • Kat or Allan to write up the policy
  • Kat or Allan to write up recommended wording for distribution privacy policies, regarding the behaviour of GNOME software
• Photography policy for GNOME conferences
  • Proposal needs to be drafted and sent to foundation list for discussion
  • Should probably be addressed at the same time as a standardised code of conduct

Discussed on the mailing list

Completed actions

• ED search update
  • 2016-08-10, The search is still ongoing
  • 2016-11-08
    • The ED search committee identified qualified candidates and presented them to the Board.
    • The Board is in advanced stages of the process.
  • 2017-02-07
    • Neil was announced, this is complete
• 2017-01-31 Flatpak distribution question - indirect links to non-free software
  • This would only download non-free software when matching non-free drivers is already installed
  • Alexandre feels this is similar to enabling accounts to non-free services in gnome-online-accounts
  • It is a bit different in the sense that here there would be a download and installation of non-free software, but it is still similar
  • We don't want to engage in a situation where someone who cares about running only Free Software ends up running non-free software without them knowing
  • VOTE: approve inclusion of such links provided they respect our concerns
    • +1 Allan, Alexandre, Cosimo, Nuritzi, Jim, Shaun. Abstain: Meg
    • ACTION: Allan to notify the approval and concerns
• Email from HELLOTUX, "GNOME hoodie and a new shirt"
  • We have a license agreement with HELLOTUX, they want to expand the range of products and they need our approval to do so
  • There's a question about Ubuntu GNOME merchandise to address separately, since we would need another agreement in place with Ubuntu GNOME that considers merchandise for them to do so
    • It's also tricky becaue there are other parties interested to royalties, and the agreement would not only be wih GNOME
  • 2016-11-29
    • Allan has emailed HELLOTUX. We're waiting to hear back.
• GUADEC venue and accommodation contract, and bank account
  • 2016-11-29
    • ACTION: Rosanna to let us know if we are actually using the liability coverage in the US. Should we keep it, or is it obsolete?
  • 2016-12-06
    • UK Bank account
      • According to Rosanna, we are not supposed to have foreign accounts as an organization
      • However, it would be OK for them to open the account individually, without tying it to our organization
      • More information is required from the organizers about this before we can authorize it
      • ACTION: Nuritzi to follow up with the GUADEC team about the bank account
        • Note that payments would be arranged through invoices from the local team, as opposed to acting directly on behalf of the GNOME Foundation
        • Mention that we have not done this arrangement before, and that we would need to do research on this point
        • Ask if it's possible to remove the reference to the GNOME Foundation
    • Board voted to approve the accommodation contract
      • ACTION: Nuritzi to sign the contract and send it back to Sam
    • 2016-12-20 - contract has been signed and venue deposit has been wired
      • ACTION: Rosanna to send accommodation deposit
• Linux Playa Event - Julita

  • https://wiki.gnome.org/Events/LinuxPlaya

  • Bus transportation is not something we're used to pay for
  • ACTION: Nuritzi to enquire whether Fedora will co-sponsor
  • VOTE: approved budget provided Fedora is a co-sponsor
    • +1 Nuritzi, Jim, Meg, Shaun, Allan. Abstained: Alexandre
• From the mailing list - budget request by Muhammet Kara
  • VOTE: approve request
    • +1 Nuritzi, Jim, Shaun, Allan, Alexandre, Meg
  • ACTION: Nuritzi to reply and suggest they consult with the engagement team for the design of the flyer
• Conference sponsorships
  • 2016-08-10
    • ACTION: Kat to make sure that a sponsorship brochure with all conference, levels, combinations and perks is available for the Board to review
  • 2016-11-29
    • Nuritzi to check to see what Kat's time looks like

    • Old materials are: https://github.com/gnome-design-team/gnome-marketing/tree/master/events/conference-brochure-2016

    • ACTION: Nuritzi to get in touch with Kat about this
    • ACTION: Meg to project manage the brochure
  • 2016-12-20
    • Meg has gotten in touch with the GNOME.Asia and GUADEC teams and is working on a draft of the 2017 brochure.
  • 2017-01-10
    • Meg sent a draft of the brochure to the GUADEC mailing list. This week she will make some edits and send to the engagement list for more feedback. Allan will ask some engagement team members to provide more feedback on layout issues, etc.

• Can the Foundation accept GUADEC registration payments through our PayPal account?

  • The GUADEC team want to open registration sooner rather than later. They need a way to accept payments.
  • Patrick needs to set it up.
  • ACTION: Alexandre to ask for Kat's opinion by the next board meeting
• From the mailing list - patreon campaign
  • 2017-01-24
    • Two GNOME hackers are running campaigns to fund their work.
    • Lapo suggests the Foundation contributes to these.
    • GNOME never contributed to a fundraising campaign before
    • We can advertise them through the engagement team
    • Financial decision postponed to next week.
  • 2017-01-31
    • We're going to have an ED, it's going to cost us for a bit until they can bring in money. We should be conservative in the meantime.
    • The campaigns are not very well framed, it is unclear what they would be working on.
    • ACTION: Allan to encourage the engagement team to promote the campaigns
    • ACTION: Allan to reach out to Lapo saying we're keeping an eye on it
  • 2017-02-07
    • Allan has replied to Lapo