Business and community [Was: Formal apology]

[Jeff Waugh]

<quote who="Robert Stoffers">

> > Some people have disagreed with Sol1 retaining official `ownership' of
> > the domain. Others have gone so far as to criticise Solutions First of
> > having ulterior motives for doing this, and for wanting to use the
> > domain to further their own business ends.

> > This is a completely unfair criticism of an organisation that has only
> > responded with kind intentions and an attitude that matches the
> > world-wide Free and Open Source Software movement.
> 
> Again the best laid out intentions can always turn sour and if this were
> to happen we would be much worse off as a result.

Ni hao,

Well, there is no issue here. Given that Canonical owns the trademarks and
has asked (nicely and up-front) that local domain owners pass ownership of
Ubuntu related domains to Canonical, this problem will not arise unless Sol1
decide to quarrel with Canonical over the Ubuntu trademark - not likely. :-)

I'm somewhat surprised that this issue with Sol1 has come up at all - their
enlightened self-interest has helped the local community in many ways, and
they are definitely lovers of Ubuntu. Perfect fit! It is disappointing that
they have been badgered and attacked here, because that will send a message
to other businesses who have less understanding of how the community works
(or in this case, doesn't).


I'd like to think ubuntu-au is as much an opportunity for the community to
get together and do some rocking stuff as it is an opportunity for local
businesses to get together and do some rocking stuff. We don't want to chase
that opportunity away. :-)

Thanks,

- Jeff

-- 
GUADEC 2006: Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain            http://2006.guadec.org/
 
    "So: Stop selling software. Give it away. Work out some other way to
   make money, because pretending it's not replicable is not it. Profit."
                               - Martin Pool