OK... lets look at a foundation and the need for it at this time.
We seem to have lots of corp folk stepping up saying how this (a foundation) is the magic bullet with all the benefits as stated and even sighting examples of those who chose to live under a foundation.
Here's the problem that needs clarified and needs answered...
First off there is no proof that any foundation is the reason for success. It's not the reason, it's the choice. Who can say without a doubt that the success is solely due to the fact that a foundation was created and/or in place?
While your contemplating the above question, don't forget that this dev team and all the other contributors brought Mambo to the TOP NO. 1 position
WITHOUT A FOUNDATION. If a foundation is so important then how on earth did mambo achieve such great heights without one?
Maybe you better re-read the above question again because I'm really looking for and answer with proof for this one.
Do you think it's possible that this same team can continue as they have done in the past and continue to succeed? I for one surely believe they can. I have faith in their *proven* history. They have a proven record that has clearly been demonstrated. Now this is real proof that you/they/we don't
need a foundation to be successful, don't you think? You bet it is. To me this is very clear indeed.
A foundation is just a bunch of written promises and most likely just a placebo. There is not proof or reason to believe that a foundation is the magic bullet to reach new heights. In fact, I'd say to just wait and see if NOT having a foundation will hinder progress then deal with real issues instead of the perceived future and/or speculated issues already given here.
A foundation brings money into the equation and with this it breeds the perception of being untrustworthy. Who's getting paid, how much and how often? Who's getting paid more than _______ fill in the blank. Where did that money for ____ go? I thought there was more money for _______? Why is so and so getting money and I'm not? What gives ______ the right to do that with our money? Believe me you don't want all this suspicion hanging over this voluntary group of hard working individuals, passionate about their work and unselfish dedication to serve others.
Open Source and being free to contribute for the benefit of all and is the magic glue that makes voluntary work ... well work. People work for free only because others will benefit and at the same time feel confident that no one person or group of people will benefit
financially from their unselfish efforts to the community.
In the case of Apache... who is to say they have success BECAUSE of the foundation? Who is to say they may well have done just as fine, or even better, without a foundation? Since only one path was chosen we'll never really know for sure where the other path would have led. Just the same, a project that is successful without a foundation could very well have been held back from achieving even higher levels if it was being directed with some form of a foundation.
Who is to say one way or another that if Mambo would have been under a foundation a year of so ago, and recently only achieved second place, would have blamed or praised the foundation for their great leadership? I'm sure also that the foundation group would have said the project reached the wonderful position of second place because of all their (the foundations) efforts while patting themselves on the back for getting second place! You can only answer this if you have ESP so don't even try.
Now who among you is going to say a foundation is a benefit when its just been proved that you can and will get to the top of your class without it? To me it's clear.
Also... as I'm sure you're all aware, I'm for the dev team and all the folks including the community and feel strong about things like this so.... IF IT AIN'T BROKE DON'T FIX IT!!!
I'm aware that the dev team has lobbied to some extent for a foundation but I want only to hear what their wish list is regarding this. I have no doubt that their needs can and will be met, on a as needed basis and can be achieve even if it ends up ?requiring? a foundation of some sort written by them and proposed openly here for discussions and contributions from the community. We're all here to help right? If this were to happen do you think they will get help? Doh!
The only argument you guys have FOR a foundation is promises of this and that, just in case, something (unknown at this time) may or may not happen. Politicians make promises as do business institutions only to renege on those same promises. It's the nature of business since they can only focus on profit and money issues. I'm sure also that you can think of many examples. (lawyers, insurance companies, politicians etc. come to mind). They can not be trusted and live under the perception of distrust. Distrust is poison to open source work. It's a cancer that will eat away at an otherwise successful project having a delicate balance of being trust worthy as it stands now.