File contents

20:00 < bdale> *GAVEL*
20:00 < bdale> [item 1, Opening] Welcome to today's Software in the Public Interest
20:00 < bdale> board of directors meeting, which is now called to order.  Today's agenda
20:00 < bdale> and details of pending resolutions can be found on the web at:
20:00 < bdale> http://www.spi-inc.org/secretary/agenda/2007/2007-04-20.html
20:01 < bdale> [item 2, Roll Call]
20:01 < bdale> Board members, please state your name for the record.  As we have nine board
20:01 < bdale> members, quorum for today's meeting is six.  Guests, please /msg your names
20:01 < bdale> to Maulkin if you wish your attendance to be recorded in the minutes of this
20:01 < bdale> meeting.
20:01 < bdale> Neil, please update us on known and tentative regrets.
20:01 < Maulkin> Neil McGovern
20:01 < Hydroxide> schultmc: can you ping Overfiend in real life?
20:01 < Hydroxide> Jimmy Kaplowitz
20:01 < bdale> Bdale Garbee
20:01 < sam> Sam Hocevar
20:01 < schultmc> Michael Schultheiss
20:01 < cdlu> David Graham
20:01 < schultmc> Hydroxide: he's working from home
20:01 < schultmc> i can call him though
20:01 < Maulkin> Apologies from Martin "Joey" Schulze, Josh Berkus and Ian Jackson
20:01 < Hydroxide> schultmc: that'd be good
20:01 < Maulkin> Ian is a 'possible'
20:01 < Maulkin> Others are firm
20:02 < Hydroxide> sam: technically you are an advisor to the board, not a board member, so that falls under the /msg to Neil. but, regardless, hi there and congratulations again on your election as DPL :)
20:02 < sam> oh, my bad
20:02 < schultmc> Overfiend is on his way
20:02 < Hydroxide> yay
20:02 < Overfiend> Branden Robinson
20:02 < Maulkin> \o/
20:02 < bdale> sam: np... welcome!  For those who don't know, Sam is the new Debian Project Leader, and thus the newest advisor to the SPI board.
20:02 < Hydroxide> good. we're quorate
20:02 < bdale> cool
20:02 < sam> guess I can no longer hide the fact that it's my first time :)
20:02 < Overfiend> sorry...had in my calendar and everything, just got busy and distracted
20:03 < bdale> Overfiend: thanks for joining us
20:03 < bdale> [item 3, President's Report]
20:03 < bdale> Nothing new to report today.
20:03 < bdale> [item 4, Treasurer's Report]
20:03 < bdale> Did we receive anything from Josh?
20:03 < Hydroxide> schultmc: do you have anything to say as Deputy/Assistant Treasurer given Josh's absence?
20:04 < schultmc> bdale: no - due to his travel schedule he said he wouldn't have anything until next month
20:04 < Maulkin> I did see a mail saying that Josh woudn't be able to submit a report for this moneth
20:04 < bdale> schultmc: right, that's what I recall
20:04 < Maulkin> *month
20:04 < bdale> ok, fair enough
20:04 < bdale> [item 5, Secretary's report]
20:04 < bdale> Neil?
20:04 < Maulkin> Just as in the agenda
20:04 < Maulkin> Nothing new
20:05 < bdale> ok.
20:05 < bdale> [item 6, Spanish Trademark report]
20:05 < bdale> Neil?
20:05 < Maulkin> This one is more interesteing
20:05 < Maulkin> I've had no response at all from Javier/Javier about this
20:05 < Overfiend> it says "none" in the aggenda :)
20:05 < Maulkin> Yeah, no progress to report
20:05 < Overfiend> did they drop the ball?  the thing tied up in paperwork?  we just don't know?
20:06 < Maulkin> Well, see last meeting's minutes for the issues that appeared
20:06 < Overfiend> ok
20:06 < Maulkin> Since then, nada
20:06 < Hydroxide> copy-paste: "Neil McGovern has received a mail from Javier Fernández-Sanguino Peña
20:06 < Hydroxide> explaining that Javier de la Cueva may no long be motivated in working towards
20:06 < Maulkin> I really don't know what we can do to move this forward, short of hiring a lawyer over there
20:06 < Hydroxide> a closure of this matter.  Neil has offered to fly to Madrid to arrange a face
20:06 < Hydroxide> to face meeting, but has not yet received a reply."
20:07 < bdale> hrm
20:07 < bdale> so, what should we do next?
20:07 < Maulkin> Well, Ian also offered to go over, but no response form Javier
20:07 < bdale> I remain frustrated that this has been a persistent item on our agenda for so long.
20:07 < Maulkin> What I'd fairly like is an offer from SPi to approve expenses from Javier (Lawyer).
20:07 < Overfiend> bdale: it was *really urgent* when it was stuck on *our* plate.
20:07 < Overfiend> Now that it's not...
20:07 < Maulkin> I'm wondering if money is the issye.
20:08 < bdale> Maulkin: are you up for asking him if that's the issue, indicating that we'd be willing to review a proposal if the issue *is* money?
20:08 < Overfiend> Well, we do have quite a bit of cash and jberkus has urged us to put it to work.
20:08 < Maulkin> bdale: of course :)
20:08 < Hydroxide> well, I think his motivation to do it pro bono may have declined since we took absurdly long to get back to him
20:09 < Overfiend> but we need an active, responsive representative in .es most of all
20:09 < bdale> Maulkin: ok, then please do so.  we'll call that the action item from this for today, and move on?
20:09 < bdale> Overfiend: agreed
20:09  * Maulkin nods
20:09 < bdale> anything else on this, or can I move on?
20:09 < Maulkin> I'm done
20:09  * Hydroxide would prefer pro bono if Javier is still willing
20:09 < Hydroxide> but is of course willing to pay at this point
20:09 < Maulkin> Of course :)
20:09 < bdale> ok, let's move on
20:09 < Hydroxide> let's move on
20:09 < bdale> [item 7, Outstanding minutes]
20:09 < bdale> Neil, what's ready for us today?
20:09 < Maulkin> One set: March 16th, 2007
20:10  * Overfiend will have to abstain from those, as he was absent.
20:10  * cdlu moves approval of those minutes
20:10 < Hydroxide> they're really quick to read ... I read them in a few seconds earlier in this meeting
20:10  * Maulkin seconds
20:10 < bdale> I haven't reviewed them, hold one sec while I skim
20:10 < Maulkin> ok :)
20:10 < Overfiend> Hydroxide: you're a real Boy Scout :)
20:10  * Maulkin unseconds
20:10 < Overfiend> whoa
20:10 < Overfiend> bdale: you're a real Boy Scout :)
20:11 < Overfiend> schultmc: do you know if jberkus got our NY state registration filed?
20:11 < bdale> ah, right I was absent
20:11 < schultmc> Overfiend: I don't know - he never mentioned it to me
20:11 < Overfiend> schultmc: ok
20:11 < bdale> ok, I'm prepared to abstain now.  ;-)
20:11 < Overfiend> heh
20:11 < Maulkin> All done? :)
20:11 < cdlu> bdale, hehe
20:11  * Hydroxide seconds cdlu's motion
20:12 < Maulkin> Voting started, 6 people (bdale,cdlu,hydroxide,maulkin,overfiend,schultmc) allowed to vote on Approve March 16th, 2007 minutes. - You may vote yes/no/abstain only, type !vote $yourchoice now.
20:12 < cdlu> !vote yes
20:12 < Hydroxide> !vote yes
20:12 < bdale> !vote abstain
20:12 < Maulkin> !vote yes
20:12 < schultmc> !vote yes
20:12 < Hydroxide> Overfiend: ping
20:12 < Overfiend> !vote abstain
20:12 < Maulkin> I'm guessing he's reading them
20:12 < Maulkin> Current voting results for "Approve March 16th, 2007 minutes": Yes: 4, No: 0, Abstain: 2, Missing: 0 ()
20:12 < Maulkin> Voting for "Approve March 16th, 2007 minutes" closed.
20:12 < bdale> ok, thanks all
20:12 < Maulkin> That's it for me for this month
20:12 < bdale> Maulkin: thanks
20:13 < Overfiend> Maulkin: yeah, I went back to re-read jberkus's report more closely
20:13 < bdale> [item 8, Items up for discussion]
20:13 < bdale> [item 8.1, Debian Logo License]
20:13 < bdale> ok, so I guess the question here is whether we need a resolution?
20:13 < Maulkin> I don't think so.
20:13 < bdale> I don't either
20:13 < Maulkin> Hrm
20:13 < bdale> what needs to happen, though, to get the changes made?
20:13 < Hydroxide> doesn't spi need to have a new license proposed and then pass a resolution to relicense?
20:14 < Overfiend> well, we're the copyright holder, we just need to publish the updated text.
20:14 < sam> does SPI have comments to make on the legal side?
20:14 < bdale> sam: it seems pretty simple to me, but we could ask our counsel to review if you wish
20:14 < Maulkin> 1998-11-16.iwj.2:
20:14 < Maulkin> (ii) Day-to-day decisionmaking about IPR owned by SPI will usually be delegated to its rightful managers, as appointed by its originators, and their successors, according to SPI's Framework for Associated Projects.
20:14 < Overfiend> how we make the updated license text "beyond reproach" is a procedural matter.
20:15 < sam> there have been discussions on -legal about the move, but though the most trustable individual taking part in them is a professional IP counsel, he isn't giving lawyer advice, only speaks as an individual and seems specialised in EU law.
20:15 < Maulkin> (iv) Local IPR owned by SPI will be managed, enforced, and disposed of according to the decisions of its originators and their successors, so long as these decisions do not plainly oppose the goals of SPI and the free software community. Unless there is good reason to believe otherwise, the wishes of its rightful managers will be assumed to be in the best interests of the community.
20:15 < Hydroxide> Maulkin: yeah. I think we should still pass a resolution to cover all bases, but only when sam as DPL has approved it on behalf of Debian
20:15 < bdale> so, here's what I'd propose
20:15 < Hydroxide> Maulkin: that makes it valid both in light of our procedures and any court that may question it
20:15  * Maulkin nods
20:15 < Hydroxide> Maulkin: (i.e., the approval by sam and the resolution by us afterward)
20:15 < bdale> someone on the board volunteer to work with Sam to draft a resolution, run it by our counsel for review, and we can vote on it at our next meeting.
20:16 < Overfiend> I don't think there is any need to run the license text by our counsel if no one on the Board actually has any concerns.
20:16 < Overfiend> oh
20:16 < Overfiend> the the Prez said works too
20:16 < sam> I think the relicensing and the trademark enforcement strategy can be done separately
20:16 < Overfiend> I proposed what I did b/c SPI gets accused of being bureaucratic.
20:16 < bdale> sam: do you want us to act on either part today, or is one or a pair of resultions for our next meeting soon enough?
20:16 < sam> I only have concerns with the latter, but then only because I'm more familiar with European model/trademarks law, not US.
20:17 < bdale> Overfiend: I understand, but if this is just the right thing to do and there isn't a huge rush, being prudent to the extent of defering votes until next month doesn't seem overly slow?
20:17 < sam> bdale: will it be less work to act on both at the same time?
20:17 < Overfiend> sam: IMO the copyright license is more important for all purposes except actually having to land on an infringer.
20:17 < bdale> sam: you've seen how quickly we can vote... I don't care.
20:17 < Overfiend> bdale: I agree.
20:17  * Maulkin suggests doing both if you're doing one
20:18 < sam> Overfiend: I agree, too
20:18 < xzilla> bdale: give 3 board members arent here, i think a vote next month is more prodent
20:18 < Hydroxide> I am reasonably familiar with US copyright law, but of course not as much as SPI's legal counsel
20:18 < sam> if you can act on the relicensing right now, please do it
20:18 < bdale> ok, I'd like a board member to volunteer to work with Sam on this, bringing us one or more resolutions to vote on next meeting.
20:18  * Maulkin waves
20:18 < bdale> Maulkin: ok, thanks.
20:18 < Overfiend> consider me available as well
20:19 < sam> or maybe act on both, and we'll see if we can work on refining the trademark strategy later; I wouldn't want that to be postponed forever
20:19  * Hydroxide is also available
20:19 < Maulkin> Whoever :)
20:19 < Overfiend> well, I'm content to serve as a fallback
20:19 < bdale> so, we'll let Neil and Sam lead and will be happy to review by email any questions, etc
20:19 < Overfiend> Maulkin was first to seize the initiative, so he can take the lead if he wants :)
20:19  * Hydroxide is fine with that
20:19 < Maulkin> Fine by me :)
20:20 < Hydroxide> just send emails well in advance of next meeting so we can all react in due time
20:20 < bdale> Maulkin: obviously, ask for any of us to help if needed, otherwise I'll assume we'll have something to vote on for our next meeting
20:20  * Maulkin nods
20:20 < bdale> so, moving along
20:20 < bdale> [item 9, Next board meeting - Friday May 18th, 2007]
20:20 < bdale> Neil, any discussion required?  I'm good with that date at the usual time.
20:20 < Overfiend>       May 2007      
20:20 < Overfiend> Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
20:20 < Overfiend>        1  2  3  4  5
20:20 < Overfiend>  6  7  8  9 10 11 12
20:20 < Overfiend> 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20:20 < Overfiend> 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
20:20 < schultmc> fine with me
20:20 < Maulkin> Usual stuff for this
20:20 < Overfiend> 27 28 29 30 31      
20:20 < Overfiend>                     
20:20 < cdlu> are we aiming for a June meeting at DebConf in person?
20:20 < Maulkin> June is the interesting one :)
20:20 < Overfiend> it's the 25th that is Memorial Day weekend in the U.S., right?
20:20 < bdale> FreedomHEC is happening overlapping the 18th, but that shouldn't bother us
20:20 < Hydroxide> Overfiend: right
20:20 < Overfiend> ok
20:21 < bdale> cdlu: always a good idea, though of course not all board members will be present in person
20:21 < Maulkin> oh, bugger, one more issue
20:21  * Hydroxide would like a June meeting at DebConf in person, though we should be sure to somehow include in real-time those people who can't be there
20:21 < Maulkin> After this bit, sorry
20:21 < cdlu> also, 6 of us are up for election in a couple of months
20:21 < bdale> ok, everyone present is ok with the 18th?
20:21  * Overfiend is fine with the 18th.
20:21 < Maulkin> bdale: Can I just grab the floor before close?
20:21 < Ganneff> Hydroxide: that could work if you talk to the video team - streaming of it.
20:21  * schultmc is fine with the 18th
20:22 < bdale> Maulkin: noted
20:22 < sam> not sure I'm allowed to voice my opinion, but I'm fine :-)
20:22  * Maulkin is fine with the 18th
20:22 < Hydroxide> Ganneff: ah, gotcha
20:22 < bdale> ok, then we'll do the 18th at the usual time.  Maulkin, you have the floor.
20:22 < Ganneff> Hydroxide: debconf-video@lists.debconf.org
20:22 < Maulkin> Opensource.org summary:
20:22 < Hydroxide> Ganneff: *nod*
20:22 < Maulkin> (you can sigh now)
20:22 < bdale> Maulkin: go on
20:22 < Maulkin> I still haven't had ACKs back from everyone
20:22  * xzilla sighs
20:22 < Ganneff> erm.
20:23 < Maulkin> Please can the board make sure they've sent them. I'll mail people individually who haven't done it.
20:23 < bdale> Maulkin: can you be more specific about who you need one from that you don't have?
20:23 < Overfiend> Maulkin: who are you waiting on?
20:23 < Maulkin> Just a sec...
20:23 < Ganneff> technically opensource.org moved
20:23 < Hydroxide> Ganneff: yeah, summary of the discussion behind the board's decision
20:23 < bdale> Ganneff: this is the publishing of the email stream from the board list, I believe
20:23 < Ganneff> ah.
20:23 < Ganneff> ok then.
20:23 < Hydroxide> Ganneff: btw, last time I checked, opensource.net hadn't been moved, though we authorized that too
20:23 < Ganneff> .net still shows us
20:23 < bdale> by the way, did I let the board know that I'm now a non-voting observer of the OSI board?
20:24 < Ganneff> Hydroxide: yes, but i cant help them if they dont do the work on their side
20:24 < Hydroxide> Ganneff: true
20:24 < cdlu> bdale, that's interesting to know
20:24 < schultmc> bdale: you mentioned it after the last meeting
20:24 < Overfiend> bdale: I think so, I read it somewhere before :)
20:24 < bdale> ok, well, should have been part of my report then, but it'll be in the minutes now.
20:24 < Hydroxide> bdale: good news. hopefully Maulkin will put that in the minutes somewhere for the record
20:24 < Overfiend> bdale: good to say it officially in-meeting, though
20:24 < Maulkin> got it from schultmc / Hydroxide / bdale 
20:24 < Maulkin> And me
20:24 < Overfiend> missing it from iwj... :)
20:24 < Maulkin> bdale had reservations, which I'll incorporate
20:24 < bdale> Maulkin: ok, please direct email folks you need them from, cc me if you wish, and let's get this closed
20:25 < Maulkin> Okies.
20:25 < Hydroxide> I thought iwj did confirm
20:25 < bdale> anything else?  last call.
20:25 < Maulkin> Nope
20:25 < Overfiend> Hydroxide: I was just being a brat :)
20:25 < Hydroxide> regardless, this doesn't need to delay the end of the meeting
20:25 < bdale> ok
20:25 < bdale> Ok, thank you to everyone present for participating today.  Until next time!
20:25 < bdale> *GAVEL*