CALL FOR DONATIONS

A personal message from Bruce Perens, calling for financial support of:

The Sincere Choice Campaign
The Royalty-Free Standards Project
Activism Against DMCA And Other Unfavorable Legislation
Promotion of Free Software and Open Source
The Computer Customer Representation Project.

Click Here to Donate, Frequently-Asked Questions, Home Page, Master copy of this document.

Free Software is no longer "under the radar". Our electronic freedoms - even our right to program - are under a very well-funded and vicious attack. We must actively defend ourselves now, or the good that we've created will be erased. I'm calling on you to help continue the fight.

For the past two years, my efforts on behalf of the free software community have been graciously supported by the Hewlett Packard company, and to a lesser extent out of my own pocket. Now, I need to find another funding source that will allow me to continue to devote half of my time to representing the Free Software community, while remaining free from a corporate agenda that would dilute my message. My consulting and book business are not going to support my efforts on behalf of the community - at least not in the coming year. Thus, I'm establishing an organization to support my efforts and those of other Free Software evangelists.

What's the money needed for? I'll list the activities I've been carrying out of late:

Royalty-Free Standards Project: W3C's patent policy working group requires a quarter-time commitment from its members, and holds face-to-face meetings that require travel. The other two Free Software and Open Source representatives on that board and I seem to be winning the fight, but it's not quite over. We must also pursue it with many other standards organizations, for example IETF. I'll need support to continue this fight, and would like to be able to help fund the other representatives as well.
Sincere Choice: This campaign has gotten a lot of traction with various governments and press. We've had an impact on legislation already. So far, I've made two trips to Washington, one to Cannes, and have trips coming up to speak with government officials in Brussels, Denmark and Norway. Generally I get expenses reimbursed, but no honorarium or compensation for my time.
Digital Freedom: I've been active against DMCA and other restrictive legislation, and am writing a free book on this topic called "A World of Constraint". Unfortunately, the civil disobedience that I planned a while back isn't going to happen, because the non-profits that I represent, like SPI, could be sued as a result of my actions. This won't keep me from effectively opposing DMCA.
Promotion of Free Software and Open Source: The recent letter from 5 members of the U.S. Congress calling for government to ban funding of GPL work shows that we need people actively speaking for us in Washington, and showing government that there are effective ways for Free Software and business to work together. I have been visiting Washington to lobby almost every month, and have made several visits to E.C. government officials in Brussels.
Computer Customer Representation Project: Who represents the computer hardware and software customer? At standards groups, and before the legislature, those customers are represented by the vendors of their hardware and software. Unfortunately, the vendors represent their own best interests rather than those of the customer. Vendors often advocate policies that would reduce customer choice and increase prices. One area where this has become clear is advocacy of policies that effect Free Software and Open Source. Vendors are often conflicted about Free Software, since it tends to reduce vendor profit margins by commoditizing both hardware and software. Thus, even the big Linux system vendors do not effectively advocate policies that would create a level playing field upon which Free and proprietary software could compete as equals.
Of course lower prices and more choice are all to the customer's advantage, even if they aren't to the vendor's liking. The Computer Customer Representation Project is creating an organization to directly represent the interests of computer hardware and software purchasers, exclusive of the interests of their vendors. Our initial focus is large corporate users of Free Software and Open Source, because this is a constituency that can advocate for constructive change in the short term. They are motivated to protect their own right to choose Open Source software, and they have the funds to support an effort to protect that choice.

What am I asking for now? Money to help with the continuing expense of carrying out the above activities, and to form and administer an organization that can continue to fund my efforts and those of other Free Software evangelists. I am soliciting a few well-known community members to be directors of GTPI, people whom I believe can concentrate on the job without generating internal politics. I will announce them as they come on line.

You might expect me to know better than to found yet another organization, but it turns out to be necessary. I first turned to SPI for assistance with the Sincere Choice campaign, as was reported. Unfortunately, the IRS regulations for tax-deductible non-profits like SPI make it difficult for them to support the political activism I'm involved in. A 501(c)6 non-profit corporation, which is not tax-deductible, is necessary for that. The only close-to-suitable 501(c)6 in our community today is GeekPAC, which is still establishing itself, and their charter isn't entirely compatible with the mission I've set. Thus, I've decided to form a new organization, Global Technology Policy Institute (TechP.org), to pursue technology policy efforts in favor of digital freedom and free software, both within and outside of government. I'm sorry if the "Global" sounds a bit grandiose, it's there so that the organization will not be confused with another, similarly-named, one. I would like to have GTPI serve as a resource for GeekPAC, SPI, and other organizations whenever possible.

At this point, we can no longer afford to carry out our advocacy efforts entirely on a volunteer basis. Much as I'd like to, I can't continue to fund this work out of my pocket. Thus, I am asking you to donate today, using the form below. Donors (and the public) will see status reports of what's happening with their money.

Many Thanks

Bruce Perens

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Global Technology Policy Institute
1563 Solano Ave.
PMB 349
Berkeley CA 94707
USA

Questions? View the FAQ and please mail bruce@perens.com or call Bruce Perens at 510-526-1165 if your question remains unanswered.