Joann Ransom <jransom@library.org.nz> wrote:
I too am worried about trying to formalize this Koha governance to much. I think librarians do tend to try and over organise things although we are very good at sharing.
There's a balance to be struck, but at the moment, it feels like there are many structures but they are hidden from new users. I think this is what's sometimes called Structurelessness, but I could be wrong.
[...] I also think that it will be hard to have any teeth and in how will it actually govern when anyone can decide to fork-off anytime they like. Goodwill and collaboration and peer pressure are the tools which will work.
It's not hard to govern, but it's not the contract-and-command system typical of the private sector. There's a whole business sector built around voluntary membership as its first principle. Just 6 companies from that sector account for over an eighth of New Zealand's 2008 GDP [global300.coop]. I feel that goodwill and collaboration will work, but peer pressure probably won't: pressure someone too much and they'll go away for a while or maybe permanently. The best way to give it authority is to offer some benefits to participants: for us longer-time contributing developers, avoiding repeating certain bits of history is probably enough of a benefit, but what's in it for new developers?
However, that isn't to say that someone relatively laid back and neutral (HLT) shouldn't step up and take steps to secure the domain name, trademarks etc for the greater Koha community to use and own. Keeping them safe from misuse if you like. [...]
I think the problem with trusts in England is that they do not necessarily have an asset lock, according to http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1077475743 An asset lock is required to keep those things safe from misuse. Is that different in NZ? Does HLT have an asset lock? Can a link be added to http://wiki.koha.org/doku.php?id=kohaheldbyfoundation ? I saw a comment from someone which reminded me that some promises specifically mentioned "Koha Software Foundation" and nothing else. So, which of the domain name and trademark holders are willing to assign or perpetually license them to HLT? I'd have to ask to be sure, but I think software.coop would license our rights to HLT as soon as we and our legal advisors developed suitable terms. Regards, -- MJ Ray (slef) LMS developer and webmaster at | software www.software.coop http://mjr.towers.org.uk | .... co IMO only: see http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html | .... op