[LGM] LGM 2019 - Funding, and the future of LGM

[Gregory Pittman]

We can hope to resolve the particular issue with Google soon.

In a larger and more ongoing way, this may be a topic worthy of discussion at LGM this year. Realistically, LGM is a collaboration of unequals. We tacitly have a simple list of projects that are part of the organization, but some seem to have more say than others, partly based on the numbers of contributors they have, and partly related to the projects' financial resources. We should have some acknowledged answer to the question - if Gimp contributes financially to LGM, do they get whatever they want?

There was some significant effort put into creating a Code of Conduct, but it seems maybe there should be some effort put into generating a "Rules of Sponsorship" for LGM. For example, should we say that all contributions from corporate sponsors must be unrestricted as to use and with limits on the advertisement of this sponsorship? I think there is general agreement that we have never wanted to commercialize LGM. If we have rules for corporate sponsors, should at least some of these apply to noncorporate sponsors as well?

Creating some rules or guidelines could be problematic in terms of getting donations, though it might help to avoid confusion about these issues in the future.

Greg