Trust fund to support free software. Backed, in part, by PGP.

[Jonathan Stigelman]

Path: key!amdahl!pacbell.com!decwrl!decwrl!concert!samba.oit.unc.edu!sunSITE!mdw
From: callis at noc.usfca.edu (Kim C. Callis)
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.announce
Subject: Re: The Linus Fund (EVERYONE READ THIS THREAD)
Followup-To: comp.os.linux.misc
Date: 13 Sep 1993 18:09:55 GMT
Organization: Linux. It's not just for breakfast anymore.
Lines: 76
Approved: linux-announce at tc.cornell.edu (Matt Welsh)
Message-ID: <272d1j$2i5 at samba.oit.unc.edu>
References: <270rt7$jrv at vixen.cso.uiuc.edu> <270sih$do at nigel.msen.com>
NNTP-Posting-Host: calypso.oit.unc.edu
Keywords: Linux fund money donations
Originator: mdw at sunSITE

[Forwarded from c.o.l.d at request of Jeff Kopmanis. --mdw]

In article <26ung9$n2m at noc.usfca.edu> callis at noc.usfca.edu (Kim C. Callis)  
writes:
>> 
>> Fellow Linux Users,
>> 
>> I have read the messages regarding donations to Linus in order for hime
>> to continue the development of Linux. I will even admit that I am
>> surprised that people are genuinely interested in rewarding the creator
>> of Linux for his contributions.
>> This has moved me in ways I can understand, so I am going to do the
>> following. On Monday, September 13, I will open and deposit $100.00 in a
>> trust account. Anyone interested in contributing to the Linus Dream
>> Machine Fund can send a donation which will be deposited in the account.
>> During this time, we will find out from Linus what his dream machine
>> consists of and figure out the ammount of money needed to achieve this
>> machine. At the time when we receive the amount, a machine will be
>> configured to meet Linus' specifications and sent off to him.
>> 
>> Of course the question will be how can you confirm that I am not taking
>> this money in Linus name and going to have a big party with it. Well, I
>> am hoping that the goodwill of the net will out-weigh any pessimistic
>> views but if not, I have come up with a plan.
>> 
>> All monies received will be amounts will be publicly posted. When money
>> is received, I will send the person a receipt which will be signed with
>> a public key signature of mine (using PGP 2.0). Each week, I will post
>> to the net a total of all monies received, and a person can check to see
>> if his or her name is on the list. The account will be set up as a trust
>> account with myself as administrator limited to withdrawing of funds to
>> be distributed to one Linus Torvald (Sorry, I have the spelling of the
>> name somewhere...) in Finland. So, that will limit the money
>> distrubution. Also to all interested parties in the united States, I
>> will send via e-mail the (800) automated account inquiry number for BoA,
>> as well as account information and any needed access number need to find
>> the status of the account.
>> 
>> As mentioned above, when an amount is reached which will allow Linus to
>> purchase his dream machine (Please bear in mind Linus, that you need to
>> monitor the posting and vary your list according to funds available),
>> BoA will cut a certified funds check to Linus, and only to Linus.
>> 
>> Considering what we have received from Linus, I think that this would be
>> a noble gesture on the part of all of us who without Linus would have
>> been doomed to buying some version of Un*x and paying a stiff prices for
>> all the add-ons which the Linux provides us for free. Furthermore, this
>> would serve to show the goodwill of a community based not on race,
>> color, or creed, but upon content of character. Let's face it, few of us
>> ever get to meet people who post via netnews or write programs which we
>> tend to use day to day. Yet we communicate with each other as if we have
>> known each other for long periods of time. We instruct each other, we
>> learn from each other, we argue (flame) each other, and we grow from all
>> of this. I believe that the Internet serves as a moderator of
>> internation goodwill. Let's see if we can take it one step forward, and
>> see if the goodwill extends all the way to rewarding someone for a great
>> contibution to our community.
>> 
>> If anyone has any suggestions, rebuttals, or general comments on how to
>> make this idea of mine work, please feel free to e-mail me or post for
>> general discussion.
>> 
>> --
>> *******************************************************************
>> * Kim C. Callis                                                   * 
>> * Univ. of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA                       *
>> * EMAIL: callis at usfca.edu or callis at dons.ac.usfca.edu             *
>> *******************************************************************
>> DISCLAIMER: As long as nothing I say attempts to represent the 
>> views of the Univ. of San Francisco, they could care less what I 
>> have to say. Meaning that anything said, like it or not, is strictly
>> my own personal opinion and views.


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