Re: Re: Funding

[dcr@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Dan C. Rinnert)]

pai@tiac.net writes:
>It seems to me that many funding/support models are possible, but that
>underlying assumptions, goals and legalities need to be thought through
>and implemented very carefully to avoid adverse outcomes. What do I mean
>by adverse outcomes? I can think of at least four that are not
>necessarily mutually exclusive: 1) Jeff fails to benefit fairly from the
>fruits of his investment and labors while others do; 2) the technology
>gets buried under litigation -- greedy squables over who owns what; 3)
>the technology gets buried under corporate machinations as may have
>happened at iTV; 4) the technology comes to market but in a form or at a
>price that prevents wide dissemination.

Why not keep it simple to avoid the hassles?  Something such as a fee-based
monthly eMail newsletter, for $10/$20/$30/whatever per year.  If Jeff could
include a status report, and others submit ideas and how-to's and so forth,
this could be a useful resource as both a funding source and an evangelising
tool.  No squabbles over ownership since contributors are purchasing a
product (the newsletter) and not buying shares of the company or anything. 
If someone would volunteer to put together and distribute the newsletter to
subscribers, costs are very minimal and the majority of money collected would
go straight into the "High Tech Fund".

This approach avoids any squabbles over technology ownership, would provide a
useful resource for interested parties and would bring in money to support
the technology.

Anyway, just an idea I thought I'd throw out for consideration.

Dan

-----------------------------------------------------------
 Sent via Canville Virtual Village: Your Community Network
      Visit us on the web: <http://www.canville.net/>
-----------------------------------------------------------