Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

[Shea Tisdale <shea AT networkarts.com>]

Speaking as the creator of a few non-profits and an officer of one
currently, it might make sense to go ahead and making the group a
non-profit.

If we are going to move any from the occasional social gathering Internet
Workers is, or institute some "rules" on "membership" and "ownership", etc.
then becoming a non-profit might be a good and legal way to take care of
some those issues. 

The list has been used of late to debate many things like Intellectual
property.  I've enjoyed it, but I understand some people haven't and have
asked if that is what the list is for.  Similarly, I understood that job
postings were not supposed to be part of this list, but I've seen a few and
no one seems too terribly upset.  There's also been a healthy and
not-so-healthy debate about media coverage of certain "regions" of our
community and such in the list.  That too didn't bother me, being in Durham
as we are - but it seemed to really raise some people ire.  The point?

All of these are great issues that perhaps we should have a more formal
policy or stance on.  Maybe we need a policy and stance on issues so people
can decide if they want to be part of our "group".  Or maybe we don't.  It's
all a matter of what the real purpose of Internet Workers is - are we just a
social club or are we the beginning of something more?


Shea Tisdale


> From: "Acipa Media Inc." <info AT AcipaMedia.com>
> Reply-To: "InterNetWorkers" <internetworkers AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
> Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 09:56:47 -0800
> To: "InterNetWorkers" <internetworkers AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
> Subject: [internetworkers] Re: non-profit group hijacked
> 
> WOW!
> 
> This opens up a question that we talked loosely about, the ownership of
> content, coding and such.
> 
> Do we need a membership agreement so that some Johnny-come-lately won't put
> their selfish needs before the community?
> 
> Just thinking out loud.
> 
> Steve S.
> 
> At 09:44 AM 3/14/00 -0500, you wrote:
>> This is ridiculous, in a sad way. Sort of like organizing a Habitat for
>> Humanity project, but to build yourself a beach house.
>> 
>> -- 
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------
>> Steve Burnett    Admin, webslingerZ     sburnett AT webslingerz.com
>> http://www.webslingerz.com/sburnett
>> 
>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> Well, at least we're not having problems like this:
>> 
>> HIGH-TECH GROUP SUES OVER HIGH-HANDED TACTICS
>> The Internet Professionals Network, a thousand-member technology group 
>> based
>> in Southern California, is the subject of a $1-million lawsuit filed by
>> three founders who are accusing the group's president of hijacking the
>> organization, turning it into a for-profit enterprise, and making himself
>> the sole owner. Co-founders Mari Serrano, Andrew Michalik and Steven
>> Shmerler say they donated hundreds of hours of volunteer time to make IPN a
>> community-oriented nonprofit, and that IPN president Don Baarns misled them
>> into thinking he supported their goals. They allege Baarns then
>> double-crossed them when he incorporated IPN as a for-profit venture and
>> gave himself all the company's shares. "It's ludicrous to think any of us
>> would be that idiotic," says Shmerler. "'Hey, can I help you start your
>> business up? I've got nothing better to do.' That's ridiculous." (Los
>> Angeles Times 13 Mar 2000)
>> http://www.latimes.com/business/20000313/t000024050.html
>> 
>> Excerpt from NewsScan Daily,  13 March 2000
>> 
>> 
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