Foundation dead? lazarus / 8-Other ---------------------------------------------------------------------- jwdietrich · 2018-04-04 08:03 In http://forum.lazarus.freepascal.org/index.php/topic,39387.msg281847 .html#msg281847 someone states the Free Pascal and Lazarus foundation to be dead. I am concerned. First, I think that the foundation is important, secondly, I have recently made a donation, only to learn that the foundation is dead. Is this information true or the contribution of a troll? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Thaddy · 2018-04-04 09:19 Well. legally it is not dead. (That is easy to check for me since it is governed by Dutch law.) But you have to ask its governors if it is really active. If it is not or is not able to serve its purpose I am willing to provide funds to keep it alive. That requires a phone call, not an email. (Due to health reasons only). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ps · 2018-04-04 09:47 No activity/or response on G+ Group, same on FB group, same on Website ... i did donation at start, but nothing changed for years! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- jwdietrich · 2018-04-04 10:06 Quote from: ps on April 04, 2018, 11:47:01 amNo activity/or response on G+ Group, same on FB group, same on Website ... i did donation at start, but nothing changed for years! Well, It can't be too many years, since the foundation registered its website in 2016, even before it was officially founded. At https://foundation.freepascal.org/projects the foundation lists three projects that have been completed with its help and it lists three ongoing projects. But, of course, all these facts don't exclude it to be dead... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ps · 2018-04-04 15:24 Look at blender foundation https://www.blender.org/foundation/ Lazarus foundation: http://forum.lazarus.freepascal.org/index.php/topic,37806.0.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- wp · 2018-04-04 15:29 I'd suppose that you post your concerns in the mailing list. Michael Van Canneyt, a co-founder of the foundation, rarely reads the forum but is quite active in the mailing list. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- skalogryz · 2018-04-04 15:57 Quote from: ps on April 04, 2018, 05:24:27 pmLazarus foundation: http://forum.lazarus.freepascal.org/index.php/topic,37806.0.html  that's a wrong link. That's the right one: https://foundation.freepascal.org/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- jwdietrich · 2018-04-06 07:08 Quote from: wp on April 04, 2018, 05:29:36 pmI'd suppose that you post your concerns in the mailing list. Michael Van Canneyt, a co-founder of the foundation, rarely reads the forum but is quite active in the mailing list. Thanks for the tip. I asked and learned from Michael that the foundation isn't dead. See http://lists.lazarus- ide.org/pipermail/lazarus/2018-April/234427.html for his reply. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ps · 2018-04-06 07:35 Quote from: jwdietrich on April 06, 2018, 09:08:18 amThanks for the tip. I asked and learned from Michael that the foundation isn't dead. See http://lists.lazarus- ide.org/pipermail/lazarus/2018-April/234427.html for his reply.Ok, thanks. Now at least two people know that foundation is not dead and can contribute ... Or maybe there is enough funds in foundation so don't need more ... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- rvk · 2018-04-06 07:49 I'm still not sure what people consider "dead" but I don't think it is the task of a foundation to develop stuff themselves. They should promote stuff so that other developers become more active and they should be heard. Hey, they say that themselves on the foundation website: QuoteThe Free Pascal and Lazarus foundation is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the promotion and sponsoring of the open source projects.I haven't seen the foundation do that actively. Has anybody else? (It could just be me) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Thaddy · 2018-04-06 08:19 As I understand it the foundation can provide and distribute funds for the extension and development of the language. Which means some new language features can and have been sponsored in such a way that it could - partially - provide a real income for real talented compiler developers. Meaning the advance of the language. That is a good thing. It is not an advertising budget...... (I have the time but only half the talent these guys have.., wouldn't work... ) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Paul_ · 2018-04-06 13:45 I sent some money (not much) in the past but I really do not know if they were used. There is missing: 1) Bigger transparency - how it works, state of the projects, possibility of direct project financing, account balance 2) Perhaps different way of financing (Patreon?), 1-5 USD monthly based payment can be better for the majority of people. In the longer term it can be win situation with domino effect 3) Advertisement on main page and forum, don't use Google+ and such dead and terrible sites. Maybe I'm getting old but 3 crazy columns of posts are just ... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Thaddy · 2018-04-06 14:09 Well, the transparancy is already in place. It its just not clear to everyone. (That is not a contradiction in terms) The foundation - as I understand it - is founded because at various points in time considerable contributions need to be accounted for. These contributions have - in the majority of cases - been for specific purposes. E.g.: a company needs a feature or even a whole compiler.... But I guess minor donations are just as proper, do not misunderstand me. And it is not about huge sums: 1000 here, 500 there, maybe. Unless when maybe a new platform is targeted on contract basis.. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ps · 2018-04-06 19:42 Look at blender foundation, this model is perfect https://www.blender.org/foundation/development-fund/ with month price ... with an official confirmation of receipt ... etc. and look at promotion ! This is perfect far far away from "our" invisible foundation. With this model can foundation hire some full (part) time developers and speedup projects (eg. full Cocoa support before disappears with Intel -> ARM movement). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- jwdietrich · 2018-04-06 19:51 Quote from: ps on April 06, 2018, 09:42:02 pmLook at blender foundation, this model is perfect https://www.blender.org/foundation/development-fund/ with month price ... with an official confirmation of receipt ... etc. and look at promotion ! This is perfect far far away from "our" invisible foundation. With this model can foundation hire some full (part) time developers and speedup projects (eg. full Cocoa support before disappears with Intel -> ARM movement). Perhaps it would in fact be a good idea if you express your concerns in the Lazarus mailing list (http://lists.lazarus- ide.org/listinfo/lazarus). Members of the foundation seem to be more adherent to the list processor than to this forum.