[okfn-coord] Hosting for OneClickOrgs?

Sat May 2 11:05:45 UTC 2009

Just to follow this up - it would be great to have input from people on:

  a) whether or not we are interested in hosting oneclickorgs (Y/N)
     - I think that it is an interesting project, it will be
OSSD-compliant, and will bring good publicity to the OKF. Charles is
writing a chapter about the project in the new O'Reilly 'Open
Government' book - so it should have some good publicity in the
autumn... Also I think the project could have some value at the OKF.

At the moment I think they are after:

  i) a Wordpress installation with a custom theme + domain name
  ii) git (they currently use github)
  iii) somewhere to test the first experimental versions of the service

If Y to a), then:

  b) on what terms?
    - we could help them with only (i), or (i)+(ii) or (i)+(ii)+(iii)
    - we could ask them to become supporters of the OKF, individually,
and/or (later) as an institutional supporter
    - we could ask them to pay for a hosting service which the OKF would provide

J.

On Sat, Apr 25, 2009 at 1:22 PM, Jonathan Gray <jonathan.gray at okfn.org> wrote:
> On Sat, Apr 25, 2009 at 9:54 AM, Jordan S Hatcher
> <jordan at opencontentlawyer.com> wrote:
>> ===1. What is the nature of the proposed relationship?
>>
>> -- they want a friendly host to be only a friendly host -- so we are acting
>> as an ISP or a reseller only.
>> (and do we want to be an ISP service, at least for very long?)
>>
>> OR
>>
>> -- we are a "project partner" whose contribution is hosting and possibly
>> doing more work.
>
> I envisaged we could host them qua Open Software Service, as a special
> case of the kinds of projects we host on KnowledgeForge. If it made
> sense further down the line, it could be that we wanted to try using
> the decision making tool they are working on, e.g. for working groups.
>
>> ===2. Liability
>>
>> The liability for us is a bit different in each case (partner vs ISP). I'd
>> like to be a bit clearer about our liability since:
>>
>> -- they are going to be helping people incorporate.  Just doing a bit of
>> lawyerly issue-spotting, but one question I'd have is "could this service
>> run into Unauthorized Practice of Law problems?"
>
> Interesting question! They are currently looking to build a legal
> advisory team in the UK -- but are in early stages. (Aside: any ideas
> who they could contact?) I think in the first instance they are
> looking to start out with something very basic like an unincorporated
> association. There will be disclaimers. Also they may encourage people
> to run the software they are developing on their own server.
>
>> --If it's an ISP type role, I'd also like to make sure about things like
>> privacy policies, defamation, that sort of thing.
>
> Interesting.. I wonder if KnowledgeForge, qua service, could benefit
> from a 'Terms of Use'?
>
>> ===3. Payment...
>>
>> Even for blog hosting, I don't think it is unreasonable to ask for a
>> suggested donation each month, especially as, even if this is a non-profit,
>> it definitely has the potential to be *profit-making.  Long term, hosting
>> isn't free and seems like we should either be:
>>
>> -- charging (even if at a reduced rate) for hosting
>> OR
>> -- seeing if we can write this off tax wise as a donation on our part (set
>
> Perhaps I could encourage them to become individual supporters? At the
> moment there are around 8 people donating a few hours per week pro
> bono to developing the code base and its aimed at the third sector in
> the UK in the first instance - so even if they do take money one day
> (from funders, for services, or from contracts, ...), for now there is
> not a penny in sight.
>
> Perhaps we could say that if they start making money we hope they will
> consider becoming institutional supporters (£50+/month)?
>
> --
> Jonathan Gray
>
> Community Coordinator
> The Open Knowledge Foundation
> http://www.okfn.org
>

-- 
Jonathan Gray

Community Coordinator
The Open Knowledge Foundation
http://www.okfn.org