Interesting move. Makes a lot of sense considering the challenges with the configuration/differences of opinion WRT to TDF strategy.
Personally; I still think this move doesn’t address the fundamental issue around sustainability of the project/product in the hands of non-enterprise individual consumers, for Collabora or the TDF.
Knowing that TDF is structured in a way that makes it difficult to spend donations, and there is upwards of a million euros being held because they can’t spend it is an indicator that some changes are needed to streamline approvals, etc. I don’t really see a need to donate to the TDF if the money can’t be spent on improving the software in short order.
However, my understanding was that setting up the Luxembourgh commercial entity was to allow for app sales and other commercial actions that would primarily be based on Collabora’s work on mobile and online. So I don’t understand what the primary drive for the entity is anymore (I’m sure there are other good reasons but I thought that was the main one.)
I still would strongly suggest/urge setting up some sort of co-op annual membership fee (doesn’t have to require for the use of the software, it could just be for voting for a consumer representative on the board), or for Collabora or TDF to offer some sort of individual SaaS support subscription service for Libreoffice. I think that’s the model that will work for LibreOffice in this market. Just my opinion based on my assessment of the software market; I’m also an armchair expert - I have no skin in this game as others like Michael/TDF do.
Cheers,
Kevin