Current Activities of TDF BoD - November 2024

[italovignoli]

These are the activities on which the Board of Directors is working and which will be discussed at the next meetings:

• The situation regarding the free trademark licences for the sale of applications on the Microsoft and Apple stores, with Collabora, CIB and allotropia (the granting of the free licence constitutes e.g. an excess of power of representation);

• The situation regarding the three tenders blocked following the lawyers’ opinions, with Collabora and Allotropia (the award of the tenders constitutes e.g. an excess of power of representation);

• Versions 1.1 and 2 of the Procurement Policy and Version 2 of the Development Agreement (there are open discussions on these issues in this forum);

• The proposal of a book to help developers without direct experience with the LibreOffice source code to reduce the learning curve and enable them to work on more complex development tasks (and eventually participate in bids);

• A document that defines the meaning and use of the terms LibreOffice Technology, LibreOffice Ecosystem and LibreOffice Enterprise without any possibility of misunderstanding or misinterpretation.

In addition, the BoD has just begun discussing limiting the possibility of election to the BoD and MC to two consecutive terms, imposing a year of inactivity between the end of a term and the next election, and allowing transition from the BoD to the MC and vice versa only after the end of the term and the year of inactivity.

All this in order to encourage turnover in governance and to avoid fossilisation. It will probably be necessary to study a new electoral mechanism, similar to that of the OSI, where only part of the Board is renewed each year (staggered elections).

[floeff]

I took the liberty to make a German translation with a translation tool and reviewed it, so it can be linked for the German community. I encourage others to provide translations in their native language as well, so we can inform the community about what is going on in the foundation.

Dies sind die Aktivitäten, an denen der Vorstand arbeitet und die bei den nächsten Sitzungen besprochen werden:

• Die Situation bezüglich der kostenlosen Markenlizenzen für den Verkauf von Anwendungen in den Microsoft- und Apple-Stores mit Collabora, CIB und allotropia (die Gewährung der kostenlosen Lizenz stellt z. B. einen Exzess der Vertretungsmacht dar);

• Die Situation bezüglich der drei Ausschreibungen, die nach den Stellungnahmen der Anwälte gestoppt wurden, mit Collabora und allotropia (die Vergabe der Ausschreibungen stellt z. B. einen Exzess der Vertretungsmacht dar);

• Versionen 1.1 und 2 der Beschaffungsrichtlinie und Version 2 der Entwicklungsvereinbarung (es gibt offene Diskussionen zu diesen Themen in diesem Forum);

• Der Vorschlag eines Buches, das Entwicklern ohne direkte Erfahrung mit dem LibreOffice-Quellcode helfen soll, die Lernkurve zu verkürzen und sie in die Lage zu versetzen, an komplexeren Entwicklungsaufgaben zu arbeiten (und sich schließlich an Ausschreibungen zu beteiligen);

• Ein Dokument, das die Bedeutung und Verwendung der Begriffe LibreOffice Technology, LibreOffice Ecosystem und LibreOffice Enterprise ohne die Möglichkeit von Missverständnissen oder Fehlinterpretationen definiert.

Darüber hinaus hat der Vorstand gerade erst damit begonnen, die Möglichkeit der Wahl in den Vorstand und in den Verwaltungsrat auf zwei aufeinanderfolgende Amtszeiten zu beschränken, ein Jahr der Inaktivität zwischen dem Ende einer Amtszeit und der nächsten Wahl vorzuschreiben und den Übergang vom Vorstand in das MC und umgekehrt erst nach dem Ende der Amtszeit und dem Jahr der Inaktivität zuzulassen.

All dies, um die Fluktuation in der Governance zu fördern und eine Art „Versteinerung“ zu vermeiden. Wahrscheinlich wird es notwendig sein, einen neuen Wahlmechanismus zu untersuchen, ähnlich dem des OSI, bei dem jedes Jahr nur ein Teil des Vorstands erneuert wird (gestaffelte Wahlen).

[cornouws]

Again there is the need to correct some information.

@italovignoli

• The situation regarding the free trademark licences for the sale of applications on the Microsoft and Apple stores, with Collabora, CIB and allotropia (the granting of the free licence constitutes e.g. an excess of power of representation);

One: speaking of free licenses is in fact incorrect.
It has been mentioned and explained before. What is the foundation’s interest to repeat that false frame in public over and again?

I’ve just sent a mail with more relevant details to tdf-internal, since I think it is appropriate to discuss details with the members.
(Are you a members, and not subscribed to tdf-internal: do so now.
And do sent me a DM if you want to have the mail.)

Two: here CoI and excess of ‘power of representation’ are mixed (and by the way: none of these applies to the decisions). This has been explained before…

@italovignoli

• The situation regarding the three tenders blocked following the lawyers’ opinions, with Collabora and Allotropia (the award of the tenders constitutes e.g. an excess of power of representation);

Also here there was no 'excess of ‘power of representation’, since getting and having LibreOffice available in the app stores is in the Foundation’s interest. (Not responding to that comment is one thing, but repeating the mistake is another …).

[cornouws]

@floeff

took the liberty to make a German translation

Please do translate my comment as well.

[floeff]

@cornouws

Please do translate my comment as well.

Your comment contains statements I do not think are correct. I will certainly not put my name under it. In any case, TDF is no translation service - that’s what DeepL or Google Translate are for.