We all have set up TDF with specific ideas in mind. TDF is the independent foundation, not depending on one single sponsor, but working with many. We are the home of LibreOffice, we are here to foster, support and strengthen the community, the project and the software.
(I’ll spare quoting from the statutes, the incorporation discussions and the Next Decade Manifesto, as then we’ll probably dive again into eternal debates that lead nowhere.)
There a setups where one single company runs the project, develops the software, and supports the community. That might be a legitimate model - but it is not TDF’s model. TDF is not a company. TDF is not owned by anyone. TDF does not favor anyone. TDF is not to be controlled by anyone alone. This is the main thing to understand and accept. This is why people are here at TDF and not elsewhere.
This is our model, and it will not change, and it will not be circumvented.
The bittersweet irony of all this is that together we all could achieve so much more. We still have a stable foundation, we have a good reputation, a strong brand, and most important, a lot of dedicated, active and passionate community members. The fact that so much time is spent on the whole situation and on debating makes me very sad. It is time we could use for something good for society: develop code, localize, test, package and make available for download.
Doing something good for society strengthens TDF, but at the same time, it strengthens the ecosystem. A prominent brand, a good reputation, this is what helps also the companies. Maybe the market is not easy, but it is not TDF to blame for that. TDF should not build artificial scarcity, that doesn’t do any good to anyone, at least not in the long run, not sustainably.
If we look in the archives, nearly every press release featured name of ecosystem members, so did the slides for our advisory board. Conferences had strong visibility for companies who sponsored. Our download page literally had a big blue button titled “Business user?”, which pointed to the offers of the ecosystem. Just earlier this month, I gave a talk in front of the chamber of commerce, where I clearly indicated that for support, services, migration, LTS support, custom developments and the like, there is an ecosystem out there. IMHO there were (or are?) even recurring marketing calls between TDF and ecosystem members. Just looking in the current release notes, I see credits for the ecosystem companies.
The 26.2 release notes have the word “Collabora” thirty-seven times! What would be the proper amount of crediting? 50 times? 100 times? What is “enough” credit?
Let’s also not make the mistake to focus only on code, because then we miss the bigger picture. There is an infrastructure operated on which LibreOffice is developed. I don’t see Guilhem and Cloph credited 37 times. At least in the past there used to be a help system integrated, that - correct me if I’m wrong, of course - was developed also with the help of TDF. I don’t see Olivier credited 37 times. The translations - also here, correct me if I’m wrong, of course - were at least in the past done also by TDF people. I don’t see Sophie or Tuomas credited 37 times. Or Italo for the press releases, or Mike for the social media.
And there’s much more. Everyone contributes their share. Code might be tangible and visible, other things less, but that doesn’t meant they are not important.
- No infrastructure, no download, no development.
- No translation, no adoption.
- No documentation, no adoption.
- No marketing, no knowledge about the product.
- No accounting, nothing from the above is paid for.
The joy of FLOSS is that people are working together, to achieve something together. To see the bigger picture. Not to count lines of contributions. I review 60 pages of accounting each month, with dozens of lines each. Shall I claim that number now? I won’t. Because I add my share to our joint success, like many others do.
FLOSS is not about a “me”, but about an “us”. It is not about money, but about achieving something.
So: Can we PLEASE get our stuff together and do something for the common good, which is why we are here at TDF?