[FreeGeek] the question of affiliation & name

[sean]

I am a little uncertain about making this decision final on the mailing
list. Any thoughts?

In response to the proposition:

I would like to see a full franchise partnership with FreeGeek, name and
all. I have been fortunate to see their organisation in operation (heck,
i'm a registered volunteer!) and believe that we should be emulating
much of what they have set in motion.

To Stephan, I agree that we will find many situations where a more
regional aproach to a problem is called for. What I hear in your
argument is concern over dependency and the resulting misguidance and
resource wastage. For that reason, all of our steps should be
intentional and well-planned, rather than taken indiscriminately from
any sort of FreeGeek startup script. However, Portland's experience and
expertise will be invaluable in recognizing the nature of issues
(startup and maintenance) that will rise as challenges.

The thing to remember is the spirit of the thing. FreeGeek is really a
few missions tied together. We have hardware waste diversion, free
software development and distribution, and community economic
development. The individual organisations will become much more
effective through the sharing of resources and information as a basic
toolkit. Learning from the free software world, we should be looking to
build a common library of general solutions which can then be
specialized to apply to regional, real world problems. In that sense,
FreeGeek Vancouver should shoot to grow into the supportive sibling of
FreeGeek Portland and others.

About the name...I've been throwing it around at people and asking how
they feel about the word 'geek'.

On the positive, people seem to feel that it's shed a lot of its
negative baggage, that it's even seen as trendy. Some seem to associate
it with particular fields (ie. computer geek, math geek, etc.), but some
say that to them its a more general description of a person's social
tendencies (ie. that they are excited by something technical). The name
FreeGeek has been described as playful and open and a good description
of the type of activity the organisation will perform (important!).

On the critical side, some have pointed out that 'geek' may not continue
to develop positive connotations. Also, the word can imply intellectual
and introverted, socially awkward.

While it does have a history of meaning sexually deviant, that seems to
me to be more of an externally regional issue and it doesn't even seem
to register for people here.

Personally, I think it's a great name. I believe it carries a sense of
humour and openness while being provacative and descriptive of a mission
of helping people to turn the great computer invasion to their advantage.

The only other thing that comes up is a question with regards to the
meaning of non-hierarchical. As a non-profit, we do have legal
limitations due to a requirement to have a board. What does
non-hierarchical mean in this sense?

sean  :o)


ifny wrote:
> David, Simeon & Ifny sat around over moogie-cha & coffee & couldn't
> stay away from the Geek discussion. Here's what we came up with.
>
> We propose that we now undertake to determine our affiliation status
> with Free Geek Portland. David will depart for his fact finding
> mission on the 11th. How about we make a dedicated effort to arrive at
> consensus on this question before his departure?
>
> We would like to see an affilliation with Free Geek Portland as a full
> organization (aka franchise). To do that, they require that we adhere
> to these principles:
>
> Free Geek Fair Use Principles
> http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Free_Geek_Principles
>
> An organization that would be affiliated with Free Geek must:
>
>
>
>   1. Have a mission that is similar to and does not contradict the
> Free Geek Mission Statement.
> http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Mission_Statement
>   2. Dispose of equipment in an ethical and environmentally
> responsible manner.
>   3. Use Free/Open Source Software wherever possible and must promote
> the Free Software philosophy in other ways, such as transparent
> collaboration with others.
>   4. Provide low- and no-cost computer technology and training to
> their community.
>
> An organization that would use the Free Geek name must additionally:
>
>   1. Be democratically run in a non-hierarchical way that is open and
> transparent to all participants in its programs.
>   2. Be a non-profit business (as legally defined in their location)
> and must follow honest business practices and have the stated goal of
> advancing the common good.
>
>
>
> If we can agree that these principles are in line with our collective
> objectives, we can then proceed to partner with the Geek.
>
> The name question can then take place. If we don't use the Free Geek
> name, we would only be allowed to be an affiliate.
>
> Therefore, please forumlate your responses to 2 questions:
> 1. Would you like to see us be a full franchise partner with Free
> Geek, including using the name Free Geek Vancouver? Note: "Free Geek
> Vancouver" follows the convention of the overwhelming majority of
> extant FG franchise partners in the US. Feel free to include your
> reasons for agreement.
> 2. If not, what alternative would you propose? Please describe the
> basis of your objections.
>
> Why the urgency? We need a name to begin filing the paperwork for
> nonprofit status. For example, we need to register our name &
> establish with the city that it's not being used already. Also, public
> statements, info, & website materials need to be marshalled. We need
> to begin to assemble a public face.
>
> Go team!
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