1998-12-01.minutes:Board Meeting of 1 December 1998

The minutes below have been accepted and approved at the general meeting of
Software in the Public Interest, Inc. on September 21, 1999.

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Minutes 1998-12-01.minutes
Board Meeting of 1 December 1998 MINUTES
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Submitted by: Dale Scheetz <dwarf(at)polaris(dot)net>, Secretary, SPI BOD

Attending: Ian Jackson, Nils Lohner, Dale Scheetz, and Ean Schuessler

Agenda:

1 Discuss and hopefully pass resolution 1998-12-01.iwj.1
2 Map out strategy for dealing with the Open Source trademark problems.

This board meeting was held using Internet Relay Chat. The meeting was
called to order by Ian Jackson shortly after 1800 GMT.

There was a short discussion between Ian and Nils about the progress and
collection of the consultation replies so that they could be reviewed
together.
Resolution was left for later in the month.

Nils then presented a tentative plan for SPI's future management of the OS
trademark consisting of three steps:

1. Write a position paper laying out SPI's plans for the mark.
2. Collect position statements from those who support our plan.
3. Discuss with the major participants what steps to take next.

Dale pointed out that this was all predicated on the assumption that SPI
would continue to hold the mark. He pointed out that early consultation
replies indicated that one way to end the battle over ownership would be to
transfer the mark to a neutral third party like the USENET foundation, or
Linux International.

While a transfer of this sort would protect the mark from the commercial
misuse feared by the SPI board, Ian suggested that we should wait for the
results of the consultation before we choose which route to take. As the
consultation period will be complete at the end of the month, it was decided
to table the decision until then.

In addition it was concluded that in the mean time work should progress on
the position paper, so that both the results of the consultation and the
paper can be released together.

Ian returned the conversation to his proposal for obtaining relevant
documentation from the previous board members. He expressed the need to get
all SPI documentation returned to the current board, as well as concern that
the previous board might take unilateral action.

After some discussion of the mechanics of dealing with the USPTO and some
re-wording of several sections, the motion 1998-12-01.iwj.1 was passed.

Ian Jackson declared the meeting closed shortly after 1900 GMT. Total
meeting
time: one hour.

Dale Scheetz <dwarf(at)polaris(dot)net>
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Secretary

--
Nils Lohner Software in the Public Interest, Inc.
E-Mail: lohner(at)spi-inc(dot)org PO Box 1326
Secretary <secretary(at)spi-inc(dot)org> Boston, Ma. 02117 USA