[IAEP] Sugar Labs or Sugar Daddy

[Samuel Klein]

Hello,

On Tue, Dec 16, 2008 at 1:59 PM, Caroline Meeks <solutiongrove at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> On Tue, Dec 16, 2008 at 1:25 PM, David Farning wrote:
>> I am convinced that the correct business model for Sugar Labs, will be
>> a combination of licensing the Sugar and Sugar Labs brands to partners
>> and donations.
>
> David, here is where I am not sure I agree.  I see a number of other
> business model possibilities.
>
> My problem is I see freedom, innovation and mission diluted in the
> projects that are focus on licensing their brand and forcing payment
> for partner status.

I find this to be diluting as well.  It also makes the message of
calls to action like this email (about finding in-kind partnerships)
feel like a call to business, which it really doesn't need to be.  The
latter doesn't inspire; the spirit of forging new partnerships based
around shared goals does.

> In my model of the perfect future Sugar is part of many different ways of
> solving a wide range of school, student and educational problems.  I want to
> see Sugar freely remixed and integrated to create local solutions.  I'm
> concerned that liscencing, even of just the brand will add a lot of overhead
> for the organization and make it hard for organizations to be creative about
> how they remix.

Yes.

> Here are some other views. I think they are not alternatives but opportunies
> for mix and match.
>
> A church type model - [plate passed around, specific fundraisers for specific causes.]

+1  Education is holy.

> Selling services - having people give workshops, help deployments etc

+2

> Selling products - Selling books or Sticks at a profit.

+1  if you mean 'selling the official versions of materials that are
also free for download / POD' -- in which case most large programs
that can afford to will use this version, but there's no extra barrier
to entry for people who want to try it at home.

> No expenses - Everyone is expected to find a way to make themselves
> sustainable.

+1  with the caveat that this can mean groups of community members
work to ensure one another's expenses are covered.

> Grants - Apply for grants for organizational overhead.

These sorts of grants are much more often given for specific projects
than for overhead.  Minimize overhead and apply for grants for
specific work -- but when you get a grant, cover any overhead that is
needed.

>> Let's go get those in-kind donations.
>
> +1

Let's get donations in general...  don't get caught up on the "in-kind" part.

I'd like to see a version of this page whose core is a two-line
mission statement that inspires individuals to donate time, expertise,
and money; and that they can make a difference to the cause.
   http://sugarlabs.org/go/What_is_Sugar%3F


> What do we need to do as an organization to help with getting in kind
> donations. Right now it feels like its all in Walters hands and that isn't
> scalable.

I'd like to donate to Sugarlabs online.  I would suggest the same to a
couple of friends [who work in human interface design and love Sugar].
 Can someone fix this page so that it links to a real paypal/g!check
account?  Is anyone working on streamlining that process, making it
fun and transparent, providing pages asking about donations in 5
languages?  Those are things everybody can help out with, even if they
just have half an hour...

http://sugarlabs.org/go/Sugar_Labs/Donate

SJ