[draft] Guidelines for Equipment and Service Donations

[Nils Lohner]

In message <19990303125944.A2512 at boof.novare.net>, "Ean R . Schuessler" 
writes:
>This is a good start but fails to address some of the fundamental issues.
>
>The language about donated -vs- loaned equipment is useful but is somewhat
>a given considering the default laws surrounding bill of sale and transfer
>of ownership.
>

Yeah, but I figured a definition can't hurt, might help get rid of some 
confusion sometime.


>I think one of the most important issues is what "donated for SPI usage"
>entails. I would think something along these lines would be useful:
>
>- Services and equipment which are donated to SPI for general use will 
>be utilized only for projects which are officially affiliated with SPI.
>Any special utilization of donated services or equipment for projects
>that are not officially affiliated will be subject to the permission
>of the donor and the rules spelled out in the "Support in Temporary,
>Emergency or Other Unusual Circumstances" section.
>

Hmmm... that would make a lot of things tougher, hosting of a mailing 
list, offering some FTP space, at this point you're tying SPI and the 
projects down in terms of their reactivity.  I'd suggest not putting this, 
but rather something along the lines of 'within the SPI goals' to leave it 
general.  Plus you said donated- if equipment is donated it's SPI's and 
the donor has no say, if it's a service/loan, then that could apply.  But 
I'd still rather leave his resolution general and ask the donor to put 
that clause into the service agreement at the start of the loan- makes 
thing easier on all parties I think.



>The "Support in Temporary, Emergency or Other Unusual Circumstances"
>section should specify clearly the situations which warrant the use
>of SPI resources outside the typical project support guidelines and
>the reasons that warrant such utilization. The key being that SPI
>"support" should typically be going to officially supported projects.
>I can see that there should be policy for facilitating responsiveness
>in quick-turn situations such as the LDP issue but these situations
>should be the exception and not the rule. It should also be insured
>that projects are not allowed to remain in this limbo state and are
>moved into an officially supported position or are removed.
>

Not sure I agree with this... lots of little projects can use a mailing 
list, a little FTP space, etc. but don't necessarily need to become SPI 
affiliated.  Remember, affiliation means we manage money, equipment etc. 
for them.  I think it's a good idea if the bigger ones become affiliated, 
but smaller ones I would like exempt from this requirement.


Nils.

ps. I don't think we need cvs for this, the mailing list should be 
sufficient with the proposer keeping track of the revs.


>I can try to work on a clearer Temporary / Emergency section. Perhaps
>we should set up CVS to manage these documents? Does that seem
>useful?
>
>On Wed, Mar 03, 1999 at 10:24:21AM -0500, Nils Lohner wrote:
>> Here's a resolution I'm working on to address concerns about who has 
>> control of what equipment etc.  Please comment on this, and feel free 
to
>> propose additions, changes, etc.  I would like this resolution to 
address
>> all relevant issues that may come up with donations or loans of 
equipment
>> and services, but also want to keep the resolution general.
>> 
>> Nils.
>> 
>> 
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>> -Proposed Draft- Resolution 1999.03.03.nl
>> Guidelines for Equipment and Service Donations
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>> 
>> 
>> General Guidelines for Donations
>> --------------------------------
>> 
>> - All equipment and services donated to SPI or any of its affiliated 
>> projects must be used in compliance with any and all applicable laws
>> 
>> - All equipment will be used to further the goals of SPI and its 
>> affiliated projects, and will be used in accordance with all SPI rules 
and
>> regulations.
>> 
>> - The criteria for differentiating between donated and loaned equipment 
>> shall be whether or not a transfer of ownership from the donor to SPI 
has
>> taken place.
>> 
>> 
>> Equipment Guidelines
>> --------------------
>> 
>> - Donations of equipment can be marked for a specific project, or for 
SPI
>> in general.  The latter is preferred as it allows SPI more flexibility 
in
>> the usage of equipment.
>> 
>> - Equipment can be donated for a specific purpose.  SPI will make every 
>> attempt to use it for the specified purpose, but may at its discretion 
>> (and the discretion of the project that it was earmarked for, if 
>> applicable) change its use if this is deemed necessary.
>> 
>> - Equipment that is on loan to SPI or an affiliated project will be 
>> considered a service, and will be used under the service guidelines.
>> 
>> 
>> Service Guidelines
>> ------------------
>> 
>> - Any restrictions on donations or their usage must be stated at the 
time
>> of donation.
>> 
>> - If the donor wishes to change the conditions under which the service 
is
>> donated or withdraw the service, he must inform SPI (and the project 
that
>> the service is donated to, if applicable) 15 days in advance.
>> 
>> - If SPI (or the project that the service is donated to, if applicable) 
>> wishes to change the usage of the service, or use the service in a 
manner
>> contrary to that initially specified, they must inform the provider of 
the
>> service 15 days in advance.
>
>-- 
>___________________________________________________________________
>Ean Schuessler                   An oderless programmer work-a-like
>Novare International Inc.                     Silent and motionless
>--- Some or all of the above signature may be a joke
>