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Date:      Thu, 18 Nov 2004 13:10:13 -0600
From:      "Kevin D. Kinsey, DaleCo, S.P." <kdk@daleco.biz>
To:        Bill <bill@wiliweld.com>
Cc:        freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: FW: FreeBSD donation (sponsorship)
Message-ID:  <419CF395.4020600@daleco.biz>
In-Reply-To: <20041118093558.T41912@bsd.billschoolcraft.com>
References:  <DIEPLFPNCHPGPLAKFCPKMECFCGAA.crystal@netnation.com> <20041118093558.T41912@bsd.billschoolcraft.com>

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-----Original Message-----
From: Crystal Chiang [mailto:crystal@netnation.com]
Sent: Friday, November 12, 2004 1:47 PM
To: donations@FreeBSD.org
Subject: FreeBSD donation (sponsorship)

>Hi FreeBSD,
>My name is Crystal Chiang, I am contacting you on behalf of NetNation
>Communications Inc. regarding the sponsorship / partnership with FreeBSD.
>NetNation is a Hosting Solution Provider and we have been in the hosting
>industry since 1997. If you are not familiar with our company, you could
>check out our Web site for more information.

>http://www.netnation.com/company/index.php

>I am not sure if you do sponsorship/partnership with any other
>organizations, I am interested in sponsoring the FreeBSD.org web site, if
>someone from your organization could get back to me with some information
>would be much appreciated. I could be reached at this e-mail address, or by
>phone tollfree: 1.888.277.000.

>Take care and have a nice day.

>Crystal Chiang
>Multimedia | Marketing

[ snip message regarding the OP's company ]

[ snip message regarding other links, which were appropriate IMO ]

[ snip message regarding the snipped message regarding the OP's company
and in particular the fact of their server's OS ]

[ snip Crystal's next message, to questions@, which mentioned
the above-quoted message and asked for it to be forwarded ... ]

At Thu, 18 Nov 2004 it looks like Crystal Chiang composed:


>I don't really understand how the FreeBSD organization works, it seems like
>my e-mail was replied by an amount of people that's not part of this
>organization. If you don't represent FreeBSD, I will not respond from this
>point on.
>  
>

Bill wrote:

>Crystal,
>
>I would like to thank you for your kind offer and I truly hope
>that someone from the FreeBSD "organization" actually does respond
>to you. As for all the computer mailing lists I belong to, there are
>very advanced users who have been into computing for over 20 years
>and there are people who are still looking forward to shaving for
>the first time or getting their first drivers license.
>
>With all that said, we all group together and normally rally
>around the topic of computer problems and how to fix them.  I
>truly hope you don't judge us on a few inappropriate posts.  What
>your offering to us is a very valuable service and I'm truly
>touched by your generosity.
>
>Namaste
>  
>

It is certainly difficult to determine, based on the original email,
exactly what Crystal meant; but, he/she probably didn't
intend to make it entirely clear.  It seems obvious that he/she
(generally in the U.S. a "Crystal" is female, please forgive my
continued non-gender-specific terminology) was only asking,
more or less, "where does the buck stop" or "who's the boss?"

Exactly what else he/she has in mind was probably irrelevant
to us, as it was intended to be read by someone else anyway.
Those "someone elses" can be responsible for handling the
request and determining how to respond to Crystal's offer.

Crystal, please understand that the "freebsd-questions" address
is really a list of individuals who answer questions regarding, most
generally, the *use* of FreeBSD.  Now, on this list, we occasionally
get requests from questionable individuals who want a link on
the Project's index page or elsewhere on the site, or who wish to
advertise on the site, etc., etc.  This is against the Project's
policy, and it's possible that these people get an occasional
rude reply or "brush off", particularly if their post somehow
offends the sensibilities of a reader.

Please also understand that the Project itself is a rather
loosely connected group of individuals, and it's sometimes
difficult to say who the boss is, as there isn't just one.

Martin Hepworth's reply in this thread contained some
helpful links.  I would also recommend that Crystal look
at http://www.freebsdfoundation.org/, the home of the
FreeBSD Foundation, who can certainly speak authoritatively
for the Project at large in most instances.  You can contact them
by email at bod@freebsdfoundation.org if you wish; at your
request I have forwarded your original email to them already
today.

They could and would be most certainly happy to help
you, Crystal, and your company if indeed it is your desire to
follow in the footsteps of such esteemed companies as Yahoo!
and Pair Networks (and others) in corporate sponsorship of
and/or assistance to the FreeBSD Project.  I'm sure you can
get the answers you would need from them. 

Kevin D. Kinsey*
DaleCo, S.P.

*Member of FreeBSD Advocacy, adjunct member of
the FDP, and dedicated to the proposition that all O.S.
projects are not exactly created equal** ... so, do I speak
for FreeBSD?  Sort of; at least, I'm speaking truth, which
the Project recognizes as a Good Thing(tm) when it's
possible to discern it ....

** though they are endowed by their creators with
many indistinguishable characteristics....



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