Re: [sponsorship] Fwd: [FSF] Time for nonprofits to leave proprietary fundraising software systems behind

["jamesmikedupont@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <jamesmikedupont@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ok, I am doing an install here:
http://xhema.flossk.org:8081/CiviCrm/install/?mode=standalone


On Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 11:53 AM, jamesmikedupont@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<jamesmikedupont@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Well I will help as I can.
> Really we should have someone who will take over the basic setting up
> of the software and aquiring an account on tuxfamily, let see about
> the localization. I will prepare that for translation.
> mike
>
> On Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 11:36 AM, Dritan Kiçi <dritankici@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> Ok, then! I would like to lead this project (if it's ok with everybody).
>> Let's form a team and build e timeline for the project. Who would like to
>> come aboard?
>>
>> On Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 11:30 AM, jamesmikedupont@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> <jamesmikedupont@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>
>>> We can use tuxfamily for free hosting, we can also host it on
>>> xhema.flossk.org
>>>
>>> On Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 11:25 AM, Dritan Kiçi <dritankici@xxxxxxxxx>
>>> wrote:
>>> > Lets build a project then. it may serve also as testing ground for our
>>> > capabilities and team work. We need it installed on a testing site so
>>> > everybody can see the process. It can be used also as training project.
>>> >
>>> > On Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 10:54 AM, jamesmikedupont@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> > <jamesmikedupont@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>> >>
>>> >> That would be a great project, yes. we could even use it!
>>> >>
>>> >> On Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 10:52 AM, Dritan Kiçi <dritankici@xxxxxxxxx>
>>> >> wrote:
>>> >> > Should we localize this?
>>> >> >
>>> >> > On Wed, Apr 14, 2010 at 10:01 PM, jamesmikedupont@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> >> > <jamesmikedupont@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>>> >> >> From: Peter Brown <info@xxxxxxx>
>>> >> >> Date: Wed, Apr 14, 2010 at 9:29 PM
>>> >> >> Subject: [FSF] Time for nonprofits to leave proprietary fundraising
>>> >> >> software systems behind
>>> >> >> To: info-press@xxxxxxx, info-fsf@xxxxxxx
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> Time for nonprofits to leave proprietary fundraising software
>>> >> >> systems
>>> >> >> behind
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> (News item at:
>>> >> >> http://www.fsf.org/news/nonprofit-fundraising-civicrm)
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Wednesday, April 14th, 2010 -- The
>>> >> >> Free
>>> >> >> Software Foundation (FSF) today announced that CiviCRM has earned
>>> >> >> its
>>> >> >> recommendation as a fully featured donor and contact management
>>> >> >> system
>>> >> >> for nonprofits. The FSF had highlighted the need for a free software
>>> >> >> solution in this area as part of its High Priority Projects campaign
>>> >> >> (http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/priority-projects/). With this
>>> >> >> announcement, the FSF will also be adopting CiviCRM for its own use,
>>> >> >> and
>>> >> >> actively encouraging other nonprofit organizations to do the same..
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> (CiviCRM http://civicrm.org/)
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> Nonprofits have historically relied heavily on proprietary or
>>> >> >> web-hosted
>>> >> >> "software as a service" fundraising software such as Blackbaud's
>>> >> >> Raiser's Edge or eTapestry. The nonprofit organizations using them
>>> >> >> are
>>> >> >> locked in, have little control over the functionality of the
>>> >> >> software,
>>> >> >> and are dependent on the whims of a single company. Nonprofits also
>>> >> >> face
>>> >> >> costly migration if they wish to switch to a different proprietary
>>> >> >> system, never achieving independence. These factors mean that tools
>>> >> >> intended to enhance organizations' effectiveness have actually ended
>>> >> >> up
>>> >> >> restricting their ability to accomplish their social missions.
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> CiviCRM, however, shares its software code so all organizations can
>>> >> >> see
>>> >> >> how it works, have the option of commissioning anyone to make
>>> >> >> customizations to it, and can host it on their own trusted servers.
>>> >> >> Since the code and the data format are freely available, using the
>>> >> >> system does not mean being locked into it. Because it runs on the
>>> >> >> free
>>> >> >> GNU/Linux operating system, it eliminates the need for another
>>> >> >> frequent
>>> >> >> nonprofit proprietary software dependency -- Microsoft Windows.
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> "The features now offered by CiviCRM will satisfy nonprofits seeking
>>> >> >> to
>>> >> >> organize their relationships with donors, supporters, and the media.
>>> >> >> In
>>> >> >> addition to storing contact information, it handles online
>>> >> >> fundraising,
>>> >> >> event registration, membership management, and personalized paper
>>> >> >> and
>>> >> >> electronic mailings. Best of all, it's free software distributed
>>> >> >> under
>>> >> >> the GNU Affero General Public License, which means nonprofits can
>>> >> >> host
>>> >> >> it themselves and retain the freedom they need to advance their
>>> >> >> missions
>>> >> >> unfettered," said John Sullivan, FSF's operations manager.
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> Free software ideals encouraging sharing and modification have been
>>> >> >> central to CiviCRM's growth. Developer Dave Greenberg explained,
>>> >> >> "The
>>> >> >> CiviCRM project was started by a group of developers and project
>>> >> >> managers who had been working together on a proprietary donation
>>> >> >> processing application. As folks who were passionate about
>>> >> >> increasing
>>> >> >> the impact and effectiveness of the nonprofits, we came to realize
>>> >> >> that
>>> >> >> there was a need for a CRM application designed from the ground up
>>> >> >> to
>>> >> >> meet the needs of civic sector organizations. From the beginning it
>>> >> >> was
>>> >> >> clear that this should be free software -- community driven and
>>> >> >> community owned. On a personal level I find the engagement with our
>>> >> >> community of users to be intellectually stimulating and rewarding..
>>> >> >> Seeing folks with expertise in a particular area step up and
>>> >> >> contribute
>>> >> >> their time and ideas to help improve the product is quite exciting."
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> In making the switch, the FSF joins other organizations like Amnesty
>>> >> >> International, Creative Commons, and the Wikimedia Foundation, who
>>> >> >> have
>>> >> >> also been using CiviCRM.
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> Executive director Peter Brown described the FSF's use of the
>>> >> >> software
>>> >> >> and intent to publicize it: "I look forward to encouraging other
>>> >> >> nonprofit organizations to escape their current proprietary or
>>> >> >> 'software
>>> >> >> as a service' systems and give CiviCRM a try. As a nonprofit, the
>>> >> >> FSF
>>> >> >> manages over 40,000 contacts and 15,000 donation transactions per
>>> >> >> year,
>>> >> >> a book publishing operation, online store, and several advocacy
>>> >> >> campaign
>>> >> >> websites with associated mailing lists -- all with free software. A
>>> >> >> general purpose donor and contact management system will be the
>>> >> >> final
>>> >> >> piece of the puzzle for charitable organizations looking to operate
>>> >> >> using only free software. We plan to publish a guide offering our
>>> >> >> experiences as a resource for other nonprofits concerned with the
>>> >> >> social
>>> >> >> implications of their technology."
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> Nathan Yergler, chief technology officer at Creative Commons,
>>> >> >> offered
>>> >> >> further praise for the software: "CiviCRM is a critical part of
>>> >> >> Creative
>>> >> >> Commons' infrastructure. We've seen the application mature and
>>> >> >> steadily
>>> >> >> improve with new features and performance improvements coming in
>>> >> >> every
>>> >> >> release. CiviCRM's developer community is accessible and responsive,
>>> >> >> going beyond the normal call of duty to help when needed. I would
>>> >> >> happily recommend CiviCRM to organizations like Creative Commons
>>> >> >> looking
>>> >> >> for a CRM solution."
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> CiviCRM core team member Piotr Szotkowski noted that despite the
>>> >> >> project's maturity, there is still rewarding work to be done: "We
>>> >> >> could
>>> >> >> definitely use more helping hands. Being able to work on CiviCRM
>>> >> >> gives
>>> >> >> a
>>> >> >> lot of non-direct benefits, like the very warm and fuzzy feelings of
>>> >> >> great satisfaction and fulfillment: knowing that one’s code was used
>>> >> >> to
>>> >> >> help the Katrina hurricane victims, that it helps organizations like
>>> >> >> Amnesty International or Front Line fight for human rights
>>> >> >> defenders,
>>> >> >> or
>>> >> >> that it helps organizations like the Wikimedia Foundation better
>>> >> >> organize their great work on Wikipedia and all their other
>>> >> >> projects."
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> Further information about downloading, using, and contributing to
>>> >> >> CiviCRM can be found at http://civicrm.org. An ongoing discussion of
>>> >> >> comparisons between free software database options is on the FSF's
>>> >> >> LibrePlanet wiki at
>>> >> >> http://groups.fsf.org/wiki/Donor_Transaction_and_Contact_System.
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> For a description of the dangers in relying on "software as a
>>> >> >> service,"
>>> >> >> see "Who does that server really serve?".
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> About the Free Software Foundation
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> The Free Software Foundation, founded in 1985, is dedicated to
>>> >> >> promoting
>>> >> >> computer users' right to use, study, copy, modify, and redistribute
>>> >> >> computer programs. The FSF promotes the development and use of free
>>> >> >> (as
>>> >> >> in freedom) software -- particularly the GNU operating system and
>>> >> >> its
>>> >> >> GNU/Linux variants -- and free documentation for free software. The
>>> >> >> FSF
>>> >> >> also helps to spread awareness of the ethical and political issues
>>> >> >> of
>>> >> >> freedom in the use of software, and its Web sites, located at
>>> >> >> fsf.org
>>> >> >> and gnu.org, are an important source of information about GNU/Linux.
>>> >> >> Donations to support the FSF's work can be made at
>>> >> >> http://donate.fsf.org. Its headquarters are in Boston, MA, USA.
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> About Free Software and Open Source
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> The free software movement's goal is freedom for computer users.
>>> >> >> Some,
>>> >> >> especially corporations, advocate a different viewpoint, known as
>>> >> >> "open
>>> >> >> source," which cites only practical goals such as making software
>>> >> >> powerful and reliable, focuses on development models, and avoids
>>> >> >> discussion of ethics and freedom. These two viewpoints are different
>>> >> >> at
>>> >> >> the deepest level. For more explanation, see
>>> >> >> http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html.
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> Media Contacts
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> John Sullivan
>>> >> >> Operations Manager
>>> >> >> Free Software Foundation
>>> >> >> +1 (617) 542 5942
>>> >> >> campaigns@xxxxxxx
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> ###
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> info-fsf mailing list
>>> >> >> info-fsf@xxxxxxx
>>> >> >> Unsubscribe: http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/info-fsf
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >
>>> >> >
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >
>>> >
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>