[mythtv-users] Written proof that we've all been conned about SD

match at ece.utah.edu match at ece.utah.edu
Mon Sep 10 20:26:20 UTC 2007


On 9 Sep 2007 at 18:34, Chris Petersen wrote:

> Funny.  I'm the guy who holds the SD checkbook, and so far the only
> person who has been "paid" by SD was the guy who offered us a *large*
> interest-free loan so we could make our down payment to TMS (meaning,
> he's losing the interest that he would otherwise gain by keeping it in
> the bank).  Because we're a non-profit, we *can't* pay ourselves or the
> IRS would come after us with gigantic tax penalties.  If you don't
> believe us when we say so, then wait until it's time for SD to file its
> annual taxes, and you can see for yourselves (since as a non-profit,
> that information will be public).

Chris, are you sure that's true? I believe non-profit corps are allowed to pay 
wages to their employees, they just can't pay dividends or bonuses to their 
stockholders and board members.
 
> That doesn't mean that we don't hope/plan to use any excess money to
> contribute back to the FOSS community so that the developers of projects
> like MythTV, Freevo and XMLTV don't have to continuously use their own
> money to pay for trade show exhibits, newly-released tuner cards, etc.
> It does still mean that even though I'm a MythTV developer, I couldn't
> take ANY money or hardware that wasn't immediately consumed for another
> purpose (e.g printing Knopmyth CDs to give away) while I sit on the SD
> board. 

I'm no lawyer. I don't even play one on TV... so feel free to set me straight.

The way I understand it, no, you could not be compensated for the work you 
do in your role as an SD board member, but if you were to work in the SD 
mailroom for 2 hours, or sweep the floors in the hallowed halls of SD 
corporate headquarters, then SD *COULD* (doesn't have to) pay you for 
those 2 hours a reasonable amount, like whatever a corporation would pay 
an entry-level mail clerk or janitor, like $7 an hour... not $300.

Now then, if you attend a board meeting that lasts all night long, then sorry, 
you do that for free.

> And as far as the amount/location that money goes, I fully
> intend to throw my SD board member vote toward "set up a poll and let
> the SD members choose where the money goes".

You probably don't mean this the way it reads...

I would strongly suggest that the SD board NOT do that. The subscribers are 
customers, not SD decision makers. The BOARD should be about the 
business of making decisions for and in behalf of SD, not the subscribers.

The SD board should simply adhere to their charter, which *I think* is to 
provide listings as cheaply as possible to it's subscribers. If the money 
comming in exceeds the money going out (after expenses and after building 
a reasonable cash buffer) then the subscription fees are too high, and vice-
versa. They should then be adjusted accordingly.

Or, if the purpose of the corporation was to fund developers, then as long as 
the SD lawyers say it's OK, do that. You don't need my permission as a 
subscriber to move forward as long as your actions are approved by the 
board.

Either way, as a subscriber, if I become unhappy with the 'service' then I'll let 
the board know of my displeasure and it can deal with it however it decides is 
best. That's as big as my voice is for $5 a month (or $20 a year, or whatever)

Now then, if you ask my opinion I will give it, but I expect YOU to make the 
decisions for SD. SD is not a democracy, and the subscribers are not 
shareholders.

Marvin


More information about the mythtv-users mailing list