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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Go back in the archive and you’ll find the exact same sentiments
from me. If elected, I am sure going to bring up reducing the fee even more,
hopefully to zero. But the discussion should really not be about the fee, but
on what is the purpose of the foundation, who is it designed to serve, and what
are the benefits of membership.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>EHL<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Ben Laurie
[mailto:benl@google.com] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, December 03, 2008 2:45 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Eran Hammer-Lahav<br>
<b>Cc:</b> general@openid.net<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [OpenID] What election?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal>On Wed, Dec 3, 2008 at 12:56 AM, Eran Hammer-Lahav <<a
href="mailto:eran@hueniverse.com">eran@hueniverse.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>I have been arguing for lower membership fees for about a
year now, and<br>
finally, but embarrassingly secretive, the fees were dropped from $100 to<br>
$25. It is still not free, but at $25 it is very hard to argue about it.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal>Oh no, it isn't. For me it is a matter of principle: I will
not pay in order to give away my expertise. Full stop. Not even $1.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal>Even if it weren't a matter of principle, suppose every
"open" organisation charged a fee for membership? I would be out
thousands a year if I joined everything I am involved in.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal>The people who should pay are those who _don't_ contribute.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal>And, btw, don't give me any crap about needing fees to make
the org work - the ASF does just fine with no fees whatsoever, as do many other
open foundations.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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