FirefoxSummit/2006/MozillaFoundation

Session Title

The Mozilla Foundation, Now and in the Future

Session Leader

Frank Hecker

Summary

A report on current activities of the Mozilla Foundation, and a discussion of the proper role of the Mozilla Foundation and possible future activities for the Foundation.

Agenda

• Report on Mozilla Foundation activities in 2006
• Discussion of the Mozilla Foundation as a nonprofit organization, including governance of the Foundation
• Discussion of what role the Mozilla Foundation should play in relation to the Mozilla project, the larger world of open source and free software, and the yet larger world of people and organizations with a stake in the future of the Internet and Web.
• Discussion of possible future activities of the Mozilla Foundation in support of its mission to promote choice and innovation on the Internet.

Here are some questions to guide discussion:

• How and where should the Mozilla Foundation support Mozilla projects other than Firefox and Thunderbird?
• Should the Mozilla Foundation make it a priority to support other open source and free software projects? If so, how do we decide where and how to do this?
• Should the Mozilla Foundation make it a priority to support more general initiatives related to the Internet and the web? If so, how do we decide where and how to do this, and to what extent would such activities be compatible with the Foundation's legal status? Examples of such initiatives might include:
  • expanding use of the Internet in developing countries
  • promoting privacy of net users
  • combating net censorship
  • net neutrality
  • promoting the ideas of open data (e.g., portability of data between online services) and open content (e.g., Creative Commons and similar initiatives)
  • changing the patent system
  • supporting non-proprietary schemes for user identity
  • promoting Internet and web accessibility to people with disabilities
• What are the best ways to ensure that the activities of the Mozilla Foundation reflect the views of its constituents (members of the Mozilla project and others)

Interested Attendees

Please add your name here if you're likely to attend this session, this will help prioritize sessions and minimize conflicts

• Steven Michaud
• Ian Hayward (Glaxstar)
• Ken Saunders
• Mike Kaply
• Christopher Aillon