We've got 10 days, and we need $100,000. Please help
So we have 10 days left in the Creative Commons campaign. This is not a drill. We are down to the last $100,000, and really need your support -- both for the very cool projects we're launching (see, e.g., the license interoperability project, discussed recently in Technology Review, and the two new projects announced this week), and for the very uncool pressure we're under from IRS regulations to demonstrate "public support" as a condition for keeping our (absolutely essential as in we can't live with out it) tax exempt status. So please, anything helps. Lots of anything helps lots.
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Comments (17)
Yes, do like me and donate. Even a few dollars.
Btw, the licence interoperability link is broken (redirect me to Microsoft!)
Neither the IRS nor public support has anything to do with "non-profit status"; that is determined by how you filed your articles of incorporation in your state of domicile. I suspect you mean "tax-exempt status" (they're not the same). And if you live or die on whether your donors can deduct their donations, you've got more serious problems than $100,000 will fix. ;-)
Right you are re tax exempt. But the live or die is that foundations are blocked from donating when there's a tax exempt problem.
I really believe in what Eben Moglen and you are doing for the internet community! It�s always a pleasure to hear some speeches of Mr. Moglen through the net :-)
merry christmas from germany!
I would love to see the spam drop! I have a few sites that have my e-mail for business purposes. I now get over 500 spam e-mails a day from my e-mails address that were only used for customers to contact me.
Shotguns and Buck shot in the ass to all spammers.
From the spam I have learned that I will never ever know waht time it is, my wee is too small, some hot babe wants to see my small wee, And if I buy a new house with my new stock tips I might get more than every one else on the net with my small wee.
The IRS are very fickle, aren't they?
Prof. Lessig, CC;
I'm a fan. Keep up the good work. Hopefully, getting dugg will help out with the donations.
Isaac Vetter
oops posted wrong blog, sorry sheepish grin.
Now yes I would love to see a better use concepts and ideas for the end users. I can see the day when you no longer own any thing and every thing is owned by the big companys. Even when you have an idea that would be great the corprate world will still and drag it out in courts for years. See the Sony walkman case. The inventer might get paid after some 25 years. Jus drag your feet the inventer will die and you own his idea for the next 100, 200, 300 years. Thank you Micky Mouse.
I didn't realize the image was a link. You should link more clearly to
http://creativecommons.org/support/
Will donate right now. Thanks and keep up the good work.
Mr. Lessig,
I understand and support the concept of Creative Commons, the license. But I'm not sure I understand what Creative Commons, the organization, does. The licenses are written, right? Why does it cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to make them available to the public?
I don't mean to be a troll, but I think CC is seriously falling down on its sales pitch here. I know that if I give money to EFF, I'll help hire more smart lawyers and activists to agitate and litigate for users' rights online. I know that if I donate to Public Knowledge, I'll get more lobbyists and activists to agitate and lobby for sensible copyright reforms. However, I have no idea what I'll get if I give money to CC. More pretty graphics and a splashier media campaign? More types of CC licenses? A cushier office for CC's existing staff?
There are lots of worthy organizations competing for my dollar, and the dollar of every other netizen. A good cause isn't enough to earn my support--it has to be an organization with an effective, understandable plan for promoting that cause. I'm sure CC has such a plan, but they haven't done a very good job of communicating it to me, and I bet a lot of other people are in the same boat.
Why paypal is the only way to donate online?
i won't prefer paypal, i think i am not alone.
I love CC ... i am in search of oter ways to donate...
I donated, but I think that the sales pitch is a bit misleading. The real question here regarding public support is whether the CC will function as a private foundation or a public charity. See http://fdncenter.org/learn/faqs/html/pfandpc.html for the distinction. People can donate to a private foundation (which is a non-profit, mostly tax-exempt organization), but they won't get to claim a tax deduction for it. And many foundations won't donate money to a cause, no matter how just, unless it's run by a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charity. Rock on, CC!
Tim, Great point. I've been writing an email a week for the past three months explaining why there's an organization here that needs to be funded. Check them out here.
And Krishna, we've got some other options for contributions.
(1) By check, by sending to CC, 543 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
(2) By Amazon Honors, by clicking here.
(3) By Network for Good, by clicking here.
(4) By giving me your address, and I'll come get it (ok, not really).
I'd have to agree with Tim from above on this. WTF is this money spent on? The licenses have been written, they're in widespread use and not under any kind of challenge AFAIK. So, what exactly is 100 grand for besides checking some requirement box for your institution??
Maybe with a bit more explanation and selling, the donations may increse. I know I'm holding mine until then.
its interesting opinion!
its interesting opinion!
Larry's written freaking *books* on the subject, spent endless hours speaking, written numerous articles, spoken with government leaders for crying out loud, and you people decide *now* you're going to question the motives and structure of CC? Days like these I wonder whether there's any hope at all. Get off your lazy arses and do something helpful for a change.