ClearFoundation NewsA couple years ago we were trying to decide the organizational structures of ClearCenter and ClearFoundation. We knew that we had a business to run but we also knew that the open source components that made Clarkconnect unique needed greater community incubation. This is the reason for placing ClearOS Enterprise into ClearFoundation and ClearSDN with ClearCenter. We knew it would be trivial to create ClearCenter but ClearFoundation was a bit different. Let me explain.
Michael Proper introduced me to Clarkconnect when I was working at his Managed Service Provider company. He was doing due diligence to try to find a low cost office solution for small businesses. In the course of his search he discovered Clarkconnect and introduced it to me. I had the same reaction that nearly every Linux admin has, "Well, it's great and all but I can set all that up too." Michael's response to me changed my view and opened my eyes. He said something to the effect of "Yeah, but can you create this same configuration a hundred times, all the same, and then support them?" It was this scalability and the 'set it and forget it' aspect that won me over.
Next door to this company was a little outfit engaged in a lawsuit with IBM by the name of SCO. As our involvement with the Clarkconnect team grew tighter and tighter, we realized that to protect something that is fundamentally protected by copyright alone (as it should be) we needed to keep it safe and untainted. In our search we considered some great places like Canada, Australia, Switzerland, Singapore and even the Principality of Hutt River. In the end we decided on New Zealand. Over and over this island nation has proven a rational understanding of innovation in software as something that can and should be copyrighted but not patented. Additionally, it grants freedoms to businesses better than nearly any other nation. So, we give a shout out today and cheer to New Zealand. Let those that would seek to implement software patents there join the ranks of those that have decided to back down. Long live New Zealand, home of ClearFoundation! Hip Hip Huzzah! And thank you NZOSS and NZCS for all your hard work.
