@bragefuglseth oh I understand that, the advisory board only provide "advice".

But why would GNOME want advice from Google? It's like the sheep getting advice from the lion on how to stay safe.

Even if we assume that there is no real influence (like lobbyists have to influence over political decisions?) it makes GNOME look ridiculous especially when privacy issues are discussed. Zero credibility.

Do I need to explain why it looks bad for GNOME to be associated with Google?

@eliasr @bragefuglseth You're more than welcome not to use Gnome if that's your issue but, Google donates to plenty of Foss projects so they get a voice. Have a little trust in the developers of Gnome.

@eliasr @sonny so, if Google wants to keep writing a zero-strings-attached check because they use GNOME internally, you are asking us to take away someone’s salary because someone who doesn’t understand how the Advisory Board actually works thinks it takes away 100% of the credibility of a non-profit with decades of exceptional transparency and a record of active privacy protection.

Can you replace that spot on the Advisory Board with one or more organizations that can help fund GNOME?

@cassidy thanks for clarifying that it's about money.

I personally donated to GNOME a few years ago, before I found out that they were funded by Google. Now I no longer donate to GNOME.

Of course, my contribution was tiny in comparison with Google's money. I donät know how many other donations like mine are lost.

But taking Google's money and showing Google''s name as an advisor means helping Google polish their image.

@sonny

1/2

@cassidy

For Google, it is clearly a good deal: very small amount of money (for Google with hundreds of billions of dollars in yearly revenue, money which they make by their aggressively privacy-invading business) buys Google the appearence of being a friend to privacy and freedom. But Google is in reality a very dangerous company that is very bad for privacy and freedom. You should not be helping Google in that way.

I am asking you/GNOME to take a stand on principle.

@sonny

2/2

@eliasr @sonny you conveniently skipped two of the three of the things I mentioned:

>it was more in the context of them having their own Gubuntu or whatever that Linux-using Googlers use internally

>I actually wish we had *better* dialog with folks at Google because we frequently hit issues with users who expect Google services to work with GNOME

Sorry to hear you find that unacceptable.

@eliasr @sonny I don’t think it’s helpful to demonize a completely community-led project that has done incredible things for software freedom and privacy because you don’t want them to be funded by a company you have demonized, but you do you.

@cassidy look, I appreciate you taking the time to answer me here, and I'm sorry if I have expressed myself too bluntly.

I like GNOME, that is also why I am so sad to see GNOME being associated with Google.

My main point is that when you say you care about privacy, and at the same time your advisor is Google, then there is a strong dissonance there. I think if you ask other people who care about privacy they till agree with me here: Google is not a good partner in that regard.

@sonny

@eliasr @cassidy @sonny

One thing I almost admired about the GNOME Foundation is how they are always careful to not let any company prevail (full disclosure, I'm a former member, because I used to translate GNOME)