[Bobboau]

I am serius, but unless we have over 100 peole willing to put forth the comitment, were screwed, and even then, were still probly screwed, though I'd still be willing to take the chance.

[Rictor]

What Peter Molyeneaux doing these days? He seems like a cool enough guy, and is pretty loaded from what I know.

[Cabbie]

i suggest putting up a section in the front HLP page explaining the situation and setting up a paypal donation box for those who wish to chip in the cause.

[Bobboau]

yeah, lets get a box people can start throughing cash into.

[Rictor]

err...is this theoretical money or proper money? I don't mean it in that sense, I mean, if we raise like 2000, which is obviously not nearly enough, does everyone get their money back or what?

[Stryke 9]

That'd be the way to do it. The "how" would be a bit more complicated, as while just pooling all the dosh with someone the HLP community mostly trusts might work for HLP, but it won't fly with anybody outside the community, and if you wanna give this an honest shot you'll need them. Oh sweet mother of ****, you will need them.

[Rictor]

So, basically, the trust fund/whatever has to look legitimate and professional? Thats about as easy as putting up a fancy website. That, or going through an intermediary, such as a sympathetic game developer. That way, you're not sending your money to Joe Smith, but rather to a trusted (preferably) game company who is going to hold the money until needed.

If thats the basic jist of it, Penny Arcade would probably suffice. If they're not trusted, I don't know who is.

But I get the nagging feeling that if this is to happen, there's going to have to be some outside capital, and lots of it.

[Cabbie]

Has Penny Arcade got wind of this news? It would be nice to have Tycho rant about this news for the community to get more exposure and sympathy.

[Stryke 9]

Rictor: I think you're missing the point. While Penny Arcade might indeed do, there needs to be some sort of legal protections in place to make people feel safe about parting with their money. I don't wanna give a third of my current bank balance to some guy I barely know who might well run off with it.

Cabbie: There's a thread on the PA forum. Whether it's newsworthy, I dunno. Thing is, it's not a public-opinion war that has to be won- were it, you lot could just rest on your laurels right now, Smart loses  by default and has lost ever since BC3k. It's more of a, you know, legal thing.

[Rictor]

Yeah well, I don't see how to get around that specific problem. Most of the peope you're likely to meet on the INternet are people you don't know who live far away. But I think PA might, in theory, fit the description, cause people sent them hundreds of thousands of dollars in toys/donations during that whole Child's Play thing.

if its a legal problem, that it would be convenient to have it overseas, specifically in a country where you're not likely to get prosecuted. India comes to mind, as does Russia and, well, mostly anywhere.

this is all speaking theoretically of course. The biggest problem is still  money..

[Kamikaze]

Make a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization solely for organizing FreeSpace rights and properties. Then you can donate and get the tax benefits too.

Edit: Oops it's 501, my bad.

[Stryke 9]

Kami's got it.

[Rictor]

all those brackets and "c" make it look like he totally knows what he's talking about. And no, I'm not even sarcastic.

[Bobboau]

I think someone should send a mesage to PA and ask them for there suport, someone who represents us.

isn't kami the lawer?

[Rictor]

I suggest holding off on any serious press release type stuff, until we can atleast reach some sort of agreement. As it stands, whatever someone says is bound to be incomplete, contradictory and so on.

[Knight Templar]

So... lets get to it?

Bob: No, Su-Thep is the Lawyer. He's on hiatus, but comes back in August IIRC.

[Kamikaze]

Stuff about non-profit orgs:
http://www.form-a-corp.com/non-profits_QA.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non_profit

No, I'm not a lawyer. I think that was Su-tehp. (Pfff, KT beat me to it)

[Rictor]

Well, congratulations, you just got promoted, you're an interim lawyer now, cause we need one to look menacing. It would help if your name was either very distinguished sounding, or very threatening. Or both.

[Goober5000]

Just put "Kamikaze, J.D." in your sig.  Close enough.

Spoiler:

For the uninformed, J.D. = juris doctora, i.e. doctor of law --> a lawyer. :)

[Stryke 9]

No, you hold off on the press release stuff until you've got something to "press release" about. Start going on about plans to set up a fund, and then we've almost started the fund, and then hey here's another stage of starting it, and by the time you've got the actual news to report everyone's lost interest. Set it up fast, yeah, but don't go jumping the gun.

If nobody else is willing to start, I can give it a shot this weekend. I know ****-all about law and don't exactly, y'know, pay taxes or anything, but I can do boring paperwork as good as the best of 'em. Uh, unless it involves hand writing, in which case I'm about as good as a mongoloid first-generation immigrant from Iran with no arms.