[Bf-committers] Foundation -> Institute

[Ton Roosendaal]

Hi devs!

You might have heard by now that there's another open movie coming, and  
even an open game is to be organized soon!

To host such projects, I've decided to establish the Blender Institute.
This will be a permanent hotspot where Blender artists and developers  
are welcome to work on projects... which will mostly be for open  
movies/games, but also for coding, for training and courses, or for  
"sprints" (short workshops of only few days to accellerate certain  
projects).

The Institute won't only be a cool studio, but also be a full seperated  
legal entity. Over the next period all of the more risky 'business'  
activities will be moved out of the Foundation into the Institute. This  
includes Open Movie/Game projects, organizing Siggraph booths, Blender  
Conferences, office space rental, employee contracts, and so on.

The Blender Foundation then will restrict itself to be a real 'fund'.  
Which means no activities, but a safe for owning assets like:
- a bank account + funds
- Blender brand, trademarks, urls, website contents
- Blender source copyrights (at least all mine and the Institute's  
development)

This is a model the other OS Foundations are using too. It also will  
ensure that none of the Institute's activities can ever endanger  
Blender's future. I'm a bit experienced now in coping with worst case  
scenarios. :)

This migration has not happened yet, and is a matter of discussions and  
feedback too. During upcoming Siggraph or Blender Conference it will be  
a topic too.

I mail this info now because I think it's important to not perceive the  
Blender Institute as the place where Blender is going to be defined and  
made.
The Institute will just be a facility where free, open and independent  
creative projects are going to be realized. And as such, just one of  
the more exciting members of this community. :)

-Ton-

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Ton Roosendaal  Blender Foundation ton at blender.org  
http://www.blender.org