[CentOS] [Found] CentOS is dead, long live CentOS

[R P Herrold]

On Mon, 14 Sep 2009, William Warren wrote:

> right now they don't HAVE to disclose as they do not have 
> any kind of US based npo that would force them to do so. 
> We can inquire all we want to but they don't have to answer 
> anything.

'they' who run a non profit under US law of which I am aware 
have no general obligation to give the time of day to anyoue 
-- Feel free to ask at the local Elk's lodge about their back 
room poker party profits, and I am pretty sure you'll get a 
tossed out on your ear

Similarly, a formal public charity recognized as exempt under 
section 170 of the US Tax Code, has no such general duty -- 
there is a right of inspection of their form 990 in certain 
cases. but that is about it under US federal law

State law may and does vary [my legal career started doing 
oversight, investigation after complaint, and certain nonimal 
regulation of such entities as a staff attorney for my local 
state attorney general] -- but geeks think that the law is 
both obvious and systematically logical and capable of lay 
comprehension.  It is not

Lawyers in the US are generally required to graduate at the 4 
year college level, then 3 years of law school, and then 
additional study in preparation for state specific bar 
examinations, as well as a nationwide multistate section.

Even then the field is so broad that functionally one 
apprentices for 5 to 7 years as an associate, before being 
considered worthwhile enough to trust with clients without 
supervision.  Intellectual property matters (trademarks at the 
federal level, patents) have additional testing and admission 
requirements

 	The life of the law has not been logic; it has been
 	experience. The law embodies the story of a nation's
 	development...it cannot be dealt with as if it contained the
 	axioms and corollaries of a book of mathematics.
 		-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

Talk to your lawyer for a quote if you wish to buy legal 
advice and opinions upon which you may rely, and that he or 
she will stand behind and warrant

---------------start disclaimer-------------------

I_A_AL, but not your lawyer.  I offer legal advice and formal
opinion only within the confines of a previously  established 
and explicit attorney-client relationship where privilege may 
be had;  and NEVER on a public list server.

----------------end disclaimers ------------------

That said, let me go specific and further as well: As to the 
project I will in no way purport to 'represent' it as to legal 
matters, as I lack distance and really can only wear one hat. 
I tried being the client and the lawyer once 30 years ago as 
to one non-profit I helped found and sat on the board of, and 
it just does not work

with kind regards,

-- Russ herrold