fonz.net weblog

Heading out to E3 in a few mintues. Drop me a line if you’re going to be around.

Has anyone else noticed LinuxFund.org has been down for a while? Does anyone know what their status is? I’m concerned because I’ve found the following:

• LinuxFund.org has been down for a few months now(?). I vaugely remember checking back in Jan or Feb and seeing it down. I could be wrong though and it might just be something recent. Archive.org hasn’t picked up any mirrors since November 2004.
• According the Oregon Secretary of State, Linux Fund Inc. is disolved / inactive. However, this is likely just an oversight on their part. As you can see in that link its happened before and been resolved. From what I can tell it happens fairly regularly with other small orginzations and just means some paperwork was forgoten or lost.
• LinuxFund is not listed at GuideStar.org or in IRS Publication 78 (Theres also a 114~MB text file of Pub 78 here). Publication 78 lists all non-profit organizations which have tax exempt status with the IRS. Was Linux Fund ever a 501c3?

MBNA, the bank that issues the LinuxFund credit cards, indicates that the cards are still active and you can sign up by calling them. (the toll free number is on the website) Their marketing department indicates LinuxFund recieves payments from them to the following PO BOX:

Jerritt Collord
LinuxFund
PO BOX 14519
PORTLAND, OR 97293

Anyways, I e-mailed Jerritt (Executive Director, LinuxFund) last weekend, as well asBenjamin Cox (Founder and former Executive Director, LinuxFund) and DavidMandel their technical director / developer board member. Hopefully one of them will respond with an update.

LinuxFund was (is?) a great idea and supported several projects via grants including Linux Software Suspend, CodeCon, Gnu Enterprise, SCALE 2x, and others. The last official count I’ve found says they had over 6,000 people carrying LinuxFund cards. I still use mine all the time.

So if you have any idea on their status, drop me a line or leave a message in the comments.

Wow this guy just made it into my feed reader. DrunkenBlog has a report on CherryOS, VX30 and various other projects by the folks at MXS. Definately worth a read. You’d think these guys would learn their lesson about open-source after getting caught misuing code on 4 different projects.

I just called both my Senators. Heres their position on the REAL ID act.

Boxer: no position. supports the iraqi appropriations bill but they don’t know what she plans to do regarding the REAL ID part of HR 418.

Feinstein: voted for the iraqi appropriations bill, is unhappy about the REAL ID part that was tagged on. Shes asked for the REAL ID act to be removed. Her office does not know how she will vote if it is not removed.

Feinstein’s reply to my e-mail regarding the REAL ID Act:

May 4, 2005

Mr. Ilan Rabinovitch
18040 Calvert St
Encino, California 91316

Dear Mr. Rabinovitch:

Thank you for your letter regarding the “REAL ID Act of 2005″
(H.R. 418). I welcome the opportunity to respond.
As you know, Congressman Sensenbrenner introduced H.R. 418
in the House of Representatives earlier this month, and the bill passed the
House of Representatives on February 10th. Generally, I support the
thrust of the bill, which I am in the process of reviewing. I would hope
that there will be hearings in the Senate Judiciary Committee and that we
will follow Senate procedure. I may have some changes to recommend
and believe there needs to be a thorough analysis and discussion of its
provisions.

I believe that the Federal government should have the ability to
issue standards that all state-issued driver’s licenses and identification
documents should meet. The issue is how should this be done, phased in
and paid for. And I think that the Senate needs to examine these issues
and help ensure it is not an unfunded mandate on the states.

Finally, I also am a strong supporter of Operation Gatekeeper
and completion of the border fence, which is one of the bill’s provisions.

Again, thank you for writing, and please know that I will keep
your comments in mind as the Senate considers this legislation. I hope
you will continue to keep in touch. If you have any further questions
please contact my Washington, D.C. staff at (202) 224-3841.

Sincerely yours,

Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator

http://feinstein.senate.gov

Further information about my position on issues of concern to California and the
Nation are available at my website http://feinstein.senate.gov. You can also
receive electronic e-mail updates by subscribing to my e-mail list at
http://feinstein.senate.gov/issue.html.