Introducing Simple Machines LLC

[godboko]

I notice on the Lewis Media they claim to own Simple Machines LLC, is that true?

Anyway sorry Thantos if you think I am being rude, but I am just trying the flush out the truth in all of the PR BS on those why free pages. As a user seeing the same things happen at IPB you should understand my concern.

[Thantos]

I notice on the Lewis Media they claim to own Simple Machines LLC, is that true?

Link?

[godboko]

http://www.lewismedia.com/Products-and-Services/SMF-(Simple-Machines-Forum)-Discussion-Board.html

&

http://www.lewismedia.com/News.html

(Lewis Media Launches Simple Machines LLC)

Grated I think they are more implying it so there potential clients think they are bigger then they really are. I don't think they really do own the LLC.

EDIT: Also this has nothing to do with a post int he comments section this is stuff I have been wondering for a long time. Figured I waited long enough for everyone to have all there info straight.

PS Any plans on releasing details on how you all will spend the 10k from Godaddy?

[Joshua Dickerson]

Those PRs on LM are all wrong. Jeff & Joseph did not launch SMF in 2001. That would be YaBB SE. It was launched under the name Simple Machines Forum. It was copyrighted by Lewis Media, but (extremely) little of the code that Jeff & Joseph created in YaBB SE was still around. Now, Simple Machines Forum is copyright Simple Machines LLC.

[Daniel15]

As a user seeing the same things happen at IPB you should understand my concern.

Yeah, I was using IPB 1.2/1.3 back when they said it would always be free...
As metallica48423 said, the team values are viewable at http://www.simplemachines.org/about/values.php, one of which is that we "will provide our software to the public for free". We live by those values, and nearly the whole team is strongly against going paid (if SMF were to ever go paid, there'd be no team members left ).

Trust me, SMF will never go paid, no matter what happens

[青山 素子]

Please post publicly the corporate structure of the LLC.

It is posted. Check with the Arizona Secretary of State and look at the filings for the company.

[Dannii]

It is posted. Check with the Arizona Secretary of State and look at the filings for the company.

That's a whole lot of effort, and I don't even know where Arizona is on a map. Couldn't one of the PMs post a brief summary? I suppose Thantos just did, saying Amacythe is the only one to have a role. If that changes will you explain the changes please?

[青山 素子]

http://www.azsos.gov/scripts/TNT_Search_engine.dll

Search for the company name there. All changes to the LLC have to be filed as well, so they will be posted there as well when filed.

[Aes-Sedai]

Just wondering is a Limited Liability company is really needed for SMF? Does it fear going into bankruptcy and personal assets being taken from the management?

Does it need to be its own entity? To sue and be sued?

Just a query, I do Business Studies at school and would like to know more about why SMF chose the expense and complication? I'm Australian, but our Limited Liability structure are LTD, or PTY LTD as well. You might not want to give away exactly what LLC SMF is. But it's probably PTY LTD. That would be more logical.

Still, why have so much compulsory documentation needed and financial data? That's what happens in Australia. Wouldn't it be better off as a cooperative, rather than a company at all?

Don't get me wrong, I am not attacking SMF's 8-month-old choice. I am just interested.

[青山 素子]

It is better in general for an organization to be in existence to hold the copyright and other ownership of the project.

As far as I know, there is only one type of LLC in the US. It is really the easiest way to handle a company when more than one person will be involved in it. A general partnership (perhaps what you referred to as a cooperative) doesn't have to be legally registered, and so that makes it harder to determine who owns what. There is incorporation, but that has a lot more documentation and expense involved.

It also helps to have a central licensed entity when you want to handle any potential issues (look at GAIM, where AOL intimidated the developers all individually since there was no one organization in charge). It is a shame to have to think that way, but many people and companies do like to sue.

[ihostvps.com]

This LLC is going to be the same as Invision Forum. SMF is free for now. SMF will go the exact way as Invision did. So don't be surprise.

[Tristan Perry]

No it won't - stop flame baiting... just do a search to see the staff support for keeping SMF free.

[青山 素子]

A definite flame bait. Of 5 posts, two are comments about SMF going paid and nothing to back up the accusation.

If anyone has good, solid, verifiable evidence of this project going paid, feel free to bring it up, otherwise shut up with the conspiracy and rumors, they are getting very tiring.

[Aes-Sedai]

Just wondering is a Limited Liability company is really needed for SMF? Does it fear going into bankruptcy and personal assets being taken from the management?

Does it need to be its own entity? To sue and be sued?

Just a query, I do Business Studies at school and would like to know more about why SMF chose the expense and complication? I'm Australian, but our Limited Liability structure are LTD, or PTY LTD as well. You might not want to give away exactly what LLC SMF is. But it's probably PTY LTD. That would be more logical.

Still, why have so much compulsory documentation needed and financial data? That's what happens in Australia. Wouldn't it be better off as a cooperative, rather than a company at all?

Don't get me wrong, I am not attacking SMF's 8-month-old choice. I am just interested.

It is better in general for an organization to be in existence to hold the copyright and other ownership of the project.

As far as I know, there is only one type of LLC in the US. It is really the easiest way to handle a company when more than one person will be involved in it. A general partnership (perhaps what you referred to as a cooperative) doesn't have to be legally registered, and so that makes it harder to determine who owns what. There is incorporation, but that has a lot more documentation and expense involved.

It also helps to have a central licensed entity when you want to handle any potential issues (look at GAIM, where AOL intimidated the developers all individually since there was no one organization in charge). It is a shame to have to think that way, but many people and companies do like to sue.

The cooperative I was talking about is very like a partnership, except I suppose you could call it an incorporated partnership. In Australia, we have the Cooperative Incorporation Act as of 1985 or 84 I don't exactly remember but I was just wondering. I suppose SMF might have some legal troubles but it seems odd to me how a free forum could have any many liability claims against it, but I suppose everyone sues for anything these days. I guess in a Partnership or even a cooperative there would be so much less expense involved
Cooperatives are mainly for dealing with the benefit of the community and no real hierachy; but still, you can segment tasks, that's why I thought SMF would consider a Cooperative. 

But this is all coming from an Australian perspective, I have no ides of how US law defines cooperatives (or even if they allow cooperatives to become incorporated) or companies. Does the US have Proprietory Limited (PTY LTD) and Limited (LTD) companies? Both are limited Liability structures.

[Daniel15]

Limited liability companies in America are quite different from Proprietary limited companies in Australia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited_liability_company

[青山 素子]

Nolo has a very nice overview of what an LLC is

[Aes-Sedai]

Oh okay, so LLC is just like LTD. Same thing, I guess, except I suppose it is more like PTY LTD as you don't list on the Stock Exchange.

Well, there's an international business lesson learnt.

[godboko]

A definite flame bait. Of 5 posts, two are comments about SMF going paid and nothing to back up the accusation.

If anyone has good, solid, verifiable evidence of this project going paid, feel free to bring it up, otherwise shut up with the conspiracy and rumors, they are getting very tiring.

I really hope this was not directed towards me, I have made over 100 posts, and I was only asking fair questions. Why is everyone thats a part of the team so rude to users?

[metallica48423]

it was directed at this post:

This LLC is going to be the same as Invision Forum. SMF is free for now. SMF will go the exact way as Invision did. So don't be surprise.

i personally believe that rudeness does not deserve kindness but i don't go out of my way to be a jerk, either

[Aes-Sedai]

Well if you've made over a hundred, and they said 'of 5 posts' I think we can safely assume it wasn't aimed at you.