[Cadre-politics] policy decision: giving up hosting

[Michelle Murrain]

Dan MacNeil wrote:
> The CSL board is discussing ending our email/web hosting. They 
> will probably make a final decision in March.

<snip>

I'm an outsider (and a new list member) but I think I might have some 
perspective, having actually done hosting myself a while back (from 
2001-2004).

It's true, if you simply consider hosting TCO/economies of scale, there 
is no good reason for you to be in this business. There is simply no way 
you can match what other hosts can do. And the gap will get wider every 
year, as Amazon and Google start pouring their huge data center 
resources into the cloud.

That said, there is a model you should know about. One I find compelling 
and interesting, and one that you might even consider. There is a 
nonprofit organization in NYC called May First/People Link 
(http://www.mayfirst.org), that is a membership organization. For $200 a 
year, nonprofit organizations get hosting, and support related to 
hosting and some other things (like a Drupal install). What they get is 
basically a community of people who are committed to progressive causes, 
and work together to provide resources to organizations that need them.

 From what I understand, the reason the they are in this business is to 
provide non-corporate connected resources to the progressive movement. 
Organizations that are members are also similarly committed. They make 
more revenue by providing consulting services and the like.

I'd be happy to connect you to someone there who can talk to you in more 
detail about what they do, and how and why they do it.

Peace,
Michelle
-- 
Michelle Murrain
Coordinator, Nonprofit Open Source Initiative
michelle at nosi.net
http://nosi.net