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Agm 2004

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    #32
    maxheadroom
    Registered Users Posts: 1,569 ✭✭✭maxheadroom


    Originally posted by Poz3D
    I kind of figured they're the same thing. If you form a company and don't set out to make a profit, you're not doing a great job as a company :) Most non-profit organisations (such as charities) are set up because one or two people have a desire to carry out their job, but will the same apply to Group Data Schemes? Will you be able to create lots of wireless networks and spend a lot of work on them, for no pay? And if you do get paid, wouldn't that be considered profit making?

    no - a lot of not for profit orginisations hire staff. You count staff costs as one of your operating expenses and offset your expenses against your income. Any surplus income (=profit) is reinvested into the orginisation.


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    #33
    SkepticOne
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,718 ✭✭✭SkepticOne


    Originally posted by Dangger
    I have not posted any names on purpose until I get a definitive list back from the minute man.
    Right, here's the names.

    Existing committee members returned:
    Elana Kehoe
    Brian Kidney
    John Hackett

    New members elected:
    Adam Beecher (Chairman, interim)
    John Timmons
    Gareth Pelly
    Damien Mulley
    Ronan Briem

    Good meeting I agree. Great presentations given by Christian and Paul. Many thanks to those volunteering for the interim committee till September and everyone that turned up.

    Personally, I enjoyed the whole thing. I had some interesting conversations during the break and before and after the meeting. My only regret was that I couldn't stay long for the session afterwards.


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    #34
    oscarBravo
    Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 28,791 Mod ✭✭✭✭oscarBravo


    Originally posted by Poz3D
    I kind of figured they're the same thing. If you form a company and don't set out to make a profit, you're not doing a great job as a company :)
    Check your premises. First of all, neither KCN nor GDSS was set up as a company. There are really good reasons for this. The profit motive is the number one reason so many people in Ireland don't have broadband. I'm not knocking companies for wanting to make a profit; equally I don't see why people should have to wait for something to be profitable before it can be provided. How many group water schemes were set up with profit in mind?
    Most non-profit organisations (such as charities) are set up because one or two people have a desire to carry out their job, but will the same apply to Group Data Schemes? Will you be able to create lots of wireless networks and spend a lot of work on them, for no pay?
    Those are questions to which the answers will become clear over the next while. As to whether it can work or not: I have broadband, as do a number of my neighbours. This is no longer a theoretical concept.
    And if you do get paid, wouldn't that be considered profit making?
    No, of course not.


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    #35
    Poz3D
    Registered Users Posts: 191 ✭✭Poz3D


    Originally posted by maxheadroom
    no - a lot of not for profit orginisations hire staff. You count staff costs as one of your operating expenses and offset your expenses against your income. Any surplus income (=profit) is reinvested into the orginisation.
    OK thanks for that clarification :)
    Originally posted by oscarBravo
    Those are questions to which the answers will become clear over the next while. As to whether it can work or not: I have broadband, as do a number of my neighbours. This is no longer a theoretical concept.
    I can see how it'd work with small numbers, but once it starts growing, I don't know if it'll be sustainable. Like you say, we'll only know the answers when this begins to grow to bigger proportions.


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    #36
    SkepticOne
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,718 ✭✭✭SkepticOne


    Personally, having seen the presentation and having been to Knockmore, I think the GDS's will have a far greater impact people imagine.

    Beyond the immediate and obvious advantages of having a community owned and run network, a powerful message is being sent out to the telcos (Eircom in particular), that essentially they can be bypassed. At the local level (initally at least) they are not needed.

    I would not expect many people here to see this yet, but you can be sure that the telcos are watching very carefully.

    This is just my opinion, I am not involved in any way with the GDS or the KCN. I was not involved in setting up these either.

    With regards to profit, if such an organisation is community owned and run, then 'profits' or the equivalent term would naturally be reinvested. The members of the co-op have put the money in themselves. Why 'take profit' if it is your own money in the first place that you are taking; it would make more sense to vote in a reduction in monthly dues than accumulate funds over and above maintenance costs and capital investment. Your interest as a member is in getting whatever service the group as a whole is providing. Moreover, it is in your interest to continue sustaining the coop in order to continue getting the service. This are just observations about coops - not specific to broadband or GDSs.

    With regard to size, the Kerry coop grew pretty big before it became a company.


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