Draft Unofficial Page for collecting ideas
This page does not state JA-SIG policy. This is merely a page for collecting ideas. Your ideas are welcome here, as are your comments on these ideas.
Why does this page exist?
JA-SIG offers several membership options, including institutional memberships with a varied pricing scale depending on size of institution, and commercial affiliate memberships for commercial entities looking to business on or around JA-SIG software and community. Additionally, JA-SIG has discussed from time to time an alternative, non-voting associate level of commercial affiliation (e.g., for entities looking to support but not be involved in JA-SIG) and a very-small-commercial-affiliate "freelancer" level of membership for individuals looking to make more formal their availability to do paid side work on JA-SIG projects.
The question this page seeks to answer is, what sorts of things might JA-SIG do to convey value to these potential commercial affiliates, thereby making the membership offering compelling? It stands to reason that JA-SIG can charge commercial affiliate fees only comensurate with the value experienced by the affiliates. More value means more affiliates and more fees, which helps JA-SIG to be more sustainable as a corporation.
What does this page not address?
It's likely true that different levels of commercial affiliation would yield different subsets of available value. This page doesn't attempt to map out exactly which levels and which price points get which spiffs. In fact, this page isn't (yet?) about selecting which of the potential spiffs are appropriate or realistic. The current goal is to tease out the possibilities.
Ways JA-SIG can provide value to commercial affiliates
We love you just the way you are
JA-SIG provides some value simply by existing and doing what it does, providing an umbrella organization, structure, infrastructure, momentum, regular gatherings, etc., for this community, so that there is a community which commercial affiliates can service. It is good not to over-state this value – note that this value is particularly available to freeloaders – but this is nonetheless a real value. Commercial affiliates value being commercial affiliates because serving in this role helps JA-SIG to be sustainable.