he "Apertus Association" or the full name "Apertus - Association supporting open and free audiovisual media and technology / Verein zur Förderung offener und freier audiovisueller Medien und Technologie" is an officially government registered (ZVR: 876203732) non-profit entity - operating worldwide with its headquarter in Austria.
The Association was founded by Sebastian Pichelhofer at the end of September 2012.
Apertus Association
Mortaraplatz 11/2/6
A-1200 Vienna
Austria
Chairman: Sebastian Pichelhofer
Vice Chairman: Oscar Spierenburg
Advisory Board: Herbert Pötzl
Advisory Board: Robin Heinemann
You can contact the board by emailing to board [at] apertus [dot] org
The association serves the common good and does not seek profit in any way. It supports and nurses the creation and distribution of knowledge, creativity and seeks to establish a network around open source technologies in the area of audiovisual media production aka. digital cinema.
The Association is run by a set of rules - our constitution called Association bylaws. These clearly define what can and what cannot be done in the Association and establishes a fundamental democratic framework as organization structure. The board of directors run the association and they are elected by the Association members just like a government in a democratic state.
The Associations finances are handled in a very transparent way. The highest commandment is that no member should ever benefit from the Association financially but everyone should benefit from the means the association provides to the common good. So donating to the association guarantees that your contribution will be used to fulfill the association's goals. The association will also protect the names of donators if they have not otherwise (public listing) requested this. In addition, the Association's accounts are reviewed and approved by an independent registered auditor annually.
The Association is a legal body similar to a company or foundation. It protects its members and their freedoms as well as the freedoms of the associations assets/means.
Supporting members help the association by making a regularly reoccurring donation and/or by endorsing the association and its goals publicly with their name.
The bylaws define ordinary member requirements as: "Ordinary members must already have proven they are willing to advance the associations means with their personal contribution."
That means you must have contributed something to the project already: source code, website design, graphics design, hardware plans, administrative tasks, publications, translations, helping organize an event, creating PR material, giving or preparing an apertus° talk/conference, etc.
Just participating in discussion (being active on this forum) is well appreciated but not by itself "advancing the associations means". Also having or sharing an idea (as strict as it may seem) is not yet a contribution. Though If you show that you are willing and working on making that idea turn into reality (like show work in progress material) that's "proving you are willing to advance the associations means with your personal contribution." and therefore enough to become an ordinary association member.
To apply for Association membership please fill out this online form. Please make sure you have read, understood and agree to the associations bylaws. To request reimbursement for association related activities please use this form (we also require scanned invoices in addition to the reimbursement form - use one line per invoice).