Tracy;

I would like to know what the two issues (Matthew and the directors) are 
that seem to be the center of all the legal problems.

I think that if you are asking for money from OpenMPE to back the legal 
defense of the Directors,
the stakeholders need to know exactly what the legal issues are ?

What is the suit and counter-suit ?

Why was Matthew removed ?

How much money will be needed for the defense ?

OpenMPE needs to be open about these issues since there is no 
confidential clause attached.

Just my .01 canadian cent,

Olav


Johnson, Tracy wrote:

>>From the OpenMPE Chairman:
>
>To the HP3000 MPE Community:
>
>This is a most difficult letter to write, especially considering that I
>have been in the role of Chairman of the OpenMPE board for less than a
>month.
>
>OpenMPE needs additional monies - in short, your contributions.  Our
>group that represents the MPE community has had a busy end of 2010, full
>of developments and challenges we are working to solve.  We want to make
>ourselves a resource for your needs, be it homesteading, emulator
>implementation, and, to a lesser extent than in the past, an ongoing
>advocacy role with HP.
>
>We are grateful for the financial contributors whom have so generously
>supported us in the past year.   The OpenMPE board wishes to extend very
>special thanks and acknowledgments to Neil Harvey & Associates, ORBiT
>Software Group, Inc. and Robelle Solutions Technology Inc. for their
>very generous financial contributions.  We also wish to thank Abtech
>Support, Allegro Consultants, Inc., Pivital Solutions, Inc., Terix
>Computer Service and the 3000 Newswire for their contributions. 
>
>As final mention, we thank our own board members for their recent
>financial contributions:  Keith Wadsworth, Tony Tibbenham, Alan
>Tibbetts, Tracy Johnson and lastly, myself.  Let me outline the work
>that this new round of fund raising will do.
>
>Current Extraordinary Expenses:
>
>1.      Litigation
>
>Last November OpenMPE removed its Treasurer, Matthew Perdue, from the
>Board of Directors.  The former Treasurer has in turn filed suit against
>OpenMPE, so we are in the midst of a united legal defense, with lawyers
>representing two of our directors named as individuals in Perdue's suit,
>as well as the organization as a whole.
>
>Although we have initiated our defenses with funds provided by
>individual board members, we will need additional funds to bring the
>suit to closure.
>
>We believe the suit has no merit.  However that is for the court of
>Bexar County, Texas to decide.
>
>2.      Reorganization
> 
>We are restructuring OpenMPE to function as a truly viable corporation,
>one which includes a mission statement with a business plan to support
>it. We will move forward as a self-sustaining entity.
>
>We have also obtained directors and officers insurance to protect
>present and future board members from individual liability. 
>
>While the loss of the original Invent3K HP3000 server and cash related
>to the dismissal of our former treasurer have put our 2010 tax liability
>at zero, our CPA still must be paid for preparation and filing of those
>documents.
>
>There are also attendant legal fees required to reorganize OpenMPE
>properly.
>
>3.  Infrastructure
>
>Although Client Systems was kind enough to contribute another HP3000
>(which happens to be the old MPE Source machine from Cupertino) for
>Invent3K to replace the one lost, shipping was not free.
>
>Due to the misdirection of the OpenMPE.org domain, which was also under
>Perdue's control, OpenMPE has accepted an offer to lease the OpenMPE.com
>domain from Steve Cooper of Allegro Consultants.
>
>There are a number of additional small expenses, such as a USPS PO box,
>which, while not large individually, do mount up.
>
>Path Forward
>
>Here is what post-2010 OpenMPE is proposing as its focus.
>
>1.  Advocacy
>
>We have taken some first steps to re-engage with HP to assist in areas
>crucial to the community.
>
>*  Upgrades to HP 3000s are a murky area at the moment, something we
>hope to help with by shaping HP process and policy.
>
>*  HP subsystems for Stromasys' Zelus emulator will no doubt be needed
>as well as O/S upgrades.  
>
>*  Releasing HP approved solutions to alleviate down time due to system
>board changes by third party support vendors -- which result in
>HPSUSAN/HPCPUNAME changes and disabling of third party tools and
>products.
>
>2.  Products  
>
>Client Systems has agreed to offer HP subsystems through OpenMPE at 50%
>off HP list price.  This is but one of several developments we are
>pursuing to serve our community.
>
>If approved by HP, a tool/patch to load on existing HP3000s which can be
>activated when a system board is changed to allow the system to return
>to production and set up a scheduled HPCE visit to properly set the
>stable storage.
>
>Invent3K has been implemented on two servers with much of the CSL,
>Interex proceedings, and, hopefully, at least some of the Jazz content
>will soon be available.
>
>As mentioned above, Client Systems provided the new Invent3Ksystem and
>subsystems.  Hosting for this primary server is provided by David Floyd
>and the team at The Support Group. Tracy Johnson, Secretary/Treasurer
>(and Invent3K system manager), hosts the mirror system at Measurement
>Specialties, Inc.
>
>Invent3K can be reached via VT-MGR, NS/VT, or TELNET at
>Invent3K.openmpe.com.
>
>For those having an Invent3K account, access to compilers and HP tools
>provides a more or less virtual development space.
>
>New Website: As mentioned above, OpenMPE lost control of its domain name
>www.openmpe.org <http://www.openmpe.org/>   (which was redirected for
>some time to HP.COM and, at last check, now goes to GoDaddy.)
>
>Again, thanks to Steve Cooper of Allegro Consultants, we have been able
>to respond to this issue which put OpenMPE in internet limbo and can now
>be found at OpenMPE.com.
>
>Please revise your bookmarks to visit our site at the new address.  The
>web site is available once more and ready for you with development and
>technical resources.
>
>A Reasonable Funding Goal
>
>Given the expected costs of the outlined items, OpenMPE considers
>$50,000 as a reasonable goal to secure a viable future.
>
>These monies will cover insurance, operating costs for our servers, and
>funds to provide legal services to answer the lawsuit.  The community
>can already enjoy some services, and others are on track now:
>
>    1)  We are Hosting INVENT3K accounts.  Contact us to get your
>account on this public access development server stocked with HP's
>subsystem software.
>
>    2)  We are hosting the classic Interex conference proceedings
>online, the first time these tech papers have been available since
>Interex closed down.
>
>In the future, we'll be hosting former Jazz services. We'll also
>providing MPE support vendor referrals - and, as mentioned earlier, in a
>new venture with Client Systems, we will be selling HP subsystem
>programs at a 50 percent discount.
>
>Some of you may remember we announced we'd charge $99 US for exclusive
>subscriptions to our Invent3K machine, but were asked to hold off on
>payment.
>
>With the removal of the former Treasurer, we had to restart our bank
>account, but we are again able to receive funds.
>
>>From our website, you can send a PayPal payment for those accounts
>you've signed up for; we'll be sending invoices shortly for those of you
>who require them for business purposes.
>
>For the rest of our community, we need your help in contributions of any
>kind. You may send checks to: 
>
>OpenMPE, Inc.
>P.O. Box 3524
>Hampton, VA  23663-0524
>
>Please get in touch with us with your questions and ideas, and watch our
>websites (openmpe.com, as well as our OpenMPE News blog) for more
>developments.
>
>We look forward to moving ahead with your assistance and guidance.
>
>Sincerely,
>Jack Connor
>Chairman, OpenMPE Board
><[log in to unmask]>
>
>
>
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