Matthew Garrett

Benefiting their ("corporate") membership rather than the community as a whole isn't really the issue (as I see it), it's changing the definition of "member" so that individuals not attached to large companies can no longer have a say. It's not as if, previously, anyone with a Linux box at home could cast votes for board members; you had to pay your dues and as such you were entitled to have the Linux Foundation support, or at least consider, your interests as a member. But with the stroke of a pen your membership has been downgraded and your right to have the LF represent your interests has been taken away. Whatever you might think of the LF or of membership associations in general, it's still a dubious practice from a governance perspective. If you add the fact that it's pretty clearly been done to shunt a specific person or viewpoint from having a voice on the board, it's a really bad look for the Foundation.