Alex Hudson home@alexhudson.com [...]
Of course it's not a exact comparison, but then nothing ever is. I think we can learn a lot from Fair Trade type systems, though.
I agree, but I tend to think we can learn "how not to do it" as Fair Trade approves horrors like "baby milk" Nestle and "don't mention our salmonella pipe" Cadburys, lets the supply chain pocket much of the premium commanded by the Fair Trade mark and is mostly silent about the unfair traders. It's only when they're in multi-organisation alliances that I've noticed anything about the problems of unfair trade from the Fairtrade Foundation. They try to promote a comparative "this is better" label without talking about what it's better than. Madness.
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If the GBN is solely about applauding those businesses who do work with only free software, then I suppose it will have its niche. I don't see that type of system encouraging other businesses to change, though, and that strikes me as the more important issue.
I'd be quite happy for it to label branches of a business, but I think the product level is far too open to exploit. If there is a product level, there should also be some general whole-business standard to exclude a NestleSoft.
I'd also be happy to see multi-level contrib and main labels.
Hope that helps,