[PSUBS-MAILIST] Non-Profit Musings

The more I think about it, the more I'm starting to like the idea of switching captovis (my business) over to a non-profit organization for underwater research. With the task of advancing marine technology and building a data warehouse of information... As well as "semi open patent" for my robotics. I.E. Patents would belong to the org while being open licensed to anyone that wants to use them. Why would tech be patented then? To prevent "Trolls" or companies that patent and hold patent portfolios from getting their hands on the technology for litigation for profit purposes. It would allow anyone and everyone to use the technology and (I hope) further advance marine tech. I'd also like to put out "data stations" or fixed nodes throughout various areas that collected data such as current speed and direction, water temp etc. and make that data open to everyone.

I'm wondering if something like this would be something people would volunteer their time for or would be interested in the end product, I'm thinking that I would have to have a minimum infrastructure of full/part time people/ contractors to fill in specialty positions (Lawyers, Maybe a divemaster/director of divers, an admin) I don't think anyone of the paid people would get very rich doing it either... well, maybe the lawyers, I've never met a "cheap" lawyer.