Is LAMS a commercial venture, or a charitable venture, or a combination?
Overall, it is a combination, with different organisations playing different roles. The LAMS Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation set up to own the core LAMS software, and to release this as open source software to the public benefit of education worldwide. The LAMS Foundation seeks funding from government and charitable foundations to support the ongoing development of the core LAMS software, and to release these developments as open source software. The LAMS Foundation is a “virtual organisation”, in that it does not employ any staff in its own right – it relies on MELCOE for R&D, and LAMS International for implementation services. As a not-for-profit organization, the LAMS Foundation is not a commercial venture. LAMS International Pty Ltd is a commercial services company set up to provide implementation and technical support for LAMS deployment on a commercial basis. LAMS International also has the right, on behalf of the LAMS Foundation, to provide non-GPL licenses for LAMS