.... The Linux Foundation and the ASF are both not-for-profit
organizations, but they different significantly in their legal
organizations. I forget the non-project corporation types but
basically, the Linux Foundation is dedicated to free business
development. Projects are controlled through management teams
composed of businesses, usually by paying a fee and getting power
within the project based upon the amount that the business paid
(Silver, Gold, Platinum levels for example).
The ASF is a different kind of not-for-profit organization, it is
dedicated to the people who use the software project, not to
businesses. So for the ASF it is the user community that matters, not
the businesses that use the software. An ASF project is controlled by
individuals in the community that have made significant contributions
to the project. You will often hear ASF people say "Community over
code." (I personally like code more that people, but that is just me).
Here is the missing details:
Linux Foundation is an IRS 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization and the
Apache Software Foundation is an IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
According to
https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=1559:
* 501(c)(3): Religious, Educational, Charitable, Scientific,
Literary, Testing for Public Safety, to Foster National or
International Amateur Sports Competition, or Prevention of Cruelty
to Children or Animals Organizations
* 501(c)(6): Business Leagues, Chambers of Commerce, Real Estate
Boards, etc.
Basically community first vs. business first.
