I'm not sure why you are blaming the WordPress Foundation for this. What am I missing?

The foundation has obviously made a set of rules that are meant for the good of everyone in the community. As a teacher, most rules in schools are put in place for that one knuckle-head student that wants to push the limit. I can see a parallel here. Most people have never organized a large event before. I can totally see someone coming home from SF with the best intentions, planning a giant circus of an event, and then totally failing. If that event had sponsors that sunk 20k, 30k, 40k into that event - they're going to be angry. That would be a huge black-eye to the entire WordPress community. I don't think society at large understands how the WP community works, and they would be pointing fingers back at the foundation and Automattic. However as the oldest event, and presumably with the most experienced organizers, I think we can trust them to use the money wisely and pull it off in the end. Double standard? Yes. What's "fair" isn't always best. When I'm in the classroom and the honor student asks me to use the restroom, but he's out of passes for the grading period, I'm probably going to let him.

I also have experience in churches. If the biggest donor in the congregation asks to bend a rule, maybe to hold a private party in a classroom when there's a rule against it, I'm probably going to let him. In the same way, Matt is a co-founder of the project and his business is a generous benefactor to the project. If he wants to hold a large event, bring in big-name speakers and big-name donors, you should probably shut up and let him. I'd venture to say that many people denouncing Matt's influence on the SF event also make their living from WordPress in some way. WordPress...That thing that Matt was influential in making what it is? Do any of you develop sites for clients on WordPress for a living? I don't think "WPTavern" would have a lot to blog about if the WordPress project and subsequent eco-system didn't exist.

I can empathize with the camp organizers that are frustrated with the apparent double standard. Maybe the WordPress foundation isn't really happy about this. Have they made an official statement? If I were to organize a WordCamp in my city and the foundation told me to change something, I could choose to tell them "no" and do whatever I want. We're all grown-ups with free will. Maybe behind the scenes the foundation asked WCSF to change some things and they politely declined.

Sure, call it a different name to eliminate confusion. Jane put up a brass-tacks honest explanation of why they didn't this year. Jane's posts come across snarky or sardonic to some people. To me she sounds like someone with a full plate, frustrated with people who sit back and complain while she and others on her team are actually doing someting. Please read: http://central.wordcamp.org/news/2011/01/24/wordcampsf-not-wordcon/

My advice? Shut your collective mouth. Don't piss down the well you're drinking out of.