How can you become a "founding member" 2 years after something is founded?

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The article currently states:

"Power.org was founded in 2004 by IBM ... Freescale joined in 2006 as a founding member..."

In plain English, you can't both join something which has existed (and had many members) for 2 years, and also be a founding member. I take it (from context elsewhere in the article) that what is actually meant is that Freescale joined late, but were granted "Founder"-level status based on previous collaborations with IBM. If so, perhaps someone could come up with a wording that clarifies that "Founder" is more of an honorific? - IMSoP (talk) 00:05, 17 June 2015 (UTC)Reply

I have changed it to 'honorary founding member' as that should be less confusing, but since power.org is no longer online, I don't know of where to find more official details - Torpcoms (talk) 17:37, 26 August 2017 (UTC)Reply
Perhaps the original, albeit a tad confusing, wording is better than a guessed interpretation? Think on this, you have taken what someone wrote, and second-guessed it without any information. Now it has a CERTAIN meaning, unverified and you use a voice of authority as all certainties are authoritative to readers. As such you put the trust of Wikipedia in jeopardy with your change. A confused wording leaves many avenues for the reader, but a certain wording, such as yours, convinces people of only one possibility. The uncertainty perhaps stems from lack of understanding about boards at the executive level of business. IMNE (I am no expert), however, perhaps when one does things properly such as IBM almost always does, they founded it and then procedurally joined it themselves as well as freescale. Think about when you make your own WordPress website. You installed it, you are root, yet you created an account for yourself and maybe a few others. Similarly, IBM may have founded it, and then immediately added procedurally Freescale. So maybe they weren't honorary at all nor added later. Maybe we simply lack information. I don't know anything about Power.org, nor IBM, nor am I an expert in any field. But do think before you shut down a point of view please about what else is possible beyond it being simply "confusing". Do not use authoritative voice unless you know the facts. Don't be a bully of the reader. Let people's imagination have possibilities. If you don't know details, state so. "Data shows Freescale is a founding member but when they joined we do not know" is way simpler and honest is it not? :) Najob (talk) 22:09, 18 April 2020 (EDT)