2007-07-06 david-others
From espians
Regarding the irc discussion:
Contents |
Happysearchin's preamble
big decision: wtf or espra.. projections for both please... positively defined... how both can occur....
please consider that whatever the decision made by the collective is, we have pursued both paths (wtf v espra 0.1), so that whichever direction is chosen, each one of us has found strong positive purpose in either... which means no one is dragging their feet waiting for others to do anything... instead, we are all a team, and we are going forwards together
that is, this decision-making process makes us as a collective stronger, and each of us individually, better placed :)
Evangineer's preamble
My take
The way the original question was framed and the process for decision making were both far from optimal.
The real question is what are people as participants in the collective ready and willing to do in terms of investing their own time, energy and money (either in terms of spending or opportunity cost).
If people are pushing for effort on the espra front, what are they willing to do to support that?
Likewise, if people want WTF what are they willing to do to support that?
Questions
- Should we hand Rich Mix a sizable cheque to hire them as a venue for WTF?
- How do we raise funds to finance 24weeks/espra beyond the next month? 100K+ needed?
- Do we care about retaining our credibility with various parties enough to follow through with a WTF this month?
- How do we make the WTF worthwhile and successful?
Process
There are a number of things we can do to improve the decision-making process:
- Rather than spend time discussing stuff on the channel, just get all the issues and options on to a wiki page (such as this one) and make sure everyone has read it before hand, so that we can concentrate on voting with minimal discussion.
- Actually have a process i.e. Use of Internet Relay Chat (IRC) in Distributed Consensus Forming, btw this is not a specific recommendation, just an example process.
WTF
- we get 1000 people at an exciting networking event
- i can help with this as a greeter i suppose, a host... david
- we tell them about espra
- "WTF is espra?" a big fat document, i believe... david
- some companies like the idea and want to invest
- i could meet companies too, though in a limited way i guess... david
- sponsorship... [guilhem?]
- it's fun exciting, and we have a bunch of people expecting and desiring it
- the awareness of it is there
- there is a good team feeling about creating it...
- we have learned how to collaborate well
- using wiki for example... david
espra
- tav works on the espra alpha 1 release with sbp and whoever
- meanwhile others build a good network of trust
- i can contact people, explain to nongeeks... david
- people are involved because they actually contribute, like wikipedia
- some people just want to consume, and use the espra platform when its functionality enables them to do what they want...
- start relationships of engagement with companies
- done a little of this in the past, perhaps initial engagement to arrange for big wigs to be involved... david
- investment potential with a real bit of software to show... [guilhem?]
- weekly wtf for people to update each other
- record what people are doing, inviting in new people, making proper decisions only a friday... that could be interesting... david
- we have a party when they get it done and invite interested parties
- substantial deals are made on that day, if not close to it
- we set up a wtf in a month after the release, using the system as the basic platform
- we have something to show people at the wtf, having set up the wtf using it
the non-profit option (i.e. low-hanging fruit)
- a single, high-profile success will create interest/investment/groundswell and catalyze cooperation within the group
- espra enables the world; let's start by enabling one organization
- pick an exciting, well-known nonprofit, and create a comprehensive cooperative game plan for them, the centerpriece of which is espra
- working with an established nonprofit will make it easier to direct public money into the project
- esp gains low-risk, community-supported experience in actually applying espra to a use case
- once espra has revolutionized one organization, the money is bound to start flowing and people will show up
- I would suggest the freelancersunion.org as a good first target, since they are a large network of individuals already experienced in the kind of work situation that goes on at esp--mattcoop 17:30, 5 July 2007 (UTC)
- green.tv is based on plexnet code, is needing an upgrade (to "the platform", and has NGO and NPO partners.
Declarations of intent
Evangineer
espra
In this context, I am willing to support the development of alpha 1 as best as I can. I'm not clear what my best role is here, I could do work on documentation, I could get a spare set of keys to tav's place and become his shadow ensuring he gets alpha 1 done taking on the role of gatekeeper and blocking unnecessary distractions, and kicking his ass if he gets too self-indulgent when he should be working.
WTF
In this context, I am willing to take full responsibility for making WTF meet my personal criteria for success, not taking no from ANYONE including tav and kicking the ass of anyone who tries to stop me doing as I see fit in this regard.
Fundraising
Again, I'm willing to support the fundraising effort through information gathering, helping write supporting documentation and briefing those making contact with prospective sponsors/investors.
--Evangineer 09:53, 6 July 2007 (UTC)
happyseaurchin
espra
Happy to engage people while the espra platform is being written. This might be about getting sponsorship for the next wtf, or for 24weeks generally, or establishing investment contacts with companies. This might be inviting people to think-cycles, to help design the next stage of espra. This is the time of sewing seeds.
WTF
I will do my best contacting, inviting and engaging people in the process, and playing around with new ways of non-managed collaboration. I hope the wtf will be a surprise to me, an opportunity for people to realise how networking really works for everyone's benefit. I like the idea of doing this in an amusing, social art, kind of way. After all, it is all about creating opportunity, and the spirit in which it is done should come across in everything we do :)
--Happyseaurchin 09:56, 6 July 2007 (UTC)
both
If we do both, we need Tav's contacts and engagement with the funding project to be minimal.
- he calls everyone and invites them to the 28th...
- if anyone is not convinced, then invite them in on specific day, eg next friday to do a presentation...
- we can invite people in for that too...
- he needs to thrash out an investment plan with guilhem and dermott... and i am willing to oversee that...
- he should be able to start coding by monday... maybe tuesday... he can call a few people a day after that to keep himself in the human loop
the decision!
Wow, after careful deliberation, we recommend going down both! We are going to go ahead with WTF, and writing the first Espra platform! Wow.
The idea is, Tav will be responsible for getting the Espra 0.1 written for the WTF, probably 28th July. He will be contacting his contacts this weekend and early next week, as well as compiling a provisional funding strategy with guilhem, dermot, and whoever else, with me just taking part to make sure everyone is happy. All he will have to do, we think, is appear every friday to do a presentation to people if needed. He can keep abreast of the developments through wiki and irc if he so chooses. I hope he spends most of his time coding, with help from eg sbp and mamading might keep a check on things in order to perhaps write up some documentation. This might be useful for funding, as well as for WTF if the espra system is not up and running by then.
Meanwhile, Mamading and I and whoever else we can attract into this venture, are going all out to make wtf happen. Calling people, contacting new networks, inviting people in to expand the net, coming up with some more games and play, and confirming people for the day. Mamading has given his committment to making the event happen, and it's up to us to do the best we can to help make this a reality.
Regarding the funding drive. With a provisional ramp of financial incentives, offering simple sponsorship of the wtf on the day, the 24week project generally, as well as investment in Espra, we should be able to open up doors to just about any company. Sponsorship deals are feasible before the wtf, and realistically, the investment is more dependent on the documentation or indeed espra platform which will be launched at the wtf.
The process by which this decision was made is interesting, and might want to be documented, streamlined so that decisions are arrived at with a little less pain.
--Happyseaurchin 12:06, 6 July 2007 (UTC)
the plan
Tav has agreed to work on the Espra system, and he has asked Mamading and I to modify the plan of 1000 for a WTF to 100 select networkers. Mamading is confident about making the WTF happen, redubbing it "The First 100". Guilhem is working on the funding initiative.
We had a further meeting on Sunday 8th July (Mamading, Tav, Guilhem, Charles, Dermott and David) to confirm our intentions and to finalise the financial plan.
- Mamading is committed to making the 28th/29th July a success, called "The First 100"
- Tav is working on the Espra system, producing Alpha 1 for "The First 100"
- Guilhem is writing up a 20 something-page business plan to be ready for "The First 100"
- David is helping Mamading make the event run well, and suggested the event should be called "The Last 100" because of the meaning balance (last as in final, and last as in latest)
--Happyseaurchin 13:00, 9 July 2007 (UTC)
