536 lines
26 KiB
Markdown
536 lines
26 KiB
Markdown
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---
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title: Ford foundation
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---
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# Ford foundation
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> Status: **pending**
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* [Previous material](https://notes.bonfire.cafe/nlnet-bonfire-coopcloud-hosting)
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* [Application](https://fordfoundation.forms.fm/2023-digital-infrastructure-insights-fund-rfp/forms/9724)
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## Is this concept note primarily focused on research or implementation?
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- Implementation
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## What is your research question? (30 words)
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How can an open co-operative ecosystem foster a sustainable, resilient
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infrastructure for FLOSS (Free/Libre Open Source software) development,
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hosting, and tech support, while enhancing data ownnership, transparency and
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co-operation?
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## Why is this question important to answer and how does it relate to our fund? (500 words)
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This is a challenge of paramount importance as it aims to design and test a
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model for a sustainable, resilient open co-operative ecosystem amidst a digital
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landscape overshadowed by large centralized profit-driven entities.
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The hegemony of a few colossal platforms has led to myriad challenges
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including, but not limited to, data privacy infringements, misinformation
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dissemination, and a significant digital divide. Such challenges thwart the
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internet's potential to act as a public commons and hinder the growth of a
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democratic, open, and inclusive digital infrastructure.
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The envisioned open co-operative ecosystem is a step towards remedying the
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prevalent issues of centralization and lack of inclusivity in the digital
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domain. It proposes a holistic approach encompassing technical innovation,
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co-operative economics, and community-centric governance - where software,
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infrastructure and communities are not isolated entities, but are part of a
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common ecosystem.
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This aligns profoundly with this fund's objective of exploring and remedying
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the issues of under-maintenance and occasional undermining of FLOSS. The
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proposed self-sustaining economic model is aimed at ensuring the longevity and
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resilience of both the open co-operative ecosystem and all the actors involved:
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FLOSS developers and designers, sysadmins and hosting providers, and all the
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other figures that struggle to reach sustainability by working in and for the
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FLOSS sector.
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Furthermore, the proposed project is not merely a technical endeavor but a
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multi-dimensional initiative aimed at fostering a digital infrastructure that
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is equitable, sustainable, secure, and entrenched in the public interest.
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Our proposed integration aims to simplify the setup, hosting and operating of
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FLOSS software, through an open dashboard that automates the whole software
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life cycle. This dashboard will act as a gateway to an ecosystem of developers
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and hosting providers, which will work together to provide users and
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communities with:
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- Openness: Designers, developers, and sysadmins can join the ecosystem to
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provide services and receive compensation;
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- Mutualism: Projects and communities that meet specific criteria may exchange
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services in-kind, or benefit from special rates;
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- Flexibility: From a personal instance to a large community, the open
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ecosystem will guide the user based on their specific needs and budget;
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- Inclusivity: Users and communities can collectively shape the ecosystem's
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roadmaps, by co-designing and funding desired features.
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From the other side, the dashboard will also operate as an economic network to
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track each contribution and distribute the available funds according to value
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equation formulas as democratically defined by the ecosystem stakeholders.
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## What research methods will you use to answer this question? (Please describe the methodologies and scope of your proposed research (500 words))
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To comprehensively address the research question, a blend of interdisciplinary
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methods will be employed to ensure a thorough analysis, development, and
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evaluation of the proposed integrated Bonfire and Co-op Cloud ecosystem. The
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methodologies are outlined as follows:
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- Literature Review:
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An extensive literature review will be conducted to gather insights on existing
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models of open co-operative ecosystems, challenges and best practices in FLOSS
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development, hosting, and funding, and the impact of decentralized digital
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infrastructures on promoting inclusivity and co-operation.
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- Surveys & Interviews:
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By using mixed methods we aim to gather insights from relevant parties such as
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instance administrators, app maintainers, and FOSS contributors.
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- User-Centered Design (UCD):
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Utilizing UCD principles, we will engage potential users and stakeholders in
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the design and development process. This will include conducting surveys,
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interviews, and usability testing to gather user requirements, preferences, and
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feedback on prototype iterations.
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- Technical Development and Prototyping:
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The core of the research involves the technical development and prototyping of
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the integrated dashboard that facilitates the setup, hosting, and operation of
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custom Bonfire instances (the first FOSS application to be integrated in the
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open dashboard). Agile development methodologies, including iterative design
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and development cycles, will be employed to ensure a user-centric approach and
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to allow for continuous feedback and improvement.
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- Case Studies:
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Detailed case studies of relevant initiatives will be conducted to glean
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insights into best practices, challenges, and success factors. Comparative
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analysis will help in understanding the potential impact and sustainability of
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the proposed ecosystem. We already have communities willing to participate in
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these case studies, that span from citizen science projects
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(https://niboe.info), hacker spaces (https://www.facebook.com/Zer081),
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bioregional communities (driftless area), and more...
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- Economic Modeling:
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Economic modeling will be employed to devise a transparent value equation for
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revenue distribution among stakeholders. This will also involve exploring
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sustainable funding models that ensure the longevity and resilience of the
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proposed ecosystem. We will make use of the ValueFlows protocol to test several
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value equations: https://www.valueflo.ws/algorithms/equations/
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- Policy and Legal Analysis:
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An examination of the policy and legal frameworks that could impact, or be
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impacted by, the proposed ecosystem will be conducted. This includes analyzing
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data privacy laws, open-source licensing, and cooperative economic regulations.
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- Dissemination and Feedback:
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Sharing the findings and prototypes with the broader community through various
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channels including conferences, blog posts, social media, and project websites
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for feedback and further refinement.
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## What data or other resources will you use to answer the question? (500 words)
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- Domain Experts and Stakeholder Interviews:
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Insights from domain experts in FLOSS development, digital co-operatives,
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hosting solutions, and decentralized digital infrastructures. Interviews with
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stakeholders including developers, hosting providers, and potential users of
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the proposed ecosystem.
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- Economic Models and Financial Data:
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Economic models pertinent to revenue distribution, funding, and sustainability
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of open cooperative ecosystems. Financial data of similar initiatives to
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understand their economic sustainability and impact.
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- Legal and Policy Documents:
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Legal documents, open-source licenses, and policy frameworks relevant to data
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privacy, digital rights, and co-operative economic structures.
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- Technical Documentation:
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Technical documentation of Bonfire, Co-op Cloud, and other open-source projects
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pertinent to the research. Documentation on protocols, standards, and best
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practices in FLOSS development, hosting, and support.
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- Open Source Software Repositories:
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Access to open-source software repositories to study existing solutions,
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libraries, and frameworks that could be leveraged for the technical development
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of the proposed ecosystem.
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- Prototyping Tools and Development Platforms:
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Utilization of prototyping tools and development platforms for designing,
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developing, and testing the integrated dashboard and associated features.
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## If applicable: What is the research finding that you are moving into practice? (500 words)
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The findings we are acting upon highlight the pressing necessity for a digital
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ecosystem that prioritizes sustainability, decentralization, and cooperation
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while advancing open-source software development, hosting, support, and
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funding.
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Existing research and case studies have highlighted the challenges posed by the
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large centralized and profit-driven digital platforms, which often compromise
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data privacy, inclusivity, and the democratic ethos of the digital realm.
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Noteworthy findings from prior researches that underpin our project include:
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- Co-operative Ecosystems:
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Research on co-operative models -- notably "Proposal for a Cooperative Model
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for Digital Infrastructure and Recommendations to Adopt It" by Tierra Comun in
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2022 -- has revealed the potential for fostering sustainable and equitable
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digital ecosystems. Co-operative structures, grounded in principles of
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mutualism and collective governance, have shown promise in promoting economic
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sustainability and community-centric development.
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- Need for Decentralization:
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Studies have underscored the benefits of decentralized digital infrastructures
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in promoting data sovereignty, reducing censorship, and fostering innovation
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through open standards and interoperability as well as ("Accounting and Billing
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for Federated Cloud Infrastructures", Elmroth et al., 2009 Eighth International
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Conference on Grid and Cooperative Computing) the specific challenges in
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tracking and distributing financial costs across these decentralized networks.
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- Open Source as a Public Good:
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The literature has extensively documented the value of FLOSS as a public good,
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which can drive down costs, promote technical innovation, and foster a shared
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digital commons.
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- Challenges in FLOSS Sustainability:
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Several reports (e.g. "Roads and Bridges: The Unseen Labor Behind Our Digital
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Infrastructure", Nadia Eghbal, "The labor of maintaining and scaling free and
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open-source software projects", Geiger et al, Proceedings of the ACM on
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human-computer interaction 5.CSCW1, and "The coproduction of open source
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software by volunteers and big tech firms", O'Neil et al., News and Media
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Research Centre, 2021) have highlighted the challenges in sustaining open
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source projects, often due to lack of funding, technical support, and a viable
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economic model.
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- User-Centric Design:
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The importance of user-centric design in the development of digital platforms
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to ensure accessibility, usability, and adoption has been well-documented.
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- Community Engagement:
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Engaging communities in design, development, and governance of platforms has
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been found to promote inclusivity, trust, and long-term sustainability.
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Moving these findings into practice, our proposal outlines a collaborative
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endeavor between Bonfire and Co-op Cloud to develop an integrated open
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dashboard that automates the setup, hosting, and operation of custom Bonfire
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instances.
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Practical implementations include:
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- Developing a technical infrastructure that facilitates decentralized hosting
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and operation of digital platforms, reducing reliance on centralized
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entities.
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- Establishing a co-operative economic model to ensure the financial
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sustainability of the ecosystem, based on a transparent value equation for
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revenue distribution among stakeholders.
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- Engaging the community and potential users in the design and development
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process to ensure the ecosystem meets their needs and preferences.
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- Fostering a collaborative environment where developers, hosting providers,
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and users can mutually benefit from the shared digital infrastructure.
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- Implementing user-centric design principles to ensure the accessibility and
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usability of the open dashboard, thus promoting broader adoption.
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- Disseminating the developed prototypes and findings to the broader community
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for feedback, further refinement, and adoption.
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## What is the specific context / project / community that will be targeted with your research or its implementation - and why is it needed? (600 words)
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RESEARCH (Phase 1):
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A study on "Understanding the Open Infrastructure Ecosystem, with a Focus on
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Federation," will set about comprehensively exploring practices and challenges
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within the Federated ("Fediverse") and FOSS communities, It will investigate
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co-design and development, documentation and onboarding, hosting,
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configuration, maintenance, tech support, continuous integration, deployment
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and upgrades, backups, community feedback and bug reporting, and governance.
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This vital research addresses the centralization and monopolization of
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platforms, barriers to entry, sustainability challenges, community empowerment,
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knowledge sharing, and resilience and longevity of FOSS projects, to provide a
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holistic understanding of the open infrastructure ecosystem.
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We hope to identify common challenges faced by these communities, exploring
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motivations for contributing or maintaining infrastructure, uncovering best
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practices and potential solutions.
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IMPLEMENTATION (Phase 2):
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This above study will inform the development of a federated and cooperative
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hosting ecosystem, helping to better align with the specific needs of instance
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administrators, app maintainers and FOSS contributors. By initially focusing on
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federated platforms and progresstively expanding to the broader ecosystem of
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open infrastructure, the ecosystem can foster collaboration, enhance community
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support, and contribute to the overall growth and sustainability of the
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Fediverse and FOSS communities.
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The implementation will start with Co-op Cloud, a software stack that
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simplifies the hosting of FOSS applications, and Bonfire, a federated social
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networking toolkit. These projects represent a microcosm of the broader open
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source and cooperative ecosystem, and can serve as the initial building blocks
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for user-friendly solutions and transparent, cooperative economic models,
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ensuring accessibility and autonomy for all users.
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This phase serves as a pragmatic step towards addressing identified needs, like
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reducing technical barriers, fostering sustainability, and empowering
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communities. It embodies a proactive shift towards a more decentralized,
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cooperative, and equitable digital landscape, in response to the pressing
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challenges and unmet needs within the FLOSS community and the broader digital
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realm, and actively combats the issues of centralization, data control, and
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sustainable revenue models, benefiting open source projects and communities
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alike.
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The integration of Bonfire and Co-op Cloud via a user-friendly dashboard will
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significantly lower the technical barrier to entry, allowing a broader spectrum
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of users to set up, host, and operate their own instances. Engaging their
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communities, as well as the broader FLOSS community, in the design,
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development, and governance of the proposed ecosystem to ensure it meets the
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diverse needs and preferences of its stakeholders.
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We'll also craft transparent value equations and economic models to foster a
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sustainable, co-operative economic ecosystem where revenues are fairly
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distributed among developers, hosting providers, and others.
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DISSEMINATION (Phase 3):
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Research findings will be compiled into a comprehensive report, offering
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valuable insights to guide the evolution of the hosting ecosystem and
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contribute to the knowledge base of open infrastructure practices and
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challenges. This knowledge will be shared with the FOSS community and beyond,
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promoting wider dialogue, feedback, and collaboration. This approach aligns
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with the need for alternative economic models, transparency, and equitable
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value distribution, and addresses the challenges of the current digital
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landscape by advocating for decentralized, cooperative, and equitable
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alternatives.
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## Please summarize your proposed work and the key activities that you will undertake (500 words)
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- Resarch study:
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A study "Understanding the Open Infrastructure Ecosystem, with a Focus on
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Federation" will be conducted as detailed above.
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- Federation design & development:
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We'll write an ecosystem federation proposal and resources to help others build
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their own. A "start your federation cookbook" with analysis from a technical,
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economic, legal, and governance perspective.
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- Pilots:
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We will work with several pilot users and organisations to provide feedback and
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test our designs and solutions at every stage of the process. The various
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pilots will help co-designing and test the open dashboard, by setupping custom
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bonfire instances
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- Capacity building and Architecture of Participation:
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The capacity building activity will discover together with pilots and
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participants how to draft a good governance and economic model to make all of
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this work nicely.
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- Protocol and platform integration:
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Defining libre, reusable methods and systems for automatic DNS (across various
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domain name registrars / DNS hosts) and server hosting provisioning (using e.g.
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https://capsul.org), automated software installation and updates (using Co-op
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Cloud's command-line tool Abra: https://docs.coopcloud.tech/abra/), backup and
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data migrations (e.g. using http://tahoe-lafs.org/), user resource usage
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measurement, payment integration, and dashboard UIs.
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- Dissemination and communication:
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This activity will focus on communicating with the world about our work, and
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disseminate project outcomes and results through various channels, including
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articles, conferences, social media, and project websites.
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All the code produced will be documented, and publicly available with an open
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source license. We will continue our outreach through our respective activity
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on federated social media platforms including Bonfire itself, Mastodon,
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Scuttlebutt, and Matrix.
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## What partnerships and programs are critical to this work and how do you envision outreach activities? (400 words)
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The proposed integration of Bonfire and Co-op Cloud is significantly enriched
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by forming strategic partnerships with key entities in the open-source and
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cooperative digital ecosystem. Here's how these partnerships are critical and
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the envisioned outreach activities:
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- Co-op Cloud Federation: partnership significance: Co-op Cloud Federation is
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crucial for implementing the hosting and management of FOSS apps. This
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partnership brings in vital technical expertise, hosting solutions, and the
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potential for scaling the initiative across a federated network of service
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providers. Outreach: Promoting the integrated solution through Co-op Cloud's
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federated network, collaborating on joint marketing campaigns, and leveraging
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the federation's channels to spread awareness and drive adoption.
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- Bonfire Networks: partnership significance: Bonfire Networks provides the
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foundational social networking toolkit that will be integrated with Co-op
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Cloud. This partnership ensures technical synergy and collaborative
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development, fostering an environment conducive to innovation and
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user-centric design. Outreach: Engaging the existing community around Bonfire
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Networks in workshops, webinars, and forums to introduce the integrated
|
|||
|
solution, gather feedback, and foster active participation in its development
|
|||
|
and utilization.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
- Servers Co-op: partnership Significance: Servers.coop can play a key role as
|
|||
|
a hosting provider within the ecosystem, offering reliable and cooperative
|
|||
|
hosting solutions to users. Their involvement can help establish a network of
|
|||
|
trustworthy hosting providers committed to cooperative principles. Outreach:
|
|||
|
Joint campaigns promoting the benefits of cooperative hosting, showcasing
|
|||
|
success stories, and educating communities on the advantages of
|
|||
|
decentralized, cooperative digital infrastructures.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
- Co-operative Computer: partnership Significance: Cooperative Computer can
|
|||
|
provide valuable insights, technical expertise, and support in promoting
|
|||
|
cooperative digital practices. This partnership can foster a shared learning
|
|||
|
environment and potentially lead to collaborative projects enhancing the
|
|||
|
integrated solution and actively participating in the open coop ecosystem.
|
|||
|
Outreach: Hosting joint educational events, technical workshops, and online
|
|||
|
discussions to explore cooperative computing models and their application in
|
|||
|
the proposed ecosystem.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
## What is your vision of success and what impact might it have? (400 words)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The vision of success for this initiative revolves around the establishment of
|
|||
|
a self-sustaining, decentralized, and co-operative digital ecosystem that
|
|||
|
significantly enhances the accessibility, usability, and economic
|
|||
|
sustainability of FLOSS for all stakeholders.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The following are the key indicators of success and the potential impact of
|
|||
|
this initiative:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
- Ease of Access and Usability:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
A successful implementation of the integrated dashboard that simplifies the
|
|||
|
setup, hosting, and management of Bonfire instances, enabling a broader
|
|||
|
spectrum of users, including those with limited technical skills, to leverage
|
|||
|
FLOSS solutions effortlessly and in a trusted ecosystem.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
- Economic Sustainability:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Establishment of a transparent and equitable economic model that ensures fair
|
|||
|
revenue distribution among developers, hosting providers, and other
|
|||
|
stakeholders, fostering financial sustainability and continued growth of the
|
|||
|
Bonfire and Co-op Cloud ecosystems.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
- Community Engagement and Governance:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Active engagement of the community in the decision-making processes,
|
|||
|
development, and governance of the ecosystem, reflecting a vibrant,
|
|||
|
participatory, and democratic digital co-operative environment.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
- Increased Adoption and Experimentation:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
A noticeable increase in the adoption of Bonfire and Co-op Cloud solutions,
|
|||
|
alongside a proliferation of innovative projects and experiments emanating from
|
|||
|
the co-operative ecosystem, contributing to a richer and more diverse digital
|
|||
|
commons.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
- Knowledge Sharing and Collaboration:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
A thriving culture of knowledge sharing, collaborative development, and mutual
|
|||
|
support within the ecosystem, facilitating continuous learning, innovation, and
|
|||
|
problem-solving.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
- Resilience and Longevity:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Demonstrated resilience of the co-operative digital ecosystem to evolving
|
|||
|
economic, technical, and social challenges, ensuring its longevity and ongoing
|
|||
|
relevance.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
- Dissemination and Replication:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Effective dissemination of the insights, learnings, and models developed
|
|||
|
through this initiative to the broader FLOSS community, encouraging replication
|
|||
|
and adaptation of the co-operative model in other contexts.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
In a broader sense, the success of this initiative could significantly
|
|||
|
contribute to the reimagining and reshaping of the digital landscape in
|
|||
|
alignment with the principles of openness, co-operation, and community-centric
|
|||
|
development, echoing the core values and aspirations of the FLOSS community.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
## Tell us more about the project team and collaborators (500 words)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The project is a multi-team effort between different stakeholders in the FLOSS
|
|||
|
ecosystem. The project will be developed by a collaboration between two
|
|||
|
projects: Bonfire and Co-op Cloud.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* Bonfire (https://bonfirenetworks.org) is an extensible open source federated
|
|||
|
social networking toolkit, that empowers communities easily configure their
|
|||
|
spaces from the ground up, according to a variety of needs and visions.
|
|||
|
Bonfire envisions a web of independent but interconnected social networks
|
|||
|
(using a wide definition, since we consider the social compoments of
|
|||
|
activities in the economic, educational, and political spheres as well) -
|
|||
|
able to speak and transfer information among each other, according to their
|
|||
|
own boundaries and preferences.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* Co-op Cloud (https://coopcloud.tech/) is federation of democratic collectives
|
|||
|
(including worker-owned co-operatives, an international radical art
|
|||
|
collective, a labor union, and representatives from FLOSS software projects).
|
|||
|
The federation is centred around a software stack that aims to make hosting
|
|||
|
libre software applications simpler, aimed at organisations wanting to manage
|
|||
|
their own infrastracture, as well as small service providers such as tech
|
|||
|
co-operatives who are looking to standardise around an open, transparent and
|
|||
|
scalable infrastructure -- but is also developing as community of practice
|
|||
|
around these themes, beyond the specific technology stack.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
## In which cost tier do you expect this work to sit?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
- [ ] Between 50 and 75
|
|||
|
- [ ] Between 75 and 100
|
|||
|
- [x] Between 100 and 125
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
## How many months do you expect this work to take?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
- 12 months
|
|||
|
- more than 12 months (exception goes up to 18 months for part-time projects)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
## Extras
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
### Research links
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* https://apo.org.au/node/312607 - O’Neil, Mathieu, et al. The coproduction of open source software by volunteers and big tech firms. News and Media Research Centre, 2021.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3449249 - Geiger, R. Stuart, Dorothy Howard, and Lilly Irani. "The labor of maintaining and scaling free and open-source software projects." Proceedings of the ACM on human-computer interaction 5.CSCW1 (2021): 1-28.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* https://www.fordfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/regional-foss-communities_final-report_ahossain-1.pdf - Hossain, Anushah. "Regional Open Source Software Communities: The View From Dhaka, Bangladesh." (2021).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* https://digitalinfrastructure.fund/projects/cooperative-model-for-digital-infrastructure/ - Tierra Comun, Mexico, 2022
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/5279594 - E. Elmroth, F. G. Marquez, D. Henriksson and D. P. Ferrera, "Accounting and Billing for Federated Cloud Infrastructures," 2009 Eighth International Conference on Grid and Cooperative Computing, Lanzhou, China, 2009
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/7523331 - K. Chard and K. Bubendorfer, "Co-Operative Resource Allocation: Building an Open Cloud Market Using Shared Infrastructure," in IEEE Transactions on Cloud Computing, 2019
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/6253530 - F. Paraiso, N. Haderer, P. Merle, R. Rouvoy and L. Seinturier, "A Federated Multi-cloud PaaS Infrastructure," 2012 IEEE Fifth International Conference on Cloud Computing, Honolulu, HI, USA, 2012
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* https://www.proquest.com/openview/d0bb1812450db201b4b67c84eca8cc50/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y - Amini, Lisa D. "Models and algorithms for resource management in distributed computing cooperatives," Columbia University, 2004
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
* https://hal.science/hal-03177060/document - Sébastien Broca, Laura Aufrère, Philippe Eynaud, Cynthia Srnec et Corinne Vercher-Chaptal, "Framasoft : de la plateforme à l’archipel", 2021
|