LETSGetTogetherApril2005
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[edit] Agenda
Conversation items for the LETSGetTogether on April 28th 2005, in the Map Room at LimehouseTownHall.
- Hugh's released a new version of his cclite currency management software: http://sourceforge.net/projects/cclite Who would like to beta test it? He'll explain one or two of the decisions he's been taking.
http://cclite.bigwaveheuristics.com/cgi-bin/cclite.cgi
Hugh aiming to write a paper describing why he is taking the choices he is in the software; the registry, and the multi-currency registry: potentially including time-bank hours. There's also a resource-sharing directory for goods and services discovery part of exchange; which third-party modules could plug in to. Considering SMS interfaces to complimentary currencies. Mamading talks about an South African mobile payment system which isn't tied to the networks. Transporting a CC into this dimension. Doing multi-step transaction processing. Software is written in perl.
An SMS gateway / de facto conversational standard for it, could be a very interesting spike solution for us. Important channel for lessening the burden of administration, plugging this stuff into web services which power LETS transactions. Again, this idea of jumping over existing tech / vs moving non-technical people by 'easy steps' into web-enabled services for LETS. The 'social software' motivator for membership of sites. Access to systems that handle out much more than just currency transactions; effect community support, and open up the administration process to the 'users' of the LETS.
- The tikiwiki cc module can be tested at http://demo.openmoney.org/
Michael and his haxx0rs are developing a plugin for tikiwiki - with mose from #esp who's a core developer anyway. Hoping to generalise this as a plugin/service for more wikis and web CMSes. Module manages tracking of recorded transations in multiple currencys / accounting systems. Multiple concurrencies is stressed heavily. Mose's not really a LETS developer, just an interested enthusiast. It's written in php. (How does it manage security in a wiki context?) Wiki nature can be collapsed - people can set personal privacy on their own pages and accounts.
This idea again of accounting for exchange of cultural value using a money-like token.
People re-posting transactions for people who aren't online. Bridging the gap again.
Peter C raises the question of reputation vs. exchange currencies which Michael mentioned before we started properly. 'scoring' exchanges or entities generically, says Michael; he simply wants to provide a framework in which people describe their own rules and ratings systems. Peter intervenig in regeneration funding - accountability again.
"Is is numeric, and attributable by entities to entities?"
Entrance into schemes; sponsorship or vouching of people; bootstrapping the trust matrix to an extent (seeding a matrix of association as WSFII would like to be doing. Exchange which is "below the radar" of the formal transaction system, points out Mary. Health practitioners do perr-to-peer accreditation; vouching for each others work in a rhizome of related work.
CC exchange to support "a registry of a community of practise".
Hugh relates this to how a credit union / common bond works - within spatial limits, or contextual limits - working for a company like BA, or a community of interests. "commonality" makes establishing relative exchange easier.
Trust and physical space - personal security as well as virtual security, different roles, and systems tend to be VERY reluctant to broadcast personal details of people to even fellow members. Some kind of identity/contact-divulgence scheme is probably necessary. Reputation matrices really have a use case here. Peoples' pictures and credentials; does this need to go as far as a formal credit check? As a further kind of social guarantee - different behaviours to do with liability or responsibility. Establishing bylaws and sanctions which new members have to agree to / consensus processes.
- There is a plan to teach a short, funded course over the spring/early summer, introducing LETS operators to useful open source software and seeding a collaborative development process, coordinated by Letslink London. For syllabus and schedule see http://www.letslinkuk.net/london/training/index.htm - and for implementation and trading go to: http://www.letslink.org also see draft members' page on: http://www.letslink.org/camden/members.htm the purpose of which is to show the way into various menus.
Camden LETS offered funding for training and support, but weren't really sure what they were offering. Training courses for the unemployed are well supported - that's how this is being achieved. The course will train people to run LETS and also learn basic IT skills. Passing along a skill-spread through people who can be trained to do training.
Peter mentions the kind of funding in the regeneration / 'community studies' environment, which could provide a flourishing network of existing interest and also some financial support for people handholding LETS systems.
CAOS, centre for alternative organisational studies, are doing research work and holding conferences in this area - especially looking at positive conditions of schemes which succeed. Lottery funding could also apply to this area. Paul mentions EU funding - the European Social Fund - which is supporting these schemes.
- There is a will to compile a set of materials, for web and print publication, exploring the history of LETS systems and community currencies, and offering implementation stories and suggestions. For a chronology on LETSystems see http://lets.net
- Strohalm, a Dutch NGO, have been working on fairly robust LETS software called cyclos, http://cyclos.momomo.org/project/ that we should look at interoperating with / investigate teaching uses of. Very complete. Hugh is somewhat in touch with them. It's apparently not multicurrency, written in Java using Hibernate/servlets, quite complex set-up.
Other points - multiplexing with timebanks, and the govnt support for them, as the LETS community could attempt to plug into and work with, rather than feel the current sense of competition with.
The question of taxation and government control rises. There probably will need to be a tax or tithe construct to do with activities in LETS, states Hugh.
Ambition in scale of currency - is it really compatible with social management? LETS tend to have the disclaimer - "your relationship with the tax authorities is not of your concern." Timebanks have high liability, which needs insurance, says Michael; because they are not brokering currency they have different kinds of reponsibility. In a way, how you define the rules can impinge a lot of responsiblity on you, or enable you to avoid the worst consequences - a "common carrier" idea - a system which is not liable for the behaviour of its participants.
