Whuffie accounting trial baloon
bobhaugen
That's what we do at http://group-accounting.com
We started using JotSpot, but have now moved to Django with our new
http://food-accounting.com app.
Our goal is to develop a general framework for group accounting, with
specializations for different kinmds of groups. Our software will end
up being open sourced, when it gets a little more stable.
So I'm thinking about doing something in Pinax to account for
contributions to open-source software development projects.
I think what is happening with open source projects is a lot of people
contribute for love and then some other people come along and turn it
into money, usually without compensating the contributors.
Accounting for contributions might provide a way for honorable
monetizers to give back to the developers.
I put "whuffie accounting" in the subject, but that's only one way it
could be done.
Downsides of this idea:
1. Maybe people don't want to account for contributions in any way.
Keep it in the love boat, don't try to measure it. Might cause
unnecessary conflicts.
2. I know how to model the required economic relationships, but am
still a relative Django n00b. I would be learning how to design a re-
usable app to fit into Pinax, and wd probably commit lots of worst-
practices along the way.
3. Wd need lots of participation from the Pinax dev team, which they
might not have time or interest for.
So what do y'all think?
P.S. I also thought about a BillMonk knockoff in the Pinax tribe
Contrafact discussion:
http://pinax.hotcluboffrance.com/tribes/topic/5/
But while BillMonk cd be cloned using a similar economic relationship
model, I suspect it's mostly unreal for the actual Pinax membership,
while software contributions are real.
James Tauber
On Jun 22, 2008, at 7:35 AM, bobhaugen wrote:
> I'm thinking about Pinax apps for social economic relationships.
I'm glad you raised this as I've been thinking about it too.
> So I'm thinking about doing something in Pinax to account for
> contributions to open-source software development projects.
While that might be it's most popular use, is there any reason not to
have a generic whuffie (or similar) app available for Pinax?
On the demo social networking site there are two places I'd like to
see this:
1. tribes -- for more general contribution to an area of interest
2. projects -- which are a more goal-oriented, structured type of user
grouping than tribes, which I'm working on for Pinax
It's possible the two could have a different system: tribes could use
more like an Ohloh-style kudos system or Advogato certification,
whereas whuffies might work better just for projects.
I could be wrong, we could offer both approaches for both types of
groups.
And, of course, if this is a reusable app, it can be applied in
different ways on different sites.
> I think what is happening with open source projects is a lot of people
> contribute for love and then some other people come along and turn it
> into money, usually without compensating the contributors.
>
> Accounting for contributions might provide a way for honorable
> monetizers to give back to the developers.
This is important to me, especially in the context of Pinax.
> I put "whuffie accounting" in the subject, but that's only one way it
> could be done.
>
> Downsides of this idea:
>
> 1. Maybe people don't want to account for contributions in any way.
> Keep it in the love boat, don't try to measure it. Might cause
> unnecessary conflicts.
No reason not to develop the app, though and then we can try applying
it to different things. Not all will stick but some might.
> 2. I know how to model the required economic relationships, but am
> still a relative Django n00b. I would be learning how to design a re-
> usable app to fit into Pinax, and wd probably commit lots of worst-
> practices along the way.
We're all learning here :-)
> 3. Wd need lots of participation from the Pinax dev team, which they
> might not have time or interest for.
You've got my support and interest.
> So what do y'all think?
>
> P.S. I also thought about a BillMonk knockoff in the Pinax tribe
> Contrafact discussion:
> http://pinax.hotcluboffrance.com/tribes/topic/5/
>
> But while BillMonk cd be cloned using a similar economic relationship
> model, I suspect it's mostly unreal for the actual Pinax membership,
> while software contributions are real.
Again, there's no reason not to have a BillMonk-like capability *as
well*. Keeping the apps reusable also means keeping them optional.
James
bobhaugen
economic relationships and report back.
Maybe by starting a Pinax tribe, or if you have projects ready soon,
those might be better.
(or tribe sooner, project later...)
James Tauber
On Jun 23, 2008, at 6:10 AM, bobhaugen wrote:
> Ok, I'll start tinkering on a bare-bones set of reusablel social-
> economic relationships and report back.
Awesome!
> Maybe by starting a Pinax tribe, or if you have projects ready soon,
> those might be better.
> (or tribe sooner, project later...)
Yep, go ahead and start a tribe now.
James