I agree with what has been said about needing to vote before things such as a crowd-funding initiative take place. I don’t think it’s the right time for it, for many of the reasons given. Let’s first get communication channels in place so that we can get out good information to the right sources about where the project has got to and where it’s going (we don’t even really know where it’s going at the moment), and so that the world out there gets to know about Diaspora as a living and growing project again, with exciting prospects. Just putting out another call for money without preparing the ground would, I suspect, get a strongly negative reaction. Remember the email the core team sent out towards the end of 2011 which started ‘We love you! That’s why we’re asking you for more money’ (or words to that effect). So many people screamed ‘What? I give you money in Kickstarter, I’m still waiting for my invite, and now you ask me for more money? That’s it for me and Diaspora’ etc. Let’s continue as we are just for the moment, and we can discuss what we could actually use money for, before deciding to do any fundraising. We can of course, once the foundation is in place, let it be known that donations can be made, and anyone who wants to make a donation can then do so, but not actively raise funds until the ground has been prepared with good communication.
One of Diaspora’s biggest failings has, in my opinion, always been communication - with its community, and with the wider world. Over the past year communication among the development team has become really open and excellent (and what a wonderful change that has been), and communication with the community has improved a bit, but there’s a lot more to do to improve communication with the community and the wider world before it would be a good idea to ask for money again.
Let’s get a foundation set up, get the blogs and planet set up, nominate a few people to act as press officers in different languages, so they can keep the press up to date with developments and get good stories with accurate information appearing in the media again, and perhaps have a crowd-funding or other funding initiative at the start of next year; or maybe later; or maybe not for at all.
That’s my suggestion re funding.
The important thing right now, I think, is that Maxwell and Sean have come up with what I think is an excellent proposal for the future of the project. I hope it is as I thought it was, a proposal and not a fait accompli, but either way, once the transfer has taken place, it will be in the community’s hands officially, and we can decide what to do with it, and could even move the foundation elsewhere or change the structure if we thought it was best.
So either we get chance to discuss and vote on it now (hopefully), or even if not we can discuss and vote on what we do next once the transfer has taken place. The important thing is for the transfer of ownership and assets to take place formally from Diaspora Inc. to the community of people actively involved in the project, and a foundation is going to act as a trust for that community, as I understand it.
I’d like space for proper discussion of and votes on the first two points Jason lists:
- Transfer the Diaspora project legally under the FSSN (this includes making sure we have proper governance in the future as that is the demand of the FSSN).
- Launch a crowd-funding campaign to support the initial setting up of Diaspora as a legal entity.
For now discussion about ownership of jd.com (surely Maxwell’s sole decision, as it’s his pod) can wait, I think.
I think there’s an excellent proposal on the table. If there’s been a failing it’s been in not communicating with the community which is actually running the project until the last minute. But that’s happened, let’s work from here. Sean, is there time for discussion and vote, or is it too late? I certainly support the transfer from D Inc to D Foundation and the proposed involvement of FSSN.
Right – time to listen to the test match – England v Australia – far more important!