A proposal for shared ownership and resilience of Zcash-focused digital properties

Electrical Coin Co. (ECC)  manages a lot of Zcash-focused digital properties, i.e., the z.money web site, the Zcash technical documentation hub, the Zcash Twitter account, and the Cypherpunk Zero website and belongings. Stewardship of those initiatives is a multidisciplinary endeavor involving content material technique, digital advertising, internet improvement, design, copywriting, neighborhood engagement, and extra.

In June, as a part of our efforts to enhance the digital footprint of the Zcash ecosystem and lay a basis for higher neighborhood involvement, we launched a redesigned and refined Z.money. Right here’s what we wrote about it:

This web site relaunch is a milestone, however it’s additionally merely a begin — a patch of land to develop a backyard. Within the coming months, we’ll start working towards fostering higher neighborhood involvement with the final word purpose of transitioning this website and different Zcash digital properties into shared public items.

As a follow-up to this launch announcement, and Josh Swihart’s latest weblog about ECC’s proposals and plans for decentralizing Zcash, the submit you’re studying now could be meant to stipulate a course of (a minimum of the beginning of 1) to reimagine governance of z.money and different Zcash-focused digital properties.

Our hope is that, along with the bigger Zcash neighborhood, we will construct and enact a mannequin of communal possession and elevated collaboration — transitioning these digital belongings and instruments into shared public items, with a higher range of contributors and a extra consultant voice for Zcashers all over the place.

Sounds cool, however why?

We imagine making a decentralized possession construction, collectively managed by ECC and certified, unbiased individuals and groups is vital for a number of causes, together with:

1. Making certain the long-term sustainability and resilience of the Zcash challenge
2. Encouraging range and innovation within the ecosystem
3. Enabling extra content material, extra collaboration, and a higher attain

Scope of proposal

This proposal encompasses the next digital properties presently managed day-to-day by ECC. For a full breakdown of constituent elements, corresponding instruments/platforms and vital dependencies, please see the addendum. 

1. z.money area and web site
2. Zcash Technical Documentation (ReadTheDocs/Gitbook)
3. Zcash Twitter account
4. Cypherpunk Zero website and belongings 

Proposed decentralization course of

Broadly talking, we imagine the trail to decentralization needs to be incremental and structured as follows. It is a draft, meant to spur dialogue, and we welcome neighborhood enter on the method and timeline(s) detailed beneath.

Section 1 (Aug-Oct 2023)

Set up a transition process drive composed of ECC representatives and certified neighborhood members.

Starting with a proper neighborhood utility course of, ECC will create a transition process drive to contribute concepts and information and oversee the transition. The duty drive needs to be comprised of representatives from ECC and as much as three key members of the Zcash neighborhood. This group of unpaid volunteers might be accountable for prioritizing initiatives, creating the transition plans, participating with the neighborhood, due diligence on trademark and authorized implications, and making certain a clean and orderly switch of tasks as acceptable. The duty drive ought to mirror the range of the Zcash neighborhood, making certain {that a} broad vary of views, geographies, and experience are represented, if possible.

See process drive choice course of proposal

Section 2 (Nov 2023-Jan 2024)

Develop standards for evaluating potential new possession buildings.

Based mostly on the evaluation and desired traits outlined on this submit, the transition process drive ought to develop clear standards for evaluating potential new possession buildings for z.money, the Zcash technical documentation hub, the Zcash Twitter account, and the Cypherpunk Zero website and belongings. These standards will function a foundation for choosing essentially the most appropriate candidate(s), making certain the chosen construction(s) aligns with neighborhood values, targets, and long-term imaginative and prescient. By establishing these standards upfront, the duty drive ensures a clear and goal choice course of that’s rooted in the very best pursuits of the Zcash neighborhood.

Section 3 (Feb-March 2024)

Interact the Zcash neighborhood relating to construction(s).

To encourage neighborhood involvement and enter within the transition course of, the duty drive will clearly talk the specified traits of the brand new possession construction(s). By offering a mechanism for open dialogue and change of concepts, ECC can collect helpful suggestions and insights from varied stakeholders, making certain various views are thought of within the decision-making course of.

Section 4 (April 2024 onward)

New construction is finalized; transitioning and monitoring start.

The brand new joint administration construction(s) is finalized and transitioning begins. To information the method, the duty drive and new proprietor(s) ought to develop a transparent roadmap outlining expectations and tasks, together with transition milestones. This roadmap ought to embrace key duties such because the handover or opening up of technical infrastructure and the institution of recent governance mechanisms. By offering a structured framework for the transition, the roadmap may also help guarantee all features of the method are rigorously thought of and managed.

As soon as the transition course of is full, the duty drive ought to formally conclude its work, acknowledging the profitable switch of tasks and belongings to the brand new co-owner(s). Following this, a post-transition overview could also be performed to evaluate the general success of the method, establish classes discovered, and doc insights for future reference. This overview may present helpful suggestions for each ECC and the brand new co-owner(s), serving to to tell future decentralization initiatives and make sure the ongoing resilience of the Zcash challenge.

ECC’s suggestions on construction

z.money area and web site:

The lately redesigned z.money expertise has been modularized to permit for a number of groups to handle varied content material sections of the web site. The related WordPress CMS, instruments, and analytics platforms might be flexibly permissioned in response to the wants of the neighborhood.

We’d ideally prefer to see people or entities collaborate with ECC to handle the content material inside sure modules, such because the Study and Ecosystem hubs. 

Instance A: Entity X may handle content material for the Study part of the location, whereas Entity Y may individually handle content material for the Ecosystem part. ECC may proceed sustaining the general website expertise, website safety, related analytics, and internet improvement. Representatives from all entities may collectively sit on an editorial board to make sure cohesive content material technique and constant high quality. Funding may come within the type of Zcash Neighborhood Grants, a renewed Zcash Improvement Fund, or some mixture of the 2.

Instance B: Entity X may work with ECC to develop translations for z.money content material in languages apart from English. Funding may come within the type of Zcash Neighborhood Grants.

Ongoing prices: 

• Internet improvement and design presently prices ~$2,500 per 30 days by way of exterior companies.
• Hosting and utility safety price ~$20,000 per yr.
• Hotjar presently prices ~$250 per 30 days.
• Ahrefs presently prices ~$199 per 30 days.
• WordPress plugins price in combination ~$250 per yr.
• Google Analytics is free.

Zcash technical documentation administration:

The prevailing Zcash technical documentation is hosted by way of ReadTheDocs and is in want of updates. Ideally, a separate entity may oversee the platform, independently or along with ECC, with funding from Zcash Neighborhood Grants.

Ongoing prices: 

• Copywriting and neighborhood administration assets prices TBD.
• Internet hosting prices ~$50 per 30 days.

@Zcash Twitter account

We wish to see an entity or particular person (apart from ECC) assume social media administration tasks (inclusive of content material technique and manufacturing) for the @Zcash Twitter deal with. Funding may come within the type of Zcash Neighborhood Grants.

Ongoing prices: 

• ~$250/mo for Sprout Social.
• The associated fee to design visible belongings (ie. animated GIFs and movies).
• Copywriting and neighborhood administration assets.

Cypherpunk Zero website and NFT belongings

Ideally, the Cypherpunk Zero world could possibly be transitioned to an unbiased workforce who may facilitate wider neighborhood participation and contributions. Maybe this might comply with a transition and possession mannequin just like the proposal for z.money. Along with the location and NFT assortment (~2,000 items), ECC has three accomplished comedian guide scripts that have to be illustrated and packaged. This challenge was placed on maintain in 2022 for funds issues. 

Ongoing prices:

• Internet improvement and design presently prices TBD (ECC is presently spending $0 per 30 days).
• Hosting and utility safety price ~$4,000 per yr.
• Fuel charges for switch of NFTs ~10 per asset.

Disclaimer: Any estimated prices are based mostly on present ECC infrastructure and configurations. There are different internet hosting and help service choices that might trigger the operational prices to be increased or decrease.

Present questions, realities, and constraints

There are a selection of recognized (and unknown) points that we would want to handle with the assistance of the neighborhood. Notably:

• The perfect funding supply(s) for entities that assist handle Zcash digital properties is to be decided. Funding may come from Zcash Neighborhood Grants, a revised Zcash Improvement Fund, or some mixture of the 2. We’re open to solutions from the neighborhood.
• The prevailing Zcash Trademark Settlement and License Settlement could have to be amended to accommodate people or entities apart from ECC.
• Another initiatives (reminiscent of Ethereum.org) have the luxurious of counting on giant communities to crowdsource a lot of the day-to-day administration of their digital properties. By advantage of the Zcash neighborhood’s small dimension, we imagine a narrower, extra managed administration method is required whereas the challenge is in its infancy.
• The perfect governance construction is to be decided and will require experimentation.
• The perfect function of third events (and the neighborhood’s capacity to carry them accountable) is one thing that may have to be explored and codified by the proposed process drive.
• A shared Digital Property Roadmap, Type Information, and Design Ideas (together with content material and model tips) will have to be developed and agreed upon to make sure Zcash is represented in a constant and acceptable method.

Different vital issues:

ECC presently depends on the z.money area as its Google Cloud Supplier major community for a lot of items of crucial infrastructure (e.g., nodes and construct procedures). Any change of area administration should account for a ~6 month grace interval to permit ECC to transition off the z.money area.

Subsequent steps

In March, we requested that the Zcash Basis present ECC with time and area for neighborhood engagement on this subject at Zcon4, with an intent to start method and planning efforts in August. That request was formally denied in June (and once more earlier this month), so ECC is planning to host a aspect occasion, through the Zcon4 dates, and we invite the neighborhood to take part. Keep tuned for particulars on time and venue. If you wish to ensure you don’t miss this dialog, be at liberty to e-mail me at [email protected], and I’ll hold you within the loop. We’re excited to listen to from you straight and to work with certified members of the neighborhood on these efforts! 

After this workshop, our hope is to kick off the duty drive choice course of talked about above and detailed right here. 

Addendum

This proposal encompasses the next digital properties presently managed day-to-day by ECC. Under is a breakdown of constituent elements, corresponding instruments and platforms, and vital dependencies. 

Be aware: In the event you or somebody you understand has a dependency that isn’t listed beneath, please submit this type by Aug 16, 2023.

1. Z.money area, dependent infrastructure, and web site
   1. Area identify registrar (presently by way of Google Domains)
   2. @z.money e-mail (presently by way of GSuite)
   3. Google cloud providers for vital ECC-managed infrastructure
   4. Z.money web site frontend
      1. WordPress CMS
      2. Instruments and analytics
         1. Hotjar
         2. Google Analytics
         3. Ahrefs
         4. Confirmic
   5. Z.money internet hosting (presently by way of Pantheon)
   6. Z.money web site and utility safety (presently by way of Cloudflare)
   7. Zcash Enchancment Proposals subdomain (zips.z.money)
      1. Zcash Protocol Specification
   8. zcash.github.io
   9. Technical documentation (ReadTheDocs/Gitbook)
2. Zcash Twitter account
   1. Instruments and analytics
      1. Sprout Social