Difference between revisions of "Commission to Reform WPLUG"

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(Reform Package 3 Ideas: Cleared up a point about valuation.)
 
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* Vance Kochenderfer
 
* Vance Kochenderfer
 
* Joseph Prostko
 
* Joseph Prostko
 +
* Stanley Slomberg
  
 
== Meeting Logs ==
 
== Meeting Logs ==
  
[http://wplug.org/w/images/4/48/Wplug-2012-12-15.txt Saturday, December 15]
+
[http://wplug.org/w/images/4/48/Wplug-2012-12-15.txt Saturday, December 15, 2012]
  
[http://wplug.org/w/images/8/83/Wplug_2012-12-20.txt Thursday, December 20]
+
[http://wplug.org/w/images/8/83/Wplug_2012-12-20.txt Thursday, December 20, 2012]
 +
 
 +
[http://www.wplug.org/w/images/1/17/CRW_meeting_3-28-13.txt Thursday, March 28, 2013]
 +
 
 +
[http://www.wplug.org/w/images/d/d0/CRW_6-30-13.txt Sunday, June 30, 2013]
  
 
== Upcoming Meetings ==
 
== Upcoming Meetings ==
  
None at this time
+
None at this time.
 
+
  
 
== Reform Package History ==
 
== Reform Package History ==
Line 50: Line 54:
 
'''Reform Package 2:''' WPLUG's general direction, to be presented at February 2013 GUM.
 
'''Reform Package 2:''' WPLUG's general direction, to be presented at February 2013 GUM.
  
== Reform Package 2 Ideas ==
+
'''Reform Package 3:''' WPLUG's operational policy, such as frequency of meetings and how to manage WPLUG's Litecoin assets now that we participate in cryptocurrency mining. To be presented at January 2014 GUM.
 
+
===Justin Smith 1/20===
+
 
+
I wasn't able to complete the CRW survey in time for January's GUM, but I ''will'' have it done by Monday. I'd like to present its results at the February GUM, either as a running tally (we still leave the survey open for a little while longer) or the final totals.
+
 
+
While most of our "general direction" planning will have to wait until we've seen the survey results, there are a few items we can still take action on in the mean time:
+
 
+
* Using a project management tool so that we don't forget about stuff. Pat recommends using [https://trello.com/ | Trello], which is the virtual equivalent of a corkboard with post-it notes. Trello isn't free (as in freedom) software, but it ''is'' extremely simple and, I think, effective. It as a very nice Android app.
+
 
+
* Should the Internet Committee be responsible for going through the wiki every so often and archiving old content? If not, how else should we deal with outdated pages? We can't let them continue to accumulate. If someone clicked on the LiveCD link on the main page, for instance, he'd see that it hasn't been updated since 2007. Problems like that make us looks ''really'' bad.
+
 
+
Terry proposed seeing if we could use some sort of script to automatically archive content. I still think a "human touch" is necessary; therefore, I think that a script of that sort should simply produce a list of everything that needs reviewed. It's entirely possible that old pages can be refurbished and used again.
+
 
+
* Is there ''any'' possible way we could accept online payments for dues? I know it's been brought up before, but this is important enough to merit another look.
+
 
+
* What can we do to persuade more people to join WPLUG as dues-paying members?
+
 
+
  
===Justin Smith 1/24===
+
== Reform Package 3 Ideas ==
  
'''IMPORTANT:''' CRW has released a [http://js-wordsmith.com/lime/index.php/survey/index/sid/726771/newtest/Y/lang/en general user survey] designed to help us chart a new path for WPLUG in 2013. Please take the survey if you've got a moment.
+
=== Justin Smith ===
  
 +
Last year, WPLUG started mining Litecoins as a new source of income. Since cryptocurrency isn't managed in the same way that US dollars are, we on the Commission to Reform WPLUG (CRW) agree that future board members may be confused about how to best use it. Therefore, we recommend drafting a set of guidelines that will help future boards manage WPLUG's cryptocurrency assets. It should be a series of non-binding suggestions similar to WPLUG's Board of Directors transition checklist.
  
===Justin Smith 1/28===
+
I will begin by providing on overview of what Bitcoin, Litecoin, and cryptocurrency mining are, followed by a few of my own suggestions.
  
Some suggestions from the CRW survey I'd like to see implemented:
+
==== What is Bitcoin? ====
  
'''Membership'''
+
Bitcoin is a digital currency based on open source software. It was developed in 2009 by someone (or several people) under the alias "Satoshi Nakamoto." In 2010, Satoshi withdrew from public life, and nobody has heard from him ever since. His identity remains a mystery.
  
* Give WPLUG members a "name@wplug.org" email address that forwards messages to an account of their choice; it advertises our group and provides an incentive for people to renew. Are there privacy advocates among us? If so, maybe they would appreciate being able to have an email account that's not tied to a major provider.
+
It's easier to understand Bitcoin if you compare it to the US dollar, so let's start with that.  
  
* Web services of some sort. Since $20 per member doesn't give us a lot of cash to work with, offer members exclusive access to services that would be a pain to set up on their own.
+
When you make a typical purchase using US dollars, there are typically several "layers" to your transaction:
  
* Send people who join WPLUG as members a well-written "thank you" note. Since new members give us a physical address, why not go the extra mile to send an actual letter?
+
* Dollars in your possession.
 +
* A bank account to hold your money. You have to abide by the bank's regulations and processing fees.
 +
* A credit card or debit card to help you send your money electronically. You have to abide by the card's regulations and processing fees.
 +
* A central authority such as PayPal that processes each transaction and protects against fraud. You have to abide by the central authority's regulations and processing fees.
  
* Give people who join a membership card. When you join the FSF, they give you a cool "credit card" USB drive that's pre-loaded with Linux: http://www.fsf.org/associate/benefits
+
Now let's compare that how a transaction would proceed with Bitcion:
  
What if we did that? You can buy blank 2GB credit card drives from eBay for $5 or less, depending on how many you buy: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-Blank-Credit-Card-Shape-USB-Flash-Drive-Memory-2-0-2GB-4GB-8GB-16GB-32GB-64G-/310568756176?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item484f5723d0
+
* Bitcoins in your possession.
 +
* There is no need for a bank account because Bitcoins are stored on your computer in a file called a "digital wallet."
 +
* There is no need for a credit card or debit card because Bitcoins were designed to be sent electronically. They're sent directly from person to person over the Internet.
 +
* There is no central authority such as PayPal to process transactions. Instead, a worldwide network of computer operators processes Bitcoin payments in exchange for a processing fee. People who process Bitcoin payments are called "Bitcoin miners."
  
I bet people would appreciate being able to take Linux with them in such a convenient way, and every time they'd plug it in, it would be free PR for us. We would need to figure out how to print labels for them, though. Each member would only be given a membership card like that once, so while we make less during their initial year, we'd get the full $20 when they renew.
+
As you can see, Bitcoin compresses the four layers of dollar-based transactions into one. It's simpler, less regulated, and less expensive to use. In addition to the features mentioned above, Bitcoin is impossible to counterfeit, your assets cannot be frozen, and there are no charge-backs. There's a lot to like.
  
If we wanted to get really fancy, we could include WPLUG wallpaper or other promotional materials on the distro.
+
Bitcoin is called a "cryptocurrency" because it relies on cryptographic security algorithms to validate transactions. Its slogan, ''Vires in Numeris'', means "strength in numbers."
  
*Try to partner with local organizations for membership discounts. When I talked with Pat about this earlier, he mentioned O'Reilly as a possibility. That's a good start, but there just have to be others. I'll look into this.
+
==== What is mining? ====
  
'''Meetings'''
+
In cryptocurrency mining, computer operators compete against each other for the privilege of processing each "block" of Bitcoin transactions and earning its processing fees. They work to solve a very difficult math problem, and the person who solves it first gets to process the block. Therefore, the more processing power you have, the more competitive you are in Bitcoin mining.
  
* I get the impression that some people aren't satisfied with our current selection of food at meetings. A couple of people mentioned donuts, someone brought up gourmet coffee, and another still talked about catering. I'm not sure we can afford to provide much more with $20 per member, but it's something worth considering.
+
(Each block is posted to a public ledger of transactions called the blockchain. Miners refer to the blockchain to make sure that every transaction is legitimate.)
  
 +
Some people link their computers together in a cooperative group called a "mining pool." This helps small operators compete against larger ones.
  
'''Events/Other Activities'''
+
==== What is Litecoin? ====
  
* We - and by we, I mean the Events Committee - should definitely plan a trip to Ohio Linux Fest.
+
Remember how I said that Bitcoin is open source? Litecoin (LTC) is a fork of Bitcoin. It's identical in most respects except that Litecoin payments can be processed a bit faster. Litecoin is also considerably less popular than Bitcoin, which means that there are fewer people to compete against in mining.
  
* There's virtually no support for an "open culture" event, so we're back to the drawing board if we want to replace InstallFests with something else.
+
WPLUG is currently using about half of its processing power on the WPLUG.org server to mine Litecoin. We've got about 2 LTC saved up, and we need to determine how best to use it.
  
* There's a lot of support for group programming events. There's also a decent amount of interest in Android, if we'd care to lift the moratorium on mobile Linux. I'd be willing to work with the Events Committee regarding Android.
+
Litecoin could be worth a lot some day. Right now, 1 Litecoin is worth about $38. That isn't a lot, but keep in mind that Bitcoin, which once fetched those prices, now sells for well over $1,000 per Bitcoin.
  
* Having a bowling night would be great, but, as one person said, let's do it with other tech groups! Let's face it: we're a social group, but we don't have too many regular attendees. Involving other groups is a good way to compensate.
+
==== Justin's Suggestions: General Guidelines ====
  
* Only a few people don't like my idea to re-launch The Open Pitt as a netcast. We've even got a couple of people who are willing to help produce it! I didn't take the survey, but you can count me among them. I've been told that I have an announcer's voice; maybe I could put it to good use. If we broadcasted netcasts live over Google+ Hangouts (live on YouTube), that could tie in with our social media strategy. If CRW supports this idea, I'd like to hold some initial meetings with the people who are interested.
+
* The WPLUG treasurer should establish an official WPLUG Litecoin wallet.
 +
* At business meetings, the treasurer should report WPLUG's Litecoin balance in addition to its bank account balance.
 +
* The treasurer, or someone he appoints, should monitor market conditions related to Litecoin and advise the board of directors appropriately.
  
 +
==== Justin's Suggestions: Market Guidelines ====
  
'''Other'''
+
* Save our Litecoins unless you absolutely have to spend them. Unlike the US dollar, which becomes less valuable over time as more dollars are printed, Litecoin will become more valuable over time because only a finite number of Litecoins will ever be created.
 +
* People can buy, sell, and trade Bitcoin and Litecoin at cryptocurrency exchanges. Some popular exchanges include Coinbase (my favorite), Bitstamp, and BTE-e.
 +
* Most exchanges don't allow Litecoin to be sold for US dollars since Litecoin isn't very popular. Therefore, if you'd like "cash out" our Litecoin investment, trade the Litecoins for Bitcoins and then sell the Bitcoins.
  
* I put in the question about indie culture on a whim. This comment made me change my mind as soon as I read it: "Linux and groups that support it should refrain from becoming too political one way or another. Stick to the penguin."
+
___
  
* We need to finish our work at Wilkins and get out of there. I'm going to contact everyone I know to see about finding a more suitable location.
+
* The price of Litecoin tends to follow the price of Bitcoin.
 +
* Watch the news for headline stories related to Bitcoin. When Bitcoin gets exposure, such as a government hearing, it often causes a lot of first-time users to buy BTC, which drives up the price.
 +
* Consequently, a lot of these first-time users sell their holdings shortly afterward when they realize that Bitcoin isn't their golden ticket to prosperity.
 +
* For whatever reason, people who want to sell Bitcoin usually do it on the weekend, which temporarily drives down the price. If you have to sell, do it during the week.
  
* As chair of the PR committee, I'd like us to decide on a social media strategy. My flagging support for Google+ was renewed over this weekend because an article I found stated that it's now the second-largest social media network out there. Most of our respondents use it.
+
== Accepted Reform Package 3 Proposals ==
  
== Accepted Reform Package 2 Proposals ==
+
* WPLUG has business meetings too often; we recommend having them every other GUM instead of at every GUM.
 +
* WPLUG holds GUMs too often: we recommend having them every other month instead of every month.
 +
* During our "off-months," WPLUG should have a social event.
 +
* Generally, each month should have one activity, be it a GUM or a social event. However, some months could have two events, such as a GUM ''and'' a separate celebration for Software Freedom Day.
 +
* In the interest of consistent programming, each GUM and its corresponding off-month should hold to a particular theme. For instance, someone could give a presentation about becoming involved with the Linux community at a GUM, and the following month, we could have a "hackathon" where we work on a community project.

Latest revision as of 16:44, 4 December 2013

The Commission to Reform WPLUG (CRW) is an informal group created to draft proposals that fix long-standing problems in WPLUG. It was created on December 9, 2012.


Purpose[edit]

WPLUG is struggling to compete against other technology groups. CRW's purpose is to expedite the reform process so that WPLUG can become competitive again as soon as possible:

  • Update the bylaws
  • Chart a new direction for WPLUG
  • Explore ways to make WPLUG less formal/political
  • Bring WPLUG's resources up to par with current technological standards

Operation[edit]

CRW has no membership requirements. If you decide to join, add your name to the membership list on this page.

Each month, CRW gathers its best ideas into a "reform package" that is formally proposed during the following month's WPLUG general user meeting. Ideas can be proposed or voted on at any time, but it is recommended to propose ideas outside of meetings and vote on them during the meetings so that people have time to think before they vote.

If an idea is approved by a majority of CRW members, it will be added to the current reform package.

Since CRW is not an official WPLUG organization, it doesn't receive official funding and is not governed by the WPLUG bylaws. Members are encouraged to apply the same "free and flexible" mindset to their deliberations: check your preconceptions at the door, be open-minded, and support the best ideas to reform WPLUG. Everyone who wants to present ideas will have an equal opportunity to do so.

Members[edit]

  • Justin Smith
  • Terry Golightly
  • Pat Barron
  • Vance Kochenderfer
  • Joseph Prostko
  • Stanley Slomberg

Meeting Logs[edit]

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Upcoming Meetings[edit]

None at this time.

Reform Package History[edit]

CRW Discussion Archives

CRW Reform Packages

Reform Package 1: Bylaw changes, presented at January 2013 GUM.

Reform Package 2: WPLUG's general direction, to be presented at February 2013 GUM.

Reform Package 3: WPLUG's operational policy, such as frequency of meetings and how to manage WPLUG's Litecoin assets now that we participate in cryptocurrency mining. To be presented at January 2014 GUM.

Reform Package 3 Ideas[edit]

Justin Smith[edit]

Last year, WPLUG started mining Litecoins as a new source of income. Since cryptocurrency isn't managed in the same way that US dollars are, we on the Commission to Reform WPLUG (CRW) agree that future board members may be confused about how to best use it. Therefore, we recommend drafting a set of guidelines that will help future boards manage WPLUG's cryptocurrency assets. It should be a series of non-binding suggestions similar to WPLUG's Board of Directors transition checklist.

I will begin by providing on overview of what Bitcoin, Litecoin, and cryptocurrency mining are, followed by a few of my own suggestions.

What is Bitcoin?[edit]

Bitcoin is a digital currency based on open source software. It was developed in 2009 by someone (or several people) under the alias "Satoshi Nakamoto." In 2010, Satoshi withdrew from public life, and nobody has heard from him ever since. His identity remains a mystery.

It's easier to understand Bitcoin if you compare it to the US dollar, so let's start with that.

When you make a typical purchase using US dollars, there are typically several "layers" to your transaction:

  • Dollars in your possession.
  • A bank account to hold your money. You have to abide by the bank's regulations and processing fees.
  • A credit card or debit card to help you send your money electronically. You have to abide by the card's regulations and processing fees.
  • A central authority such as PayPal that processes each transaction and protects against fraud. You have to abide by the central authority's regulations and processing fees.

Now let's compare that how a transaction would proceed with Bitcion:

  • Bitcoins in your possession.
  • There is no need for a bank account because Bitcoins are stored on your computer in a file called a "digital wallet."
  • There is no need for a credit card or debit card because Bitcoins were designed to be sent electronically. They're sent directly from person to person over the Internet.
  • There is no central authority such as PayPal to process transactions. Instead, a worldwide network of computer operators processes Bitcoin payments in exchange for a processing fee. People who process Bitcoin payments are called "Bitcoin miners."

As you can see, Bitcoin compresses the four layers of dollar-based transactions into one. It's simpler, less regulated, and less expensive to use. In addition to the features mentioned above, Bitcoin is impossible to counterfeit, your assets cannot be frozen, and there are no charge-backs. There's a lot to like.

Bitcoin is called a "cryptocurrency" because it relies on cryptographic security algorithms to validate transactions. Its slogan, Vires in Numeris, means "strength in numbers."

What is mining?[edit]

In cryptocurrency mining, computer operators compete against each other for the privilege of processing each "block" of Bitcoin transactions and earning its processing fees. They work to solve a very difficult math problem, and the person who solves it first gets to process the block. Therefore, the more processing power you have, the more competitive you are in Bitcoin mining.

(Each block is posted to a public ledger of transactions called the blockchain. Miners refer to the blockchain to make sure that every transaction is legitimate.)

Some people link their computers together in a cooperative group called a "mining pool." This helps small operators compete against larger ones.

What is Litecoin?[edit]

Remember how I said that Bitcoin is open source? Litecoin (LTC) is a fork of Bitcoin. It's identical in most respects except that Litecoin payments can be processed a bit faster. Litecoin is also considerably less popular than Bitcoin, which means that there are fewer people to compete against in mining.

WPLUG is currently using about half of its processing power on the WPLUG.org server to mine Litecoin. We've got about 2 LTC saved up, and we need to determine how best to use it.

Litecoin could be worth a lot some day. Right now, 1 Litecoin is worth about $38. That isn't a lot, but keep in mind that Bitcoin, which once fetched those prices, now sells for well over $1,000 per Bitcoin.

Justin's Suggestions: General Guidelines[edit]

  • The WPLUG treasurer should establish an official WPLUG Litecoin wallet.
  • At business meetings, the treasurer should report WPLUG's Litecoin balance in addition to its bank account balance.
  • The treasurer, or someone he appoints, should monitor market conditions related to Litecoin and advise the board of directors appropriately.

Justin's Suggestions: Market Guidelines[edit]

  • Save our Litecoins unless you absolutely have to spend them. Unlike the US dollar, which becomes less valuable over time as more dollars are printed, Litecoin will become more valuable over time because only a finite number of Litecoins will ever be created.
  • People can buy, sell, and trade Bitcoin and Litecoin at cryptocurrency exchanges. Some popular exchanges include Coinbase (my favorite), Bitstamp, and BTE-e.
  • Most exchanges don't allow Litecoin to be sold for US dollars since Litecoin isn't very popular. Therefore, if you'd like "cash out" our Litecoin investment, trade the Litecoins for Bitcoins and then sell the Bitcoins.

___

  • The price of Litecoin tends to follow the price of Bitcoin.
  • Watch the news for headline stories related to Bitcoin. When Bitcoin gets exposure, such as a government hearing, it often causes a lot of first-time users to buy BTC, which drives up the price.
  • Consequently, a lot of these first-time users sell their holdings shortly afterward when they realize that Bitcoin isn't their golden ticket to prosperity.
  • For whatever reason, people who want to sell Bitcoin usually do it on the weekend, which temporarily drives down the price. If you have to sell, do it during the week.

Accepted Reform Package 3 Proposals[edit]

  • WPLUG has business meetings too often; we recommend having them every other GUM instead of at every GUM.
  • WPLUG holds GUMs too often: we recommend having them every other month instead of every month.
  • During our "off-months," WPLUG should have a social event.
  • Generally, each month should have one activity, be it a GUM or a social event. However, some months could have two events, such as a GUM and a separate celebration for Software Freedom Day.
  • In the interest of consistent programming, each GUM and its corresponding off-month should hold to a particular theme. For instance, someone could give a presentation about becoming involved with the Linux community at a GUM, and the following month, we could have a "hackathon" where we work on a community project.