Electrical Coin Co. (ECC) manages quite 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 tasks is a multidisciplinary endeavor involving content material technique, digital advertising and marketing, internet growth, design, copywriting, group 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 larger group involvement, we launched a redesigned and refined Z.money. Right here’s what we wrote about it:
This web site relaunch is a milestone, nevertheless it’s additionally merely a begin — a patch of land to develop a backyard. Within the coming months, we’ll start working towards fostering larger group 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 publish you might be studying now’s meant to stipulate a course of (not less than 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 group, 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 larger range of contributors and a extra consultant voice for Zcashers in every single place.
Sounds cool, however why?
We imagine making a decentralized possession construction, collectively managed by ECC and certified, impartial folks and groups is vital for a number of causes, together with:
- Making certain the long-term sustainability and resilience of the Zcash challenge
- Encouraging range and innovation within the ecosystem
- Enabling extra content material, extra collaboration, and a larger attain
Scope of proposal
This proposal encompasses the next digital properties presently managed day-to-day by ECC. For a full breakdown of constituent components, corresponding instruments/platforms and vital dependencies, please see the addendum.
- z.money area and web site
- Zcash Technical Documentation (ReadTheDocs/Gitbook)
- Zcash Twitter account
- Cypherpunk Zero website and belongings
Proposed decentralization course of
Broadly talking, we imagine the trail to decentralization must be incremental and structured as follows. This can be a draft, meant to spur dialogue, and we welcome group enter on the method and timeline(s) detailed under.
Part 1 (Aug-Oct 2023)
Set up a transition activity drive composed of ECC representatives and certified group members.
Starting with a proper group utility course of, ECC will create a transition activity drive to contribute concepts and information and oversee the transition. The duty drive must be comprised of representatives from ECC and as much as three key members of the Zcash group. This group of unpaid volunteers might be chargeable for prioritizing tasks, creating the transition plans, partaking with the group, due diligence on trademark and authorized implications, and making certain a clean and orderly switch of duties as acceptable. The duty drive ought to mirror the range of the Zcash group, making certain {that a} broad vary of views, geographies, and experience are represented, if possible.
See activity drive choice course of proposal
Part 2 (Nov 2023-Jan 2024)
Develop standards for evaluating potential new possession buildings.
Primarily based on the evaluation and desired traits outlined on this publish, the transition activity 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 group values, objectives, 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 group.
Part 3 (Feb-March 2024)
Interact the Zcash group relating to construction(s).
To encourage group 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 alternate of concepts, ECC can collect beneficial suggestions and insights from varied stakeholders, making certain various views are thought of within the decision-making course of.
Part 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 duties, together with transition milestones. This roadmap ought to embody key duties such because the handover or opening up of technical infrastructure and the institution of latest governance mechanisms. By offering a structured framework for the transition, the roadmap can assist 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 duties and belongings to the brand new co-owner(s). Following this, a post-transition overview could also be carried out to evaluate the general success of the method, determine classes realized, and doc insights for future reference. This overview might present beneficial 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 not too long ago 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 could be flexibly permissioned in accordance with the wants of the group.
We’d ideally wish 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 might handle content material for the Study part of the positioning, whereas Entity Y might individually handle content material for the Ecosystem part. ECC might proceed sustaining the general website expertise, website safety, related analytics, and internet growth. Representatives from all entities might collectively sit on an editorial board to make sure cohesive content material technique and constant high quality. Funding might come within the type of Zcash Neighborhood Grants, a renewed Zcash Improvement Fund, or some mixture of the 2.
Instance B: Entity X might work with ECC to develop translations for z.money content material in languages apart from English. Funding might come within the type of Zcash Neighborhood Grants.
Ongoing prices:
- Internet growth and design presently prices ~$2,500 monthly by exterior companies.
- Hosting and utility safety price ~$20,000 per yr.
- Hotjar presently prices ~$250 monthly.
- Ahrefs presently prices ~$199 monthly.
- 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 might oversee the platform, independently or along side ECC, with funding from Zcash Neighborhood Grants.
Ongoing prices:
- Copywriting and group administration sources prices TBD.
- Internet hosting prices ~$50 monthly.
@Zcash Twitter account
We wish to see an entity or particular person (apart from ECC) assume social media administration duties (inclusive of content material technique and manufacturing) for the @Zcash Twitter deal with. Funding might come within the type of Zcash Neighborhood Grants.
Ongoing prices:
- ~$250/mo for Sprout Social.
- The fee to design visible belongings (ie. animated GIFs and movies).
- Copywriting and group administration sources.
Cypherpunk Zero website and NFT belongings
Ideally, the Cypherpunk Zero world might be transitioned to an impartial staff who might facilitate wider group participation and contributions. Maybe this might observe a transition and possession mannequin just like the proposal for z.money. Along with the positioning and NFT assortment (~2,000 items), ECC has three accomplished comedian ebook scripts that should be illustrated and packaged. This challenge was placed on maintain in 2022 for finances issues.
Ongoing prices:
- Internet growth and design presently prices TBD (ECC is presently spending $0 monthly).
- 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 assist service choices that might trigger the operational prices to be greater or decrease.
Present questions, realities, and constraints
There are a selection of identified (and unknown) points that we would wish to deal with with the assistance of the group. Notably:
- The best funding supply(s) for entities that assist handle Zcash digital properties is to be decided. Funding might come from Zcash Neighborhood Grants, a revised Zcash Improvement Fund, or some mixture of the 2. We’re open to strategies from the group.
- The prevailing Zcash Trademark Settlement and License Settlement might should be amended to accommodate people or entities apart from ECC.
- Another tasks (comparable to Ethereum.org) have the luxurious of counting on massive communities to crowdsource a lot of the day-to-day administration of their digital properties. By advantage of the Zcash group’s small measurement, we imagine a narrower, extra managed administration strategy is required whereas the challenge is in its infancy.
- The best governance construction is to be decided and should require experimentation.
- The best position of third events (and the group’s capacity to carry them accountable) is one thing that will should be explored and codified by the proposed activity drive.
- A shared Digital Property Roadmap, Type Information, and Design Rules (together with content material and model pointers) will should 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 main community for quite 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 group engagement on this matter at Zcon4, with an intent to start strategy 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, in the course of the Zcon4 dates, and we invite the group to take part. Keep tuned for particulars on time and venue. If you wish to ensure you don’t miss this dialog, be happy to e mail me at [email protected], and I’ll maintain you within the loop. We’re excited to listen to from you straight and to work with certified members of the group 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. Beneath is a breakdown of constituent components, corresponding instruments and platforms, and vital dependencies.
Be aware: In case you or somebody has a dependency that’s not listed under, please submit this manner by Aug 16, 2023.
- Z.money area, dependent infrastructure, and web site
- Area title registrar (presently by way of Google Domains)
- @z.money e mail (presently by way of GSuite)
- Google cloud providers for vital ECC-managed infrastructure
- Z.money web site frontend
- WordPress CMS
- Instruments and analytics
- Hotjar
- Google Analytics
- Ahrefs
- Confirmic
- Z.money website hosting (presently by way of Pantheon)
- Z.money web site and utility safety (presently by way of Cloudflare)
- Zcash Enchancment Proposals subdomain (zips.z.money)
- zcash.github.io
- Technical documentation (ReadTheDocs/Gitbook)
- Zcash Twitter account
- Instruments and analytics
- Sprout Social
- Instruments and analytics