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

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, net improvement, 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 better 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, but it surely’s additionally merely a begin — a patch of land to develop a backyard. Within the coming months, we’ll start working towards fostering better group involvement with the final word objective 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 current weblog about ECC’s proposals and plans for decentralizing Zcash, the publish you might be studying now’s meant to stipulate a course of (at the least 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 are able to construct and enact a mannequin of communal possession and elevated collaboration — transitioning these digital belongings and instruments into shared public items, with a better variety 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 necessary for a number of causes, together with:

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

Scope of proposal

This proposal encompasses the next digital properties at present managed day-to-day by ECC. For a full breakdown of constituent elements, corresponding instruments/platforms and necessary 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. This can be a draft, meant to spur dialogue, and we welcome group enter on the method and timeline(s) detailed beneath.

Section 1 (Aug-Oct 2023)

Set up a transition activity power composed of ECC representatives and certified group members.

Starting with a proper group utility course of, ECC will create a transition activity power to contribute concepts and information and oversee the transition. The duty power needs to be comprised of representatives from ECC and as much as three key members of the Zcash group. This group of unpaid volunteers will probably be chargeable for prioritizing tasks, growing the transition plans, partaking with the group, due diligence on trademark and authorized implications, and making certain a clean and orderly switch of tasks as applicable. The duty power ought to replicate the range of the Zcash group, making certain {that a} broad vary of views, geographies, and experience are represented, if possible.

See activity power 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 publish, the transition activity power 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, targets, and long-term imaginative and prescient. By establishing these standards upfront, the duty power ensures a clear and goal choice course of that’s rooted in the perfect pursuits of the Zcash group.

Section 3 (Feb-March 2024)

Have interaction the Zcash group relating to construction(s).

To encourage group involvement and enter within the transition course of, the duty power will clearly talk the specified traits of the brand new possession construction(s). By offering a mechanism for open dialogue and trade of concepts, ECC can collect priceless suggestions and insights from numerous 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 power 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 latest governance mechanisms. By offering a structured framework for the transition, the roadmap may help guarantee all points of the method are fastidiously thought of and managed.

As soon as the transition course of is full, the duty power 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 evaluate could also be carried out to evaluate the general success of the method, determine classes discovered, and doc insights for future reference. This evaluate may present priceless 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 numerous content material sections of the web site. The related WordPress CMS, instruments, and analytics platforms will be flexibly permissioned in response to the wants of the group.

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 net 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 Growth 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: 

• Net improvement and design at present prices ~$2,500 monthly by outdoors companies.
• Website hosting and utility safety value ~$20,000 per 12 months.
• Hotjar at present prices ~$250 monthly.
• Ahrefs at present prices ~$199 monthly.
• WordPress plugins value in combination ~$250 per 12 months.
• Google Analytics is free.

Zcash technical documentation administration:

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

Ongoing prices: 

• Copywriting and group administration assets prices TBD.
• Internet hosting prices ~$50 monthly.

@Zcash Twitter account

We want 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 group administration assets.

Cypherpunk Zero website and NFT belongings

Ideally, the Cypherpunk Zero world may very well be transitioned to an impartial group who may 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 location and NFT assortment (~2,000 items), ECC has three accomplished comedian e-book scripts that should be illustrated and packaged. This challenge was placed on maintain in 2022 for finances concerns. 

Ongoing prices:

• Net improvement and design at present prices TBD (ECC is at present spending $0 monthly).
• Website hosting and utility safety value ~$4,000 per 12 months.
• Fuel charges for switch of NFTs ~10 per asset.

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

Present questions, realities, and constraints

There are a variety of recognized (and unknown) points that we would want to deal with with the assistance of the group. 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 Growth Fund, or some mixture of the 2. We’re open to solutions from the group.
• The prevailing Zcash Trademark Settlement and License Settlement could should be amended to accommodate people or entities apart from ECC.
• Another tasks (equivalent to Ethereum.org) have the posh 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 method is required whereas the challenge is in its infancy.
• The perfect governance construction is to be decided and will require experimentation.
• The perfect position of third events (and the group’s capability to carry them accountable) is one thing that may should be explored and codified by the proposed activity power.
• A shared Digital Property Roadmap, Model 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 applicable method.

Different necessary concerns:

ECC at present depends on the z.money area as its Google Cloud Supplier major community for quite a lot of items of essential 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 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 facet occasion, throughout 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 preserve 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 power choice course of talked about above and detailed right here. 

Addendum

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

Word: If you happen to or somebody you already know has a dependency that isn’t listed beneath, please submit this way by Aug 16, 2023.

1. Z.money area, dependent infrastructure, and web site
   1. Area title registrar (at present through Google Domains)
   2. @z.money e mail (at present through GSuite)
   3. Google cloud providers for necessary 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 website hosting (at present through Pantheon)
   6. Z.money web site and utility safety (at present through 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