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 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 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, 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 better group involvement with the last 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 might be studying now’s 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 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 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, unbiased individuals and groups is vital for a number of causes, together with:
Making certain the long-term sustainability and resilience of the Zcash mission
Encouraging variety and innovation within the ecosystem
Enabling extra content material, extra collaboration, and a better 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.
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. It is 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 process pressure composed of ECC representatives and certified group members.
Starting with a proper group software course of, ECC will create a transition process pressure to contribute concepts and information and oversee the transition. The duty pressure must be comprised of representatives from ECC and as much as three key members of the Zcash group. This group of unpaid volunteers shall be answerable for prioritizing initiatives, creating the transition plans, participating with the group, due diligence on trademark and authorized implications, and making certain a clean and orderly switch of tasks as acceptable. The duty pressure 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 process pressure choice course of proposal
Section 2 (Nov 2023-Jan 2024)
Develop standards for evaluating potential new possession constructions.
Based mostly on the evaluation and desired traits outlined on this submit, the transition process pressure ought to develop clear standards for evaluating potential new possession constructions 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 pressure ensures a clear and goal choice course of that’s rooted in the perfect pursuits of the Zcash group.
Section 3 (Feb-March 2024)
Interact the Zcash group concerning construction(s).
To encourage group involvement and enter within the transition course of, the duty pressure 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 beneficial suggestions and insights from numerous stakeholders, making certain numerous views are thought-about 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 pressure and new proprietor(s) ought to develop a transparent roadmap outlining expectations and tasks, 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 recent governance mechanisms. By offering a structured framework for the transition, the roadmap may help guarantee all features of the method are rigorously thought-about and managed.
As soon as the transition course of is full, the duty pressure 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 performed to evaluate the general success of the method, determine classes discovered, and doc insights for future reference. This evaluate 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 mission.
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 numerous content material sections of the web site. The related WordPress CMS, instruments, and analytics platforms may be flexibly permissioned in response to the wants of the group.
We might 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 aside from English. Funding might come within the type of Zcash Neighborhood Grants.
Ongoing prices:
Internet growth and design presently prices ~$2,500 per thirty days by means of exterior companies.
Website hosting and software safety price ~$20,000 per 12 months.
Hotjar presently prices ~$250 per thirty days.
Ahrefs presently prices ~$199 per thirty days.
WordPress plugins price in mixture ~$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 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 per thirty days.
@Zcash Twitter account
We wish to see an entity or particular person (aside from ECC) assume social media administration tasks (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 unbiased group who might facilitate wider group participation and contributions. Maybe this might comply with 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 e-book scripts that must be illustrated and packaged. This mission was placed on maintain in 2022 for funds issues.
Ongoing prices:
Internet growth and design presently prices TBD (ECC is presently spending $0 per thirty days).
Website hosting and software safety price ~$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 wish to handle 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 ideas from the group.
The prevailing Zcash Trademark Settlement and License Settlement might must be amended to accommodate people or entities aside from ECC.
Another initiatives (equivalent to Ethereum.org) have the posh of counting on giant communities to crowdsource a lot of the day-to-day administration of their digital properties. By advantage of the Zcash group’s small dimension, we imagine a narrower, extra managed administration strategy is required whereas the mission is in its infancy.
The best governance construction is to be decided and will require experimentation.
The best function of third events (and the group’s means to carry them accountable) is one thing that may must be explored and codified by the proposed process pressure.
A shared Digital Property Roadmap, Fashion Information, and Design Rules (together with content material and model pointers) will must 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 important 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 house for group engagement on this subject 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, through the Zcon4 dates, and we invite the group to take part. Keep tuned for particulars on time and venue. If you wish to make certain 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 instantly and to work with certified members of the group on these efforts!
After this workshop, our hope is to kick off the duty pressure 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 elements, corresponding instruments and platforms, and vital dependencies.
Word: When you or somebody has a dependency that’s not listed beneath, please submit this way by Aug 16, 2023.
Z.money area, dependent infrastructure, and web site
Area title registrar (presently through Google Domains)
@z.money e-mail (presently through GSuite)
Google cloud companies for vital ECC-managed infrastructure
Z.money web site frontend
WordPress CMS
Instruments and analytics
Hotjar
Google Analytics
Ahrefs
Confirmic
Z.money webhosting (presently through Pantheon)
Z.money web site and software safety (presently through Cloudflare)
Zcash Enchancment Proposals subdomain (zips.z.money)
Zcash Protocol Specification
zcash.github.io
Technical documentation (ReadTheDocs/Gitbook)
Zcash Twitter account
Instruments and analytics
Sprout Social
