diff --git a/www/big-picture/customers.png b/www/big-picture/customers.png index 70d32ce..cabcd82 100644 Binary files a/www/big-picture/customers.png and b/www/big-picture/customers.png differ diff --git a/www/big-picture/customers.spt b/www/big-picture/customers.spt index b7b967a..01b80e4 100644 --- a/www/big-picture/customers.spt +++ b/www/big-picture/customers.spt @@ -2,14 +2,62 @@ nav_title = 'Customers' [---] [---] text/html via markdown -Our [strategy](../strategy) is to flood the market with open organizations. -Therefore, we understand our customers as follows: +Our [strategy](./strategy) for fulfilling our [mission](./mission) is to +evolve open organizations by persuading companies to pay open source software +projects. - + -Our primary customer is `~picard`: the manager of an open organization. -Our secondary customer is The Enterprise's customer: `~alice`. +## Demand-Side -Our tertiary customer is The Enterprise's employee (contractor, agent, etc.): -`~crusher`. +`~alice` and `~bob` are employees of a company representing the demand side of +the marketplace for open source software. Their company consumes open source +software and we want to help them pay for it. + +`~alice` is an open source program director (or manager, or advocate, or chief +open source officer, etc.) at a company. She has budget authority and is +explicitly responsible for the relationship between the company and the open +source community, both as producer and consumer. This is the primary role we +sell to. + +`~bob` is a developer who wants his company to pay for open source, but does +not have budget authority. He takes it upon himself to advocate for open source +within his company, but does not have it as an explicit responsibility. This is +a secondary role that we sell through and with by helping him make the case +within his company. + +`~alice` and `~bob` are convinced that supporting open source is the Right +Thing™ … but we're not selling altruism. Paying for open source is +actually in each company's enlightened self-interest. How can we help `~alice` +and `~bob` make the case? + +- **Risk management**. Open source is an upstream supplier, and insolvent + vendors are risky (see: +[Heartbleed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heartbleed#Root_causes.2C_possible_lessons.2C_and_reactions)). + +- **Marketing**. Companies with a good reputation in open source communities + find it easier to sell to and hire from those communities. + +- **Metrics**. Understanding open source consumption patterns can be difficult + in large organizations. + +- **Social validation**. Companies need to feel that they're not the only one + paying, but rather that they're part of an industry trend. + + +## Supply-Side + +`~picard` is the manager (owner?) of an open organization, and `~crusher` is a +contributor to the organization (co-owner, employee, contractor, agent). These +are the supply-side customers in our markeplace. + +We saw this side of the market grow at 3% month-over-month even while we were +growing 0% on the demand side, so we're not as focused on selling to this side. +The open source community is so desperate for money that if we can unlock the +demand side, the supply side should basically take care of itself, at least at +first. + +Eventually we will get back to our second market, [between projects and +contributors](https://opensource.com/open-organization/16/7/compensating-employees-letting-them-take-what-they-want). +Some day! diff --git a/www/big-picture/mission.spt b/www/big-picture/mission.spt index f0543be..dc89b8f 100644 --- a/www/big-picture/mission.spt +++ b/www/big-picture/mission.spt @@ -3,39 +3,40 @@ nav_children = [] [---] [---] text/html -Our mission is to cultivate an economy of gratitude, generosity, and love. +Gratipay's mission is to cultivate an economy of gratitude, generosity, and love. -## Chalk +## Love Chalk *by Chad Whitacre* -I just passed Cameron for the third time: six feet tall, Asian-American, baggy -jeans, filthy blue sweatshirt unzipped with the hood up. He was crouching under -a city map in front of the Burger King next to the streetcars at Powell and -Market. Scattered in front of him were coins and bits of chalk. +I just passed Cameron for the third time: six feet, baggy jeans, filthy blue +sweatshirt unzipped with the hood up. Crouching under a city map in front of +the Burger King next to the cable cars, coins and bits of chalk strewed the +sidewalk in front of him. -Cameron sleeps in Union Square. He showed me where the first time we met. -“Under that tree. My buddy sleeps there. We watch each other's stuff. -Some people are bad, but I try to help people. Like, if I have five dollars, -and you need money, I'll just give it to you. I'm all about love.” +The first time I meet Cameron is in Union Square. “I sleep under that +tree. My buddy sleeps there. We watch each other's stuff. Some people are bad, +but I try to help people. Like, if I have five dollars, and you need money, +I'll just give it to you. I'm all about love.” He pronounces it, +“luuuuuv.” -He was acting skittish, though, and a passing janitor confirmed my suspicion. -“Hey, you can't do that!” +But not everyone appreciates his work. “Hey, you can't do that!” +calls a tired janitor, wheeling a trash can past. -After he'd wheeled his trash can past, Cameron looked at the sidewalk in front -of him and said, “I'm writing 'love'. They keep telling me not to, but -I'm going to do it anyway.” I offered him a heart coin and moved on, as -he swooped back in for a few more surreptitious strokes. I only found traces a -day or two later. Sorry, janitor. +Cameron looks at the sidewalk in front of him. “I'm writing +‘love’. They keep telling me not to, but I'm going to do it +anyway.” I offer him a heart coin and move on. He swoops back in for a +few more surreptitious strokes, of which only traces remain the next day. +Sorry, janitor. -The second time, I found him crouching on Market. He didn't seem to remember me -at all—no biggie, the city is busy. “I'm writing -‘love’, but I don't have any chalk.” Just stubs in front of -him. “I'm all about love.” Not so skittish. No janitors down here. +The second time, Cameron is crouching on Market. He doesn't recognize me. +“I'm writing ‘love’, but I don't have any chalk.” Just +stubs in front of him. “I'm all about love.” Not so skittish. No +janitors down here. -He didn't recognize me just now either. “Hey Cameron.” He looked up -slowly, blankly. “You want a burger or something?” +He didn't recognize me just now either. “Hey, Cameron.” He looked +up slowly, blankly. “You want a burger or something?” “Huh?” @@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ again, but he noticed me. Slowly taking it in, “Is that for me?” -Now I'm wondering if this dude is Dory. “Yeah.” +I'm talking to Dory. “Yeah.” “You bought those for me?” @@ -79,13 +80,10 @@ packs of plain white chalk sitting next to the stubs. “You didn't have to do that for me … but you did.” -Turning around and pointing to the sidewalk, I said, “Well, you didn't -have to do that for us, but you did.” +Turning around and pointing to the sidewalk, “Well, you didn't have to do +that for us, but you did.” -After another pause, Cameron's face broke into a smile as he went for the dap. -Our fists connected and we smiled at each other, then I silently turned to go. -Ten feet away, he called out, “That's love, man.” I looked back, -gave him a thumbs up. Crouching again, staring me in the eye and smiling -broadly, he said, “I like you.” - -[[source](https://github.com/gratipay/inside.gratipay.com/issues/867#issuecomment-261455881)] +Another pause, then Cameron's face broke into a smile as he went for the pound. +Our fists connected and we smiled at each other, then I silently turned. +“That's love, man.” I looked back, gave him a thumbs up. Crouching +again, staring me in the eye and smiling broadly, “I like you.” diff --git a/www/big-picture/operating-agreement.spt b/www/big-picture/operating-agreement.spt index 68fcfc8..c6f1cec 100644 --- a/www/big-picture/operating-agreement.spt +++ b/www/big-picture/operating-agreement.spt @@ -79,8 +79,9 @@ importance of the decision. If no-one objects then the matter is decided. If another member objects then the members involved work out a consensus. If they can't work it out then Gratipay votes. -Gratipay calls votes by general consent. By default, votes are open for 72 -hours and require a majority to pass. The quorum is: +Gratipay calls votes by general consent following a period of discussion. By +default, votes are open for 72 hours and require a majority to pass. The quorum +is: - a majority if there are fewer than seven members, - seven if there are at least 14 but fewer than 35 members, and @@ -90,21 +91,21 @@ Members cast votes using comments and/or reactions on GitHub issues. Any member may count the vote and publish their count. Those members who publish a count within 24 hours after voting closes decide together on the final count. -The following decisions require a vote with a seven day voting period and a -majority in favor to pass: +The following decisions require a minimum four-day discussion period prior to +voting: - removing a member against their will, - changing [the big picture](./), which includes this document, and - accepting outside financing, which includes loans from members. -The following decisions require a vote with a 14-day voting period and at least -75% in favor to pass: +The following decisions require a minimum 11-day discussion period, and at +least 75% voting in favor to pass: - adding a member, and - selling or dissolving Gratipay. -In the case of a vote to decide whether to call a vote, the period is 24 hours -and a majority decides it. +In the case of a vote to decide whether to call a vote, the voting period is 24 +hours and a majority decides it. Gratipay software is open source. In the case of irreconcilable conflict, members in the minority have the option to fork. diff --git a/www/big-picture/roadmap.spt b/www/big-picture/roadmap.spt index ec68b23..fbe8ae5 100644 --- a/www/big-picture/roadmap.spt +++ b/www/big-picture/roadmap.spt @@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ source](https://github.com/gratipay/inside.gratipay.com/issues/987).” ## Accounting +- [Clean up exchanges](https://github.com/orgs/gratipay/projects/20) - [Finish setting up books](https://github.com/gratipay/finances/issues/43) - [Account for one month once ever](https://github.com/gratipay/finances/pulls) - [Catch up on books](https://github.com/gratipay/finances/issues/3) diff --git a/www/big-picture/strategy.spt b/www/big-picture/strategy.spt index 916c8dd..a938a37 100644 --- a/www/big-picture/strategy.spt +++ b/www/big-picture/strategy.spt @@ -3,14 +3,22 @@ nav_title = 'Strategy' [---] text/html Our strategy for [cultivating](mission) an economy of gratitude, generosity, -and love is to fill the market with **open organizations**. In adopting this -term, we are participating in a -[conversation](https://opensource.com/open-organization) hosted by Red Hat on -their website, OpenSource.com, based on the book [*The Open -Organization*](https://www.amazon.com/-/dp/1625275277) by their CEO, Jim -Whitehurst. +and love is to take advantage of the **open source tragedy of the commons** to +fill the market with **open organizations**. -Open organizations as we define them have four characteristics: + +## Open Organizations + +[*The Open Organization*](https://www.amazon.com/-/dp/1625275277) is a book by +Jim Whitehurst documenting Red Hat's company culture. Red Hat hosts an [ongoing +conversation](https://opensource.com/open-organization) about the book and its +themes via their website, OpenSource.com. Prior to Jim's book, Gratipay talked +about [open +companies](https://gratipay.news/the-second-open-company-4cbab7ca1a47), but +with Red Hat stepping forward with so much more momentum, we've folded our +efforts into theirs. + +Open organizations as Gratipay defines them have four characteristics: 1. **transparent decisions**—the default is for information to be shared publicly and decisions to be vetted publicly before being finalized; @@ -28,18 +36,17 @@ But when there is personal agency, gratitude and generosity are able to flourish. -## The Open Source Value Vacuum +## The Open Source Tragedy of the Commons -Open source software projects are the most well-established institutions that -are closest to our vision of the open organization. Transparent decision-making -and open “hiring” are the norm. Insofar as they have any revenue, -it is voluntary. There's historically not been much revenue, however, so -practices around compensation are not well-developed (hence the scare quotes -around “hiring”). +We aim to evolve open organizations from open source software projects, because +open source software projects are the best-established existing institutions +that are closest to our vision of the open organization. Transparent +decision-making and open “hiring” are the norm. Insofar as they +have any revenue, it is voluntary. There's historically not been much revenue, +however, so practices around compensation are not well-developed (hence the +scare quotes around “hiring”). -Our strategy is to evolve open source software projects into open -organizations: open institutions with a peer economic relationship to closed -organizations. In economic terms, open source software is a [*public +In economic terms, open source software is a [*public good*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_good#Definition_matrix): ![goods matrix](matrix.png) @@ -52,36 +59,48 @@ There are three ways to fit public goods into the economy: 1. **Taxation**. This is akin to enclosure, in that both involve *forcing* people to pay for the thing. -1. **Social norms**. At its worst, this looks like guilt-tripping and shaming. - At its best, it looks like inviting people to be grateful and generous and -Do the Right Thing™. This is us! 💃 - -If we have a chance at (3), it's because open source has created a -“value vacuum” in the economy. Closed organizations have been -unable to ignore the value open source software offers; they've embraced it. -This creates some pressure to compensate open source projects *after* the fact -rather than beforehand. Is it enough? - -A second pressure point is developer relations. Companies with a good -reputation in open source communities find it easier to hire from and sell to -those communities. - -Another relevant pressure in the industry is the pressure to address the -diversity problem in tech -([e.g.](http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2014/10/17/356944145/episode-576-when-women-stopped-coding)). -This is a problem worth addressing in its own right, and it dovetails with the -idea of proactively giving individuals agency to be involved in the engines of -our economy. - -A fourth entrypoint is consumer-facing public goods, such as the services -provided by Wikipedia, Mozilla, and the Internet Archive, and digital content -more broadly. - -The goal is to tap these pressure points to get some funding moving into open -organizations. If we get enough money moving in this direction then we might -even [see](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWH3Waigi5Y#t=5h59m17s) a new +1. **Persuasion**. The pitch is mostly enlightened self-interest with a +sprinkling of altruism. This is us! 💃 + +Persuading customers to pay for value they may also access for free is an +“extreme” solution to the [value capture +problem](https://hbr.org/2014/10/capture-more-value): + +> Taking this idea to an extreme, some companies have *pay what you want* +> arrangements, whereby the seller must take whatever the customer offers. +> Given the potential for free-rider abuse, few businesses contemplate this +> innovation. + +Free-rider abuse is the [classic +challenge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free-rider_problem) in providing +public goods, and it is a challenge intrinsic to open source. “The +license shall not require a royalty or other fee,” is the [very first +article](https://opensource.org/definition) of the open source definition, and +freedom-as-in-beer was the primary driver for corporate open source adoption +[until 2011](https://www.blackducksoftware.com/2016-future-of-open-source) +(slide 10). In other words, one of the great strengths of open source is also +perhaps its greatest weaknesses. + +Open source clearly suffers from free-rider abuse. It creates between [$100B +and +$1T/yr](https://gratipay.news/open-source-captures-0-02-of-the-value-it-creates-leaving-852b-y-on-the-table-9015eb7e293e) +in value, and captures at most 0.2% of that value. Gratipay's strategic plan is +to solve the free-rider problem in open source by [persuading +companies](./customers) to pay for open source software. There are +[20M](https://www.google.com/search?q=number+of+programmers+in+the+world) +programmers in the world. If 10% of them had an annual budget of $1,000 to pay +for open source, the distributed open source community would have revenues +[equivalent to Red +Hat](https://www.redhat.com/en/about/press-releases/red-hat-reports-fourth-quarter-and-fiscal-year-2017-results). + +That's our initial target: $2B/yr revenue for the open source community, an +order of magnitude change from the status quo. Along the way we will create a second market, +[between projects and +contributors](https://opensource.com/open-organization/16/7/compensating-employees-letting-them-take-what-they-want). + +At further orders of magnitude, we may even +[see](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWH3Waigi5Y#t=5h59m17s) a new [sector](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_sector#By_ownership) of the -economy: public, private, voluntary, … and open! And if we do that, -hopefully we'll have increased the gratitude and generosity in the world by a -fraction of a degree—maybe enough to get an interesting feedback loop -going! +economy emerge: public, private, voluntary, … and open. This new segment +of the economy may better harmonize personal agency with collective action, +perhaps making room for gratitude, generosity, and love to flourish. diff --git a/www/big-picture/values.spt b/www/big-picture/values.spt index 40540ee..68f791a 100644 --- a/www/big-picture/values.spt +++ b/www/big-picture/values.spt @@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ nav_title = 'Values' Gratipay is an [open](https://opensource.com/open-organization/resources/open-org-definition) [cooperative](http://ica.coop/en/what-co-operative) rooted in the -[open-source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source) cultural tradition. +[open source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source) cultural tradition. We subscribe to the values of both cooperatives and open organizations, and extend these with our own unique value system called the Ladder of Love. Together, these three sets of values articulate our collective self-identity,