The Forg.es BlogForg.es is a Zola2022-10-18T00:00:00+00:00https://blog.forg.es.batsense.net/atom.xmlAnnouncing Forgers Guild2022-10-18T00:00:00+00:002022-10-18T00:00:00+00:00https://blog.forg.es.batsense.net/ecosystem-alliance/<p><a href="https://forgefriends.org/blog/2022/06/30/2022-06-state-forge-federation/">Forge federation</a> is a new area of the Fediverse that is evolving. Its potential is huge and the vision one of <strong>"Federated Software Development"</strong>. A new technology landscape is emerging that might cover the full breadth of the <a href="https://discuss.coding.social/c/fsdl/15">Free Software Development Lifecycle</a> (FSDL) and foster an ecosystem of projects and communities that can compete with proprietary platforms such as GitHub.</p>
<p>In order to get there the <a href="https://discuss.coding.social/t/major-challenges-for-the-fediverse/67">Major Challenges</a> that ail the Fediverse must be avoided. And with Forge Federation entering new areas the opportunity exists to do that right from the early start.</p>
<span id="continue-reading"></span>
<p>We are preparing for an <a href="https://discuss.coding.social/t/fsdl-ecosystem-alliance/125">Ecosystem
Alliance</a>
that can ensure the long-term health and sustainability of the field.
We'll explore objectives, opportunities, questions and open issues in
preparation of an <strong>Alliance Kick-off Meeting</strong> to be held later this
year (2022).</p>
<h3 id="the-forgers-guild">"The Forgers Guild"</h3>
<p>At the <a href="https://coding.social">Social Coding Movement</a> which is planned
to be 'officially' launched in Q4 2022 the idea to "unionize free
software" and organize into <strong>Software Guilds</strong> is maturing. When
combining <a href="https://discuss.coding.social/t/unionize-free-software-found-software-guilds/59/7?u=aschrijver">different plans and
ideas</a>
an ideal name for forge federation ecosystem alliance is: <strong>The Forgers
Guild</strong>.</p>
<p>Besides an open and friendly terminology of towns, residents, artisans,
craftsmanship, apprentices etc. there's a <a href="https://discuss.coding.social/t/forging-free-software-branding-and-positioning-smartly/132">branding and
positioning</a>
opportunity to make <strong>"forging software"</strong> a concept proudly applying to
the Free Software Community.</p>
<h3 id="providing-feedback">Providing feedback</h3>
<p>Everyone is highly encouraged to add their thoughts and feedback to this
notepad, and discuss points in the <a href="https://matrix.to/#/#general-forgefed:matrix.batsense.net">Forge Federation
general</a>
matrix chatroom. Also your input is most welcome in <a href="https://discuss.coding.social">Discuss Social
Coding</a> where it concerns the broader
FSDL, and in related <a href="https://matrix.to/#/#socialcoding-movement:matrix.org">Social
Coding</a>
chatrooms.</p>
<h2 id="ecosystem-alliance">Ecosystem Alliance</h2>
<h3 id="objectives">Objectives</h3>
<p>What do we expect / desire to be major goals of the alliance? Add your
feedback.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><strong>Welcoming and friendly</strong> movement that offers <strong>clear incentives for
active participation</strong>.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Open governance and processes</strong> fitting to our <strong>libre culture and
grassroots nature</strong>.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Living open standards</strong> that are actively maintained, so they will
<strong>evolve and mature</strong>.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Vibrant ecosystem</strong> focused to onboard newcomers and <strong>fosters
technology adoption</strong>.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="candidates">Candidates</h3>
<p>If a person or an organization is interested to become a Participant,
but aren't sure, then add it below, together with considerations / open
questions.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://forg.es">Forg.es</a>: Future home and dedicated website for The
Forgers Guild?</li>
<li><a href="https://forgefed.org">ForgeFed</a>: Federation protocol for enabling
interoperability between version control services.</li>
<li><a href="https://forgeflux.org">ForgeFlux</a>: WIP ForgeFed plugins for forges
that don't have federation support.</li>
<li><a href="https://gitea.io">Gitea</a>: A Git hosting software with WIP ForgeFed
support</li>
<li><a href="https://bonfirenetworks.org">Bonfire</a>: Federated toolkit with issue
tracking functionality</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="participants">Participants</h3>
<p>Add yourself below if you want to be part of the alliance. Give
description how you see your role in the ecosystem. Note: It is all just
brainstorm.</p>
<details><summary> <b>Social Coding Movement</b> (click to expand, and
see open issues)</summary>
<p>This movement is a loose affiliation of Communities and Projects and
(hopefully) a steadily growing number of Social Coding Practitioners.</p>
<pre style="background-color:#2b303b;color:#c0c5ce;"><code><span>> [**Social Coding**](https://coding.social) is about the
</span><span>> recognition that software development itself is mostly a social
</span><span>> process. The movement is dedicated to addressing the many
</span><span>> Challenges faced by the free software community and crowdsource a
</span><span>> pattern library of Best-practices and Tools to tackle them. In
</span><span>> doing so it wants to leverage the Fediverse to maximum extent.
</span></code></pre>
<ul>
<li>Though the movement has an umbrella organization, for the ecosystem
alliance you can consider its position as a vertical with many
touchpoints to specific elements of the FSDL.</li>
<li>Social Coding co-shared community provides services to affiliated yet
fully independent Communities and Projects, such as
<a href="https://discuss.coding.social">Forum</a> and dedicated website space.</li>
<li>Contact: <a href="https://mastodon.social/@humanetech">@humanetech</a> (fedi) /
<a href="https://matrix.to/#/@circlebuilder:matrix.org">@circlebuilder</a> (matrix)</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<pre style="background-color:#2b303b;color:#c0c5ce;"><code><span></details><br>
</span></code></pre>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://forgefriends.org">Forgefriends</a>: a forge federation project.
Observes the ecosystem to better position itself since its goal is to be
useful to developers. <em>Added by Loïc Dachary, member of the forgefriends
community.</em></li>
<li><a href="https://gna.org">Gna!</a>: a free forge ecosystem for free developers.
Provides feedback on the implementation of an experimental business
model. <em>Added by Loïc Dachary, member of the Gna! collective.</em></li>
</ul>
<h3 id="pushpin-ideas-open-issues">:pushpin: Ideas / open issues</h3>
<p>Crazy thoughts on what an ecosystem alliance can do, and things that
should be addressed.. add them below (give a handle to matrix/fedi
account).</p>
<ul>
<li><input disabled="" type="checkbox"/>
Social Coding Movement has the concept of 'being under its
umbrella'. The Forgers Guild would be an ideal candidate. This
participation comes with its own <a href="https://pad.public.cat/8yNgnlxmSsGYk3TfIau46A?view">benefit
package</a> (to be
updated, elaborated).</li>
<li><input disabled="" type="checkbox"/>
Research business models (see <a href="https://forum.gna.org/t/hostea-forge-hosting-supported-by-a-collective-of-service-companies/175">the business model for federated
online services example of
Gna!</a>)</li>
<li><input disabled="" type="checkbox"/>
Match developers with funding (there is more funding available
globally than developers willing to do the work)</li>
<li><input disabled="" type="checkbox"/>
<em>Idea or open issue</em></li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h3 id="kick-off-meeting">Kick-off Meeting</h3>
<p>Participants (add yourself to the list):</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://mastodon.online/@dachary">Loïc Dachary</a></li>
<li><a href="https://todon.nl/@fr33domlover">fr33domlover</a></li>
<li><a href="https://gts.batsense.net/@realaravinth">Aravinth Manivannan</a></li>
<li><a href="https://social.exozy.me/@a">Anthony Wang</a></li>
<li><a href="https://mastodon.social/@humanetech">Arnold Schrijver</a></li>
<li><a href="https://mastodon.technology/@Gusted">Gusted</a></li>
<li><a href="https://fosstodon.org/@Cloud68/108883423002859647">Cloud68</a> (please,
ping us when date is set)</li>
<li>Mayel (Bonfire) (UTC+12)</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Date</strong>: TBD</p>
<ul>
<li>Jitsi: https://meet.waag.org/ForgersEcosystemAllianceKickOff</li>
</ul>
<h4 id="agenda">Agenda:</h4>
<p>(draft, preliminary)</p>
<ul>
<li>Introduction, who's who?</li>
<li>Rationale for an Ecosystem Alliance: The challenge</li>
<li>Forgers Guild: Shared vision, common mission</li>
<li>"What do I want?", objectives for participants, benefits</li>
<li>Next steps</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p>Please see <a href="https://notes.smallcircles.work/s/UnEIHW1HV">here</a> for the original draft</p>