Electrical Coin Co. (ECC) manages various Zcash-focused digital properties, i.e., the z.money web site, the Zcash technical documentation hub, the Zcash Twitter account, and the Cypherpunk Zero web site and belongings. Stewardship of those tasks is a multidisciplinary endeavor involving content material technique, digital advertising and marketing, net improvement, design, copywriting, neighborhood 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 neighborhood involvement, we launched a redesigned and refined Z.money. Right here’s what we wrote about it:
This web site relaunch is a milestone, however 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 neighborhood involvement with the last word objective of transitioning this web site 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’re 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 neighborhood, 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 all over the place.
Sounds cool, however why?
We imagine making a decentralized possession construction, collectively managed by ECC and certified, unbiased folks and groups is necessary for a number of causes, together with:
Making certain the long-term sustainability and resilience of the Zcash challenge
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 components, corresponding instruments/platforms and necessary dependencies, please see the addendum.
z.money area and web site
Zcash Technical Documentation (ReadTheDocs/Gitbook)
Zcash Twitter account
Cypherpunk Zero web site and belongings
Proposed decentralization course of
Broadly talking, we imagine the trail to decentralization needs to be incremental and structured as follows. It is a draft, meant to spur dialogue, and we welcome neighborhood enter on the method and timeline(s) detailed under.
Section 1 (Aug-Oct 2023)
Set up a transition activity pressure composed of ECC representatives and certified neighborhood members.
Starting with a proper neighborhood software course of, ECC will create a transition activity pressure to contribute concepts and information and oversee the transition. The duty pressure needs to be comprised of representatives from ECC and as much as three key members of the Zcash neighborhood. This group of unpaid volunteers shall be answerable for prioritizing tasks, creating the transition plans, partaking with the neighborhood, due diligence on trademark and authorized implications, and making certain a clean and orderly switch of obligations as acceptable. The duty pressure ought to replicate the range of the Zcash neighborhood, making certain {that a} broad vary of views, geographies, and experience are represented, if possible.
See activity pressure choice course of proposal
Section 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 pressure 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 web site and belongings. These standards will function a foundation for choosing probably the most appropriate candidate(s), making certain the chosen construction(s) aligns with neighborhood 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 neighborhood.
Section 3 (Feb-March 2024)
Interact the Zcash neighborhood relating to construction(s).
To encourage neighborhood 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 change of concepts, ECC can collect precious suggestions and insights from varied stakeholders, making certain numerous 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 pressure and new proprietor(s) ought to develop a transparent roadmap outlining expectations and obligations, 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 will help guarantee all points of the method are rigorously thought of 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 obligations 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, establish classes discovered, and doc insights for future reference. This overview may present precious 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 just lately 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 might be flexibly permissioned in line with the wants of the neighborhood.
We might ideally wish to see people or entities collaborate with ECC to handle the content material inside sure modules, such because the Be taught and Ecosystem hubs.
Instance A: Entity X may handle content material for the Be taught part of the positioning, whereas Entity Y may individually handle content material for the Ecosystem part. ECC may proceed sustaining the general web site expertise, web site 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 aside from English. Funding may come within the type of Zcash Neighborhood Grants.
Ongoing prices:
Net improvement and design presently prices ~$2,500 per 30 days by outdoors businesses.
Website hosting and software safety value ~$20,000 per yr.
Hotjar presently prices ~$250 per 30 days.
Ahrefs presently prices ~$199 per 30 days.
WordPress plugins value in mixture ~$250 per yr.
Google Analytics is free.
Zcash technical documentation administration:
The present Zcash technical documentation is hosted through ReadTheDocs and is in want of updates. Ideally, a separate entity may oversee the platform, independently or at the side of ECC, with funding from Zcash Neighborhood Grants.
Ongoing prices:
Copywriting and neighborhood administration assets prices TBD.
Internet hosting prices ~$50 per 30 days.
@Zcash Twitter account
We want to see an entity or particular person (aside from ECC) assume social media administration obligations (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 price to design visible belongings (ie. animated GIFs and movies).
Copywriting and neighborhood administration assets.
Cypherpunk Zero web site and NFT belongings
Ideally, the Cypherpunk Zero world might be transitioned to an unbiased workforce who may facilitate wider neighborhood participation and contributions. Maybe this might comply with a transition and possession mannequin much 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 challenge was placed on maintain in 2022 for finances concerns.
Ongoing prices:
Net improvement and design presently prices TBD (ECC is presently spending $0 per 30 days).
Website hosting and software safety value ~$4,000 per yr.
Gasoline 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 increased or decrease.
Present questions, realities, and constraints
There are a selection of recognized (and unknown) points that we would want to handle with the assistance of the neighborhood. 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 recommendations from the neighborhood.
The present Zcash Trademark Settlement and License Settlement might must be amended to accommodate people or entities aside from ECC.
Another tasks (corresponding 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 neighborhood’s small measurement, we imagine a narrower, extra managed administration strategy is required whereas the challenge is in its infancy.
The perfect governance construction is to be decided and should require experimentation.
The perfect function of third events (and the neighborhood’s skill to carry them accountable) is one thing that may must be explored and codified by the proposed activity pressure.
A shared Digital Property Roadmap, Model Information, and Design Ideas (together with content material and model tips) will must be developed and agreed upon to make sure Zcash is represented in a constant and acceptable method.
Different necessary concerns:
ECC presently depends on the z.money area as its Google Cloud Supplier main community for various items of vital 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 neighborhood 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, throughout the Zcon4 dates, and we invite the neighborhood to take part. Keep tuned for particulars on time and venue. If you wish to be certain you don’t miss this dialog, be happy to e-mail me at [email protected], and I’ll hold you within the loop. We’re excited to listen to from you instantly and to work with certified members of the neighborhood 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. Under is a breakdown of constituent components, corresponding instruments and platforms, and necessary dependencies.
Be aware: Should you or somebody you recognize has a dependency that isn’t listed under, 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 providers for necessary ECC-managed infrastructure
Z.money web site frontend
WordPress CMS
Instruments and analytics
Hotjar
Google Analytics
Ahrefs
Confirmic
Z.money internet hosting (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
