Electrical Coin Co. (ECC) manages numerous 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 initiatives is a multidisciplinary endeavor involving content material technique, digital advertising, internet growth, 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 higher 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, 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 higher neighborhood involvement with the final word purpose 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 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 neighborhood, 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 higher range 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, impartial individuals and groups is necessary for a number of causes, together with:
- Making certain the long-term sustainability and resilience of the Zcash challenge
- Encouraging range and innovation within the ecosystem
- Enabling extra content material, extra collaboration, and a higher attain
Scope of proposal
This proposal encompasses the next digital properties at the moment managed day-to-day by ECC. For a full breakdown of constituent elements, 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 ought 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 job power composed of ECC representatives and certified neighborhood members.
Starting with a proper neighborhood utility course of, ECC will create a transition job power to contribute concepts and information and oversee the transition. The duty power ought to be comprised of representatives from ECC and as much as three key members of the Zcash neighborhood. This group of unpaid volunteers can be answerable for prioritizing initiatives, creating the transition plans, participating with the neighborhood, due diligence on trademark and authorized implications, and making certain a clean and orderly switch of obligations as acceptable. The duty power ought to mirror the variety of the Zcash neighborhood, making certain {that a} broad vary of views, geographies, and experience are represented, if possible.
See job power choice course of proposal
Section 2 (Nov 2023-Jan 2024)
Develop standards for evaluating potential new possession constructions.
Primarily based on the evaluation and desired traits outlined on this publish, the transition job power 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 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, 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 very best 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 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 useful 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 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 may also help guarantee all elements 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 obligations and belongings to the brand new co-owner(s). Following this, a post-transition assessment could also be carried out to evaluate the general success of the method, establish classes discovered, and doc insights for future reference. This assessment may present useful 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 could be flexibly permissioned in keeping with the wants of the neighborhood.
We’d 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 may handle content material for the Study 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 internet growth. 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 Group Grants, a renewed Zcash Improvement 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 Group Grants.
Ongoing prices:
- Internet growth and design at the moment prices ~$2,500 monthly by exterior companies.
- Website hosting and utility safety price ~$20,000 per 12 months.
- Hotjar at the moment prices ~$250 monthly.
- Ahrefs at the moment prices ~$199 monthly.
- WordPress plugins price in combination ~$250 per 12 months.
- Google Analytics is free.
Zcash technical documentation administration:
The present Zcash technical documentation is hosted by way of 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 Group Grants.
Ongoing prices:
- Copywriting and neighborhood 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 obligations (inclusive of content material technique and manufacturing) for the @Zcash Twitter deal with. Funding may come within the type of Zcash Group Grants.
Ongoing prices:
- ~$250/mo for Sprout Social.
- The associated fee 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 could possibly be transitioned to an impartial workforce who may facilitate wider neighborhood 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 challenge was placed on maintain in 2022 for finances concerns.
Ongoing prices:
- Internet growth and design at the moment prices TBD (ECC is at the moment spending $0 monthly).
- Website hosting and utility 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 larger or decrease.
Present questions, realities, and constraints
There are a selection of recognized (and unknown) points that we would want to deal with 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 Group Grants, a revised Zcash Improvement Fund, or some mixture of the 2. We’re open to ideas from the neighborhood.
- The present Zcash Trademark Settlement and License Settlement could must be amended to accommodate people or entities apart from ECC.
- Another initiatives (reminiscent of Ethereum.org) have the luxurious 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 position of third events (and the neighborhood’s potential to carry them accountable) is one thing that might must be explored and codified by the proposed job power.
- A shared Digital Property Roadmap, Model 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 necessary concerns:
ECC at the moment depends on the z.money area as its Google Cloud Supplier main community for numerous items of crucial 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 facet occasion, through the Zcon4 dates, and we invite the neighborhood to take part. Keep tuned for particulars on time and venue. If you wish to make sure you don’t miss this dialog, be happy to e-mail me at [email protected], and I’ll maintain you within the loop. We’re excited to listen to from you immediately and to work with certified members of the neighborhood 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 the moment managed day-to-day by ECC. Under is a breakdown of constituent elements, corresponding instruments and platforms, and necessary dependencies.
Notice: For those who or somebody 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 identify registrar (at the moment by way of Google Domains)
- @z.money e-mail (at the moment by way of GSuite)
- Google cloud companies for necessary ECC-managed infrastructure
- Z.money web site frontend
- WordPress CMS
- Instruments and analytics
- Hotjar
- Google Analytics
- Ahrefs
- Confirmic
- Z.money hosting (at the moment by way of Pantheon)
- Z.money web site and utility safety (at the moment by way of Cloudflare)
- Zcash Enchancment Proposals subdomain (zips.z.money)
- zcash.github.io
- Technical documentation (ReadTheDocs/Gitbook)
- Zcash Twitter account
- Instruments and analytics
- Sprout Social
- Instruments and analytics
