Social.coop - User contributions [en]

Main Page

2023-03-26T18:11:24Z

Jonny:

[[File:Coollogo com-25604890.png|800px]]

[https://social.coop/about/more Social.coop] is a cooperative corner of the [[wikipedia:Fediverse|fediverse]]. We primarily operate a [[wikipedia:Mastodon_(software)|Mastodon]] social-media server. Our members fund our operations and decide how to set our community policies, steward our data, and manage our shared technologies. Members also provide the labor to run Social.coop at all levels.

If you are interested in joining Social.coop, visit our [[registration form]].

Social.coop was founded in 2017 in the wake of the [https://buytwitter.org/ BuyTwitter] campaign. Since then, we have worked toward the goal of placing ever more of our online social lives under good cooperative governance. To get a sense of how we operate, or to start your own fediverse cooperative, see our guide on "[[How to Make the Fediverse Your Own]]."

New to using the fediverse? Check out the [[Social.coop guide to Mastodon]].

==Learn more==
*[[Governance]] - How power flows, including processes and documents
*[[Operations]] - How we organize our activities
*[[Platforms]] - The online spaces we use and manage
*[[Tutorials]] - Guides for how to do things on Social.coop

[[File:Organizational map of social.coop.png|thumb|alt=An organizational map of social.coop|An organizational map of social.coop]]

==About this wiki==
This wiki is maintained by Social.coop's working groups and ops teams. Members are welcome to make an account and contribute. Please register with the same username you use on Social.coop.

===To-do before the wiki goes live ===
*Find a solution to forms, like the registration form
**Decision: we'll keep hosting https://wiki.social.coop/registration-form.html where it is now, special casing that URL.
*Fix right sidebar so it shows TOC on all pages
*Migrate Tech Working Group content
*Change name of "Main Page" so it is something like "Welcome to Social.coop"
*Change $SITENAME to "Social.coop" not "social.coop"
*Activate Talk pages

File:Coollogo com-25604890.png

2023-03-26T18:08:03Z

Jonny:

Tutorials

2023-01-11T00:14:45Z

Jonny: Created page with "{{#ask: Category:Tutorial |format=ul }}"

Make a proposal

2023-01-11T00:14:29Z

Jonny:

This is a tutorial on how to effectively make a proposal to change a policy for Social.coop. A proposal process is used for instituting any policy or budgetary change that affects the cooperative as a whole.

First of all, read the "Governance" section of the [[bylaws]], which is what officially governs this process.

Then, review the following steps for some best practices!

= Is a proposal necessary? =
First, consider whether you really need to make a proposal in the first place to achieve your goal. Does your goal just affect you, or does it affect the whole community? Does it require a policy change or resources, or is it something that you and some others could do on your own?

As a community committed to self-governance and autonomy, we encourage members to take initiative on things they are passionate about. The rules and policies should be a minimal framework to support that. As much as possible, we should strive to foster a co-op that operates without having to establish specific policies.

Sometimes, what starts out as a proposal can really be handled through a discussion, which sprouts collaboration and action. Consider that a victory!

= Is there a relevant working group? =
Before proceeding, explore the [[Operations|operations docs]] to see if there is a working group relevant to your idea. If there is, be sure to contact them to discuss it. Perhaps it is something they can implement on their own, without a further proposal. But even if you do proceed, make sure you've at least consulted with the relevant working group.

One way to do this is to start a thread on the working group's subgroup on Loomio. You can also reach out to working group members in chat at [https://matrix.to/#/#social.coop:matrix.org the Social.coop Matrix space].

Generally, you want to be sure to have strong buy-in from any relevant working groups before bringing a proposal to the whole community.

= Start an open thread =
Once you feel you have buy-in from relevant working groups (or are challenging something a working group is doing), the next step is to start a thread in the main Social.coop space on Loomio.

In [https://www.loomio.com/socialcoop/ the Social.coop space], press the "New Thread" button, then:

* "Notify": Choose "All members of Social.coop"
* "Title": Give it a specific name that invites an open-ended conversation. Such as: "Should we change paragraph 3 of the bylaws?"
* "Context": Explain in a couple of paragraphs why you are starting this discussion, what the broader context is, and any inclinations you have about a resolution. Also raise any open questions in your mind.

Then "Start Thread"! Also, make a post on Mastodon linking to your thread, using the #Socialcoop hashtag.

Hopefully other members will get involved in the discussion. If not, maybe the idea is not something lots of other people in the community will get behind, and that's a good learning, too.

= Test out ideas in polls =
As the discussion takes off, you're the default facilitator. Help guide it with an open mind. Try to avoid letting it spiral off into endless debate, and use Loomio's tools to help steer people toward consensus.

Use the "Start Poll" tool at the bottom of the thread to create polls that test people's thinking. For instance, you could use a Ranked Choice poll to see what priorities matter most to people. Or an "Opt In" poll to see who would actually step up to implement something. These tools are really helpful for translating what people say into more actionable information to inform your proposal.

The process might actually end here. Maybe your thread has given you or a working group enough information to act on, and you don't really need a formal proposal. This is great! If so, post updates on the thread about how you and other members are acting on the ideas that have surfaced there.

= Make your formal proposal =
When you feel there is some clear consensus forming, consider formulating your proposal. To do this, in that thread you started, use the "Start Poll" tool, and choose "Proposal." This time, preface the title with "Proposal:" to make very clear what you are doing. Once again, choose to notify "All members of Social.coop."

In "Context," break down very clearly what you are proposing should be changed and why. Also, specify who will implement this—ideally, you, or you plus some people who have already volunteered to help. This is important. Policy-making should not be about telling others what to do.

Be sure to follow the process in the [[bylaws]] to ensure the proposal is structured correctly. For instance:

* Allow 6 days for participation. If a proposal is urgent and needs to be passed sooner, mark the title as "URGENT" and explain why in the "Context." But 6 days is preferred in almost all cases.
* In addition to the default Agree/Abstain/Disagree options, add a Block option.

= Amendments =
Sometimes members will make suggestions when voting on a proposal that hadn't been considered earlier but should be and are important. The proposer may update the proposal text with small revisions during voting but should clearly mark what changed and when.

If amendments would meaningfully transform the proposal, so that people who voted for the original might object to the amended version, an entirely new proposal should be created and the previous one closed.

= Resolution =
After the duration is passed, Loomio will ask you to announce an outcome. Please do so, following the bylaws' standards for what counts as a passed proposal:<blockquote>More Agree votes than Disagree votes</blockquote>or:<blockquote>Proposals with Block require at least 9 times more Agree votes than Disagree and Block votes in order to pass.</blockquote>In the outcome text, explain how the proposal will be implemented.

= Implement it =
Get it done, and keep people in the thread on the topic updated on your progress! Good work:)

[[Category:Tutorial]]

Legal Working Group

2023-01-11T00:03:13Z

Jonny:

{{Working Group
|Description=oversight on legal matters
}}
Information on the Legal Working Group is currently located [https://www.loomio.com/g/yCIqNtbO on Loomio.]

After being active 2017-2018, the Legal Working Group was [https://www.loomio.com/p/2hDM9LKu/revive-the-legal-working-group revived by a member decision in 2022].

[[Category:Working Group]]

Community Working Group

2023-01-11T00:02:49Z

Jonny:

{{Working Group
|Description=moderation, and anything concerning members and outreach.
}}
== Working Documents ==
'''[[Bylaws]]''' - The bylaws indicate how social.coop is governed: including how decisions are made and budget allocated.

[[Code of conduct|'''Code of Conduct''']] - The Code of Conduct lists the terms a user agrees to when joining social.coop.

[[Federation abuse policy|'''Federation Abuse Policy''']] - The Federation Abuse Policy applies to conduct on other instances. The list of instances that have been suspended or muted can be found here.

[[Reporting guide|'''Reporting Guide''']] - The Reporting Guide explains how to report violations of the Code of Conduct.

[[Conflict resolution guide|'''Conflict Resolution Guide''']] - The Conflict Resolution Guide offers steps to take to resolve conflicts.

[[Community Working Group Ops Team|'''Community Working Group Ops Team''']] - The Community Working Group Ops Team currently handles day-to-day Community Working Group duties, including on-boarding, and receiving reports from Mastodon.

== Resources ==
'''[https://www.ica.coop/en/whats-co-op/co-operative-identity-values-principles ICA Cooperative Identity, Values and Principles]'''

Whilst development of our Code of Conduct is underway, social.coop has agreed to adhere to the International Cooperative Alliance's Statement on Co-operative Values, with which member behavior in social.coop spaces is expected to be in alignment:<blockquote>Co-operatives are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. In the tradition of their founders, co-operative members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.</blockquote>'''[https://www.loomio.org/g/0uqIXEbc/social-coop-community-working-group Community Working Group on Loomio]'''

[[Category:Working Group]]

Operations

2023-01-11T00:02:19Z

Jonny:

Social.coop's official governance takes place mainly on its [https://www.loomio.org/socialcoop/ Loomio space]. To manage day to day operations, the community empowers some members to participate in working groups.

== Working Groups ==

* [[Community Working Group]] - moderation, and anything concerning members and outreach.
* [[Finance Working Group]] - payments, budgeting, fundraising, and related planning.
* [[Legal Working Group]] - oversight on legal matters
* [[Tech Working Group]] - all things hosting, site maintenance, and development.

Working groups (and their affiliated ops teams) are elected from and accountable to the membership, to execute the roles and responsibilities needed to keep social.coop running. They have greater administration access than would be afforded general membership, but work according to policies provided by their corresponding working group.

The groups are self-managed. Some are paid with stipends, while others are volunteer.

* [https://www.loomio.org/p/eoZSHn7p/creation-of-admin-ops-teams The proposal to create admin op teams itself], and
* The [https://www.loomio.org/d/URY9AKci/creation-of-admin-ops-teams related discussion thread].

As a general principle rather than a strict rule: in order to mitigate either burnout, or power accruing through the development of specialized knowledge, the rotation of team members is sought, along with a mutual education approach in which people who have the skills needed for the operations train their replacements.

== SMW Query Demo ==

(U can delete me or replace the other list with me if u want)

{{#ask:
[[Category:Working Group]]
|?Has Description=Description
|format=broadtable
}}

Tech Working Group

2023-01-11T00:01:47Z

Jonny:

{{Working Group
|Description=all things hosting, site maintenance, and development.
}}
[[Category:Working Group]]

Tech Working Group

2023-01-11T00:01:37Z

Jonny: Created page with "Category:Working Group"

[[Category:Working Group]]

Finance Working Group

2023-01-10T23:59:23Z

Jonny:

{{Working Group
|Description=The Finance Working Group handles the finances!!!
|Members=Caitlin Waddick, Josh Davis, Leo Sammallahti, Nathan Schneider, Matthew Cropp
}}
The Finance Working Group primarily operates [https://www.loomio.org/socialcoop-finance-working-group/ on Loomio].

= Current members =

* Caitlin Waddick (@CaitlinWaddick@Social.Coop)
* Josh Davis (@GuerillaOntologist)
* Leo Sammallahti (@LeoSammallahti)
* Nathan Schneider (@ntnsndr)
* Matthew Cropp (@MattCropp)

= Basic info =
A simple [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nbMWrX20tnBAVhUGVBwl1lKcx7H5Lha1QRS5dViVN1Q/edit?usp=sharing budget spreadsheet] for our project to keep track of what our regular outlays are.

[https://opencollective.com/socialcoop Our Open Collective], to see what the current "cash on hand" and income of the co-op is.

The portion of the social.coop bylaws governing the disbursement of funds:

= Submitting expenses =
Social.coop is run through a system of open contributions. There are no employees, but the cooperative strives for fair and sustainable remuneration for its contributors.

The procedure for paying contributors and expenses is as follows:

A member makes a proposal in the finance group (with the Title labeled EXPENSE), detailing either:

* work to be done, the expected timeline, and the contributor's qualifications, and the cost (in USD)
* a service to be acquired, details about the provider, its benefits over alternatives, and the cost
* a donation to be made to an external open-source developer or collective, the work they do that benefits Social.coop members, and a proposed amount

If that proposal passes, the member may proceed. They may post an invoice to OpenCollective, with a link back to the relevant Loomio thread, for up to one half of the total amount.

When the work is complete (or equivalent), the member must post a follow-up proposal (with the Title labeled INVOICE, in the same thread as the EXPENSE), including details demonstrating the work done or service obtained

The contributor should post the expense to the OpenCollective page with a link back to the relevant Loomio thread.

Once passed, the expense is approved by an OpenCollective admin, and the contributor is paid within two weeks, or as soon as the OpenCollective account has sufficient balance

While general budgeting decisions are expected to be passed in the full group, all members are invited to monitor the finance group, and to join if they wish to participate in maintaining accountability.

[[Category:Working Group]]

Legal Working Group

2023-01-10T23:58:28Z

Jonny:

Information on the Legal Working Group is currently located [https://www.loomio.com/g/yCIqNtbO on Loomio.]

After being active 2017-2018, the Legal Working Group was [https://www.loomio.com/p/2hDM9LKu/revive-the-legal-working-group revived by a member decision in 2022].

[[Category:Working Group]]

Form:Working Group

2023-01-10T23:58:10Z

Jonny:

<noinclude>
This is the "Working Group" form.
To create a page with this form, enter the page name below;
if a page with that name already exists, you will be sent to a form to edit that page.

{{#forminput:form=Working Group|autocomplete on category=Working Group}}

</noinclude><includeonly>
<div id="wikiPreview" style="display: none; padding-bottom: 25px; margin-bottom: 25px; border-bottom: 1px solid #AAAAAA;"></div>
{{{for template|Working Group}}}
{| class="formtable"
! Description: <br><p class="pfFieldDescription" style="font-size:0.7em; color:gray;">Short (1-2 sentence) description of the group</p>
| {{{field|Description|input type=textarea}}}
|-
! Members:
| {{{field|Members|input type=tokens}}}
|}
{{{end template}}}

'''Free text:'''

{{{standard input|free text|rows=10}}}
</includeonly>

Template:Working Group

2023-01-10T23:57:29Z