Electrical Coin Co. (ECC)  manages quite a few 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, 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, nevertheless 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 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 current weblog about ECC’s proposals and plans for decentralizing Zcash, the submit you might be studying now could be 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 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 individuals and groups is necessary for a number of causes, together with:

1. Guaranteeing the long-term sustainability and resilience of the Zcash venture
2. Encouraging variety and innovation within the ecosystem
3. Enabling extra content material, extra collaboration, and a better 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. 

1. z.money area and web site
2. Zcash Technical Documentation (ReadTheDocs/Gitbook)
3. Zcash Twitter account
4. 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.

Part 1 (Aug-Oct 2023)

Set up a transition process pressure composed of ECC representatives and certified neighborhood members.

Starting with a proper neighborhood utility course of, ECC will create a transition process pressure to contribute concepts and information and oversee the transition. The duty pressure 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 liable for prioritizing initiatives, creating the transition plans, partaking with the neighborhood, due diligence on trademark and authorized implications, and guaranteeing a clean and orderly switch of obligations as applicable. The duty pressure ought to mirror the range of the Zcash neighborhood, guaranteeing {that a} broad vary of views, geographies, and experience are represented, if possible.

See process pressure choice course of proposal

Part 2 (Nov 2023-Jan 2024)

Develop standards for evaluating potential new possession buildings.

Primarily based on the evaluation and desired traits outlined on this submit, the transition process 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 essentially the most appropriate candidate(s), guaranteeing 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 very best pursuits of the Zcash neighborhood.

Part 3 (Feb-March 2024)

Interact the Zcash neighborhood concerning 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 trade of concepts, ECC can collect precious suggestions and insights from varied stakeholders, guaranteeing various views are thought-about within the decision-making course of.

Part 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 embody key duties such because the handover or opening up of technical infrastructure and the institution of recent governance mechanisms. By offering a structured framework for the transition, the roadmap will help guarantee all elements of the method are fastidiously thought-about 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 assessment could also be carried out to evaluate the general success of the method, determine classes realized, and doc insights for future reference. This assessment might 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 venture.

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 may 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 might handle content material for the Study part of the positioning, whereas Entity Y might individually handle content material for the Ecosystem part. ECC might proceed sustaining the general web site expertise, web site safety, related analytics, and net improvement. Representatives from all entities might collectively sit on an editorial board to make sure cohesive content material technique and constant high quality. Funding might come within the type of Zcash Neighborhood Grants, a renewed Zcash Improvement Fund, or some mixture of the 2.

Instance B: Entity X might work with ECC to develop translations for z.money content material in languages aside from English. Funding might come within the type of Zcash Neighborhood Grants.

Ongoing prices: 

• Net improvement and design at the moment prices ~$2,500 monthly by way of exterior companies.
• Hosting and utility safety value ~$20,000 per 12 months.
• Hotjar at the moment prices ~$250 monthly.
• Ahrefs at the moment prices ~$199 monthly.
• WordPress plugins value in mixture ~$250 per 12 months.
• 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 might oversee the platform, independently or along side ECC, with funding from Zcash Neighborhood 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 (aside from ECC) assume social media administration obligations (inclusive of content material technique and manufacturing) for the @Zcash Twitter deal with. Funding might come within the type of Zcash Neighborhood 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 unbiased staff who might 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 guide scripts that have to be illustrated and packaged. This venture was placed on maintain in 2022 for funds concerns. 

Ongoing prices:

• Net improvement and design at the moment prices TBD (ECC is at the moment spending $0 monthly).
• Hosting and utility safety value ~$4,000 per 12 months.
• 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 help service choices that would trigger the operational prices to be greater or decrease.

Present questions, realities, and constraints

There are a selection of identified (and unknown) points that we would wish to handle with the assistance of the neighborhood. Notably:

• The best funding supply(s) for entities that assist handle Zcash digital properties is to be decided. Funding might come from Zcash Neighborhood 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 might have to be amended to accommodate people or entities aside from ECC.
• Another initiatives (akin to 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 method is required whereas the venture is in its infancy.
• The best governance construction is to be decided and will require experimentation.
• The best position of third events (and the neighborhood’s potential to carry them accountable) is one thing that might have to be explored and codified by the proposed process pressure.
• A shared Digital Property Roadmap, Fashion Information, and Design Rules (together with content material and model tips) will have to be developed and agreed upon to make sure Zcash is represented in a constant and applicable method.

Different necessary concerns:

ECC at the moment depends on the z.money area as its Google Cloud Supplier major community for quite a few 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 matter at Zcon4, with an intent to start method 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 ensure you don’t miss this dialog, be at liberty to e-mail me at [email protected], and I’ll maintain you within the loop. We’re excited to listen to from you straight 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 at the moment managed day-to-day by ECC. Under is a breakdown of constituent elements, corresponding instruments and platforms, and necessary dependencies. 

Be aware: If you happen to or somebody you recognize has a dependency that’s not listed under, please submit this type by Aug 16, 2023.

1. Z.money area, dependent infrastructure, and web site
   1. Area title registrar (at the moment through Google Domains)
   2. @z.money e-mail (at the moment through GSuite)
   3. Google cloud companies for necessary ECC-managed infrastructure
   4. Z.money web site frontend
      1. WordPress CMS
      2. Instruments and analytics
         1. Hotjar
         2. Google Analytics
         3. Ahrefs
         4. Confirmic
   5. Z.money hosting (at the moment through Pantheon)
   6. Z.money web site and utility safety (at the moment through Cloudflare)
   7. Zcash Enchancment Proposals subdomain (zips.z.money)
      1. Zcash Protocol Specification
   8. zcash.github.io
   9. Technical documentation (ReadTheDocs/Gitbook)
2. Zcash Twitter account
   1. Instruments and analytics
      1. Sprout Social