This proposal outlines the framework for the Open Science and Open Source Time Bank for Projects and Communities, a novel system designed to incentivize and reward volunteers in Open Science/Open Source projects and communities. The implementation site for this initiative could be Open Science Labs (OSL), and/or any other communities interested in this topic, maybe The GRAPH Network, ClimateMatch, among others.
The main idea of this proposal is to create a framework for a Time Bank for Open Science and Open Source Projects and Communities, so it could be implemented in any community, with freedom to change parameters for the operation rules, according to the nature of its own community.[a] But we could have one Time Bank among communities, in order to share services across multiple communities.
A Time Bank is a community-run system where time, rather than money, is the currency. In this system, members earn credits by providing services to others and spend credits to receive services in return. It's a reciprocal exchange system that values everyone’s contributions equally and fosters a sense of community and support.
The main beneficiaries of the TB will be the volunteers contributing to the communities where the Time Bank is active. These individuals currently contribute without monetary compensation, but they benefit from the enriching experience of collaboration, skills development, networking opportunities, and a sense of contribution to valuable causes.
Volunteers in the TB will gain additional non-financial benefits through the accumulation of time credits. These credits can be redeemed for various services within the community, such as mentoring sessions, specialized courses, peer review of projects, pair programming sessions, and other forms of professional and personal development opportunities.
Projects within the TB will have their specific accounts, enabling them to compensate volunteers using time credits. Projects can accumulate credits through:
- Donations from other members or groups.
- Contributions to the community hosting the Time Bank.
- Credits earned by fulfilling specific requests from members, such as bug fixes or feature additions.
The technical aspects are described later in this proposal, but in summary, the initial implementation could involve automated systems on platforms like Discord and GitHub (among others). The Time Bank may potentially operate on a blockchain infrastructure, ensuring transparency and security in transactions.
The core philosophy of the TB is not to generate wealth, but to foster a collaborative ecosystem. The focus is on rewarding volunteer work in a way that supports project advancement and personal growth within a friendly and supportive environment.
To ensure the success and integrity of the TB, the following rules are proposed:
- Equality of Time: All members’ time is valued equally, regardless of the nature of the service provided.
- Transparency in Transactions: All time credit transactions must be recorded and made accessible to relevant parties.
- Non-Transferability: Time credits are non-transferable outside the TB system to prevent commercialization.
- Limit on Accumulation: To prevent hoarding, there will be a cap on the maximum number of credits any individual or project can hold.
- Credits Expiration Policy: To encourage active participation and circulation of credits, any time credits not used within a year will revert to the Time Bank. This policy aims to maintain a dynamic and fluid exchange within the community.
- Dispute Resolution Mechanism: A clear process for resolving disputes related to time credit transactions will be established.
The TB will allocate time credits (TC) to volunteers for various contributions within the community. In Open Science Labs (OSL), eligible activities include:
- Authoring blog posts.
- Reviewing pull requests (PRs) upon request.
- Providing mentorship.
- Collaborating on projects under the Incubator Program.
- Participating in the Internship Program as interns or mentors.
- Contributions made by the steering council.
- Tasks performed by community managers.
- Organizing or participating in talks, events, or conferences, including those led by OSL Ambassadors.
These time credits will be directly issued from the TB.
In addition to rewarding volunteer contributions, the TB system offers a unique incentive for monetary donors. Sponsors who provide financial support can receive time credits (TC) commensurate with their donation level. This approach not only acknowledges the vital role of financial contributions in sustaining the community but also integrates sponsors into the TB ecosystem. The funds received will be strategically utilized to cover infrastructure costs and to finance developments or projects that may not be readily resourced within the community. As part of the sponsorship package, sponsors will be awarded a predefined number of TC, aligning with their level of sponsorship. This inclusion of sponsors in the time credit system fosters a more integrated, mutually supportive community, bridging the gap between financial and volunteer-based contributions.
For activities on GitHub, a possible mechanism is tagging PRs with their estimated time value. Upon merging a PR, the corresponding credits are transferred to the author's account. If the project is part of an TB community activity, credits will be debited from the TB. Otherwise, they will be deducted from the project's account.
Members could potentially obtain loans from TB. Detailed regulations and procedures for this will be elaborated in a subsequent chapter of this proposal.
Discord and similar platforms can be used for transferring time credits. A possible command for this action could be: @TB please transfer 10 TC to @anothermember. This system necessitates a method to link a member's wallet to their Discord and GitHub accounts for seamless credit transfers.
- Community Engagement: The TB's focus on rewarding a wide range of volunteer activities, from PR reviews to event organization, aligns well with the diverse contributions typical in Open Source and Open Science communities.
- Adaptability and Scalability: The plan's ability to be implemented in various communities, demonstrates its adaptability and potential for scalability.
- Transparency and Fairness: Using a blockchain framework for tracking time credits can offer transparency and fairness, which are crucial in volunteer-driven communities.
- Complexity of Time Valuation: Estimating the time value of contributions, especially for subjective or non-standard tasks, can be challenging. A more detailed framework or guidelines for time credit allocation might be necessary to ensure fairness and consistency.
- Integration Challenges: Seamlessly integrating this system with platforms like GitHub and Discord will require significant technical development. Ensuring user-friendliness and accessibility for all community members should be a priority.
- Community Buy-In: For TB to succeed, it's vital to have strong community buy-in. This can be achieved through clear communication, demonstration of benefits, and possibly a pilot program to gather feedback and make adjustments.
- Risk of Gamification: While rewarding contributions is positive, there's a risk that some members might game the system for credits. Establishing checks and balances to prevent this is crucial.
- Credits Expiration Policy: The policy of credits expiring after a year could be seen as both a motivator for continuous engagement and a potential deterrent for sporadic contributors. Balancing this rule to cater to different types of community members is important.
- Equity and Inclusiveness: Ensuring that the system is equitable and inclusive, particularly for those who may have less time to contribute due to personal circumstances, is essential to uphold the values of Open Science and Open Source communities.
- Pilot Program: Before full-scale implementation, consider running a pilot program in a smaller segment of the community to test the system, gather data, and make necessary adjustments.
- Feedback Mechanisms: Establish regular channels for feedback from community members to continuously improve the system.
- Educational Resources: Provide resources and training for community members to understand and effectively use the TB.
- Alignment with Community Goals: Ensure that the TB aligns with the broader goals and values of the Open Source and Open Science movements, such as collaboration, transparency, and the free sharing of knowledge.
Overall, the TB is an innovative concept with great potential to enhance volunteer engagement and reward systems in Open Source and Open Science communities. With careful planning, community involvement, and ongoing evaluation, it can become a valuable asset to these ecosystems.
Implementing a blockchain-based backend for the Open Science and Open Source Time Bank (TB) involves several key components and considerations. Blockchain technology can offer transparency, security, and immutability, which are essential for a system based on trust and reciprocity. Here's a high-level overview of how it could approach this:
- Public vs. Private Blockchain: Decide whether to use a public blockchain (like Ethereum) which offers greater transparency and a broader network, or a private blockchain for more control and privacy.
- Smart Contract Capability: Choose a platform that supports smart contracts (Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain, etc.) as they are crucial for automating the time credit transactions.
- Creation and Allocation of Time Credits: Develop smart contracts to create and allocate time credits (TC) to users' digital wallets for their contributions.
- Rules Enforcement: Implement the rules of TB (e.g., credit expiration, non-transferability) directly into the smart contracts.
- Integration with External Platforms: Develop interfaces or APIs to connect the blockchain with external platforms like GitHub and Discord for automatic credit allocation.
- Wallet Integration: Users will need digital wallets to hold and manage their TC. These could be integrated into existing platforms (like a Discord bot) or standalone wallet applications. It could be necessary to create a WEB application where members will have an account there, and will link to their Discord, GitHub, etc.
- Identity Verification: Establish a secure method to link blockchain wallets with user identities on GitHub, Discord, etc. This might involve OAuth, digital signatures, or other cryptographic methods.
- Transferring Credits: Design a system for users to transfer credits within the TB ecosystem, including commands or interfaces for easy transactions.
- Recording Transactions: Ensure that all transactions are securely and transparently recorded on the blockchain.
- Data Security: Implement robust security measures to protect the blockchain and user data.
- Privacy Considerations: Be mindful of privacy, especially if dealing with public blockchains. Hashing and encryption can be used to protect user identities.
- Handling Load: Ensure that the blockchain solution can handle the number of transactions expected within the community.
- Upgrade Paths: Plan for future scalability and potential upgrades to the blockchain system.
- Regulatory Considerations: Be aware of and comply with any legal or regulatory requirements related to blockchain technology, especially if the TB crosses international borders.
- Ease of Use: Develop user-friendly interfaces for non-technical community members to interact with the TB system.
- Education and Support: Provide resources and support to help users understand and use the blockchain-based system effectively.
- Pilot Testing: Conduct thorough testing, including a pilot phase with a small group of users, to identify and fix issues before full-scale deployment.
- Feedback Loop: Establish a feedback mechanism for continuous improvement post-deployment.
Implementing a blockchain backend for TB is a complex but feasible task. It requires careful planning, technical expertise, and a deep understanding of both blockchain technology and the specific needs of the Open Science and Open Source communities.
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334304173_A_Blockchain-Enabled_Decentralized_Time_Banking_for_a_New_Social_Value_System
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334304173_A_Blockchain-Enabled_Decentralized_Time_Banking_for_a_New_Social_Value_System
- https://ahrefs.com/writing-tools/acronym-generator