Thu Nov 17 2011 Tech Conference Call

Contents

[edit] Meeting Details

  • Date: Sunday, November 20, 2011 4:00 PM EST
  • Location: Conference Call
  • Registration: Register here.

Sunday, November 20, 2011 4:00 PM EST was the most popular time. Register here.

[edit] Attendees

[edit] NYC (Wall St.)

  • dan[at]nycga.net
  • mattl[at]nycga.net
  • devin[at]sarapisfoundation[dot]org
  • Andrew Mallis
  • Drew[at]nycga.net
  • katie[at]nycga.net
  • dana[at]glocalwebtech[dot]com
  • john[at]partyx.com
  • jake[at]nycga.net
  • ori l.
  • Maneswar
  • Frank Grove
  • alex[at]ftsa.net
  • Ed Gutierrez
  • Patricia L pea@misfist.com
  • DrRon[at]nycga.net

[edit] Denver, CO

  • Robert Rapplean <robert[at]intellectualicebergs.org>

[edit] Atlanta, GA

  • Kirsa - kirsa @ i m r u a . o r g
  • Avery - avery @ i m r u a . o r g
  • Kelvin - kelvin [at] kelvinwilliams.net
  • Alex - hardmanal [at] gmail.com

[edit] Austin,TX

  • Greg - [ org-occupy_austin @t entersection d.t org, @gregoryfoster ]

[edit] Berkeley, CA

[edit] Santa Cruz, CA

  • lefty[at]shugendo[dot]org

[edit] Vancouver, BC, CAN

[edit] Ventura, CA

  • Stevo DeBaun - sdebaun74@gmail.com

[edit] Pensacola, FL

  • Sara Jillian - occupypcolainfo @ g m a i l . c o m

(wait this is thursday?)

[edit] Hilo, HI

  • Dicey Lee - diceylee[at]gmail.com

[edit] Setup

Register for Call

[edit] Maestro usage

In order to get the facilitator's attention, you can press the buttons 1-5 on your telephone. Once you've pressed the button, there' is no way to "unpress" it.

Any of these buttons are equivalent to raising your hand so you can speak.

  • 1 - Get On Stack
  • 3 - Direct Response
  • 4 - Point of Process
  • 5 - Request for technical assistance


In the event of a straw poll, the buttons will have the following meanings:

  • 1 - agree
  • 2 - disagree

[edit] Agenda

(number in parens used to refer to minutes: https://pad.riseup.net/p/11_20__Tech_Conference_Call)

  • Project report-backs from each occupation
    • (1) NYCGA.net - buddypress
    • (2) PermaBank - django
    • (3) FGA - drupal
    • (4) map.occupy.net - Ushahidi
    • (5) Occupy.net - google alternative
      • Newswire - Drupal Managing News
    • (6) OpenAssembly.org - django
    • (7) -- not in this agenda, but discussed in call minutes
    • (8) Projects being considered and method of implementation being discussed (application/framework/custom code language/CMS/etc)
    • Projects started and method of implementation chosen
      • OccupyAtlanta - CRM - egroupware, internal occupation demo and beta immediate future.
    • Projects completed or publicly available in beta
      • OccupyAtlanta - occupyvoip.org
    • Technical volunteers that are currently assigned and working on projects
    • (9) Technical volunteers that have volunteered or expressed interest
    • (10) Technical volunteers/skills needed
    • Technical hardware/equipment needed
  • (11) Identify projects/needs of overlapping interest for further ongoing discussion and collaboration
  • Telephony Needs / Solutions for Occupations and InterOccupation Voice Communications (OccupyAtlanta)

[edit] Minutes

https://pad.riseup.net/p/11_20__Tech_Conference_Call

IT Inter Occupation Call #3
Phone: +1.916.469.4750
Date: Nov 20, 3pm CST
Attendees: 24 at beginning of call

Facilitator: Ash w/ Occupy Philadelphia Agenda link: https://wiki.occupy.net/wiki/Thu_Nov_17_2011_Tech_Conference_Call

[edit] RESOURCES for this call

[edit] CONFERENCE COMMANDS

  1. Stack
  2. Null
  3. Direct Response
  4. Point of Process/Technical assistance
  5. Sparkles

[edit] POLL COMMANDS

  1. Agree
  2. Disagree

NOTE: You cannot put your hand down (get off stack) once it is raised. Just let us know when we get to you.
There is no web interface fot the call (only for the moderator)
This is for attendees: http://maestroconference.com/dashboard/A285480

[edit] RESOURCES mentioned on this call

Includes a lot of documentation, etc

Includes all NYCGA Tech Ops based open-sources projects

IWG chat with the IWG devs and sysops guys working on nycga.net

Available for HTML/CSS/etc help: tech@occupynashville.org
Free phone services for occupations - http://occupyvoip.org (it@occupyatlanta.org)
Free hosting services for occupations - http://mayfirst.org MayFirst is offering free web hosting to Occupy related websites.

May First/People Link is a politically progressive member-run and controlled organization that redefines the concept of “Internet Service Provider” in a collective and collaborative way.Just go to https://mayfirst.org/joinus to fill out the form and describe what work you are planning to do.

(Numbers in parens refer to original Agenda: https://wiki.occupy.net/wiki/Thu_Nov_17_2011_Tech_Conference_Call#Agenda )


[edit] nycga.net report (1)

Jake: it's designed as a tool for collaboration and coordination on the ground
under development
launched over a month ago
buddypress, plugins for social networking features, more development
source code on github: https://github.com/FLOSolutions
working with other occupations to implement for them, share best practices
Wordpress/Buddypress is not a CRM.
CiviCRM is the CRM solution adopted in NYC

[edit] PermaBank report (2)

Dana: project management on it.
HTML/CSS Demo http://5pt.net/permabank/home.html & http://5pt.net/permabank/profile.html
Python/Django; mostly done technically. Needs HTML/CSS but most done this weekend
"Wants and wishes platform" in v1
http://libertysquare.permabank.cc/
Local implementations? Est live in two weeks
Project Management: http://projects.occupytechnology.org/projects/permabank-website
GitHub http://projects.occupytechnology.org/projects/permabank-website projects need skills, spaces to do work
next level is turning out a tool that lets people explain project, skills, space, attract funding in 'a kickstarter way' "People love startups", and an 'open source startup culture' would be good for PR.
Alternative to Silicon Valley model
Alex Hardman - I have to agree with this. We can help everyone change the world with the technology we're providing. (+1 -sb)(+1 stevo)
wishes get matched to gifts via recommends.
once the wish is fulfilled, the original poster creates a note (thank you or review)
note is shared on both participants' profiles
orginal request is greyed out

FUTURE: exchange, project-based organizing, inventory plugin for batch uploads
permabank friends: please keep in mind that Education Revolution would like to "want" and "offer" teaching and training. nycga.net/groups/education-revolution the "services" functionality is sounding good - urbaned


[edit] FGA - Federated GA (3)


Many minds are moving in the same direction.
Atlanta would like to see something perhaps faster than 3mo.
Alex Hardman - I think a balanced approach with a long term strategy utilizing intermittent releases of functionality/scale.
Some others seem to feel similarly

A call for local occupations to communicate with each other to coordinate mass action. Technology to support this.

Agile approach to address immediate needs modularly, but take opportunity to rethink collaboration and online democracy
and build something that embodies the evolving democracies. If we take an agile approach that moves faster than the work on the ground, that could create a technocracy

  • use online voting mechanism to
  • allow people who can't show up to participate
  • streamline in-person meetings be doing processing beforehand
  • openassembly.org is a partial solution to this problem
  • simple blog-based solution: post proposals up 24-hours in advance

[14:19] <Andrew_Mallis> I feel like we need an inter-occupation call solely on inter-occupation technology initiatives like FGA


[edit] maps.occupy.net (4)


[edit] occupy.net? 5)

A platform of Open Source Tools and services Occupations can use to communicate and share resources.

Occupy.net

[edit] openassembly (6)

http://openassembly.org/
Repository: http://code.google.com/p/openassembly/
Python/Django
2 years of development
dev team:

  • eduardo [ legutierr@gmail.com ]
  • Frank [ fragro@gmail.com ] - chief developer, working on project as part of grad school research; contact to offer assistance
  • horizontal decision making platform
  • lets people propose and vote on solutions
  • an answer to questions, "how do you extend consensus beyond the confines of the GA"
  • include those with family

differences from other platforms

  • deas ranked up and down – not to decide the outcome, but to expose items for discussion and dialog towards concensus
  • final decision is an official timed vote

(+1 stevo)
(+1 AlexH/atlanta)

[edit] Concerns:

My problem with this is the affiliation with NSF and a University sorry
The project has been indirectly funded by the University and NSF but is in no way
under the control in terms of copyright or a sponsored project from either organization or grants
derived from and remains non-partisan. however given the fact that they did pay the main devs salary
and gave me complete independence I feel like some thanks is necessary :) - I hear you...still concerned - maybe I need to expand my thinking on this... please email me urbanpubedreform@gmail.com


[edit] OccupyRadio.fm (7)

http://occupyradio.fm< br /> Working to enable a distributed broadcast voice for the movement.
Internet Distribution via http://live365.com
Other distribution channels are under development. Initial sister sites: OWS, Austin, Chicago, Columbia (SC), Denver, Houston, LA, Miami, Oakland, SF, Philadelphia, Seattle, TBD Spanish-language site

[edit] PROGRESS TO DATE:

  1. Beta-test of the media streaming services and Live Broadcasting modules and model has been completed via occupyradioaustin.org. A non commercial, scalable broadcast solution has been confirmed. A scalable broadcast model has advanced through peer review.
  2. Working group members have met on core agenda items and began to assume responsibilities for ‘roles & goals’ associated with launch and consecutive service roll outs
  3. A finance team for the broadcast group is operational. The Nonprofit incorporation process is complete. General liability insurance procurement is underway. Board Members names have been advanced and a seat has been designated for OWS.
  4. Physical operations space along with donated studio design services for Radio and TV Broadcasting operations have been visited.
  5. Air time for 48 hours of broadcast over 2 channels has been procured, with support for unlimited simultaneous users.
  6. A Phone App for iPhone/Droid systems for collecting 99% / Occupation stories is under development. Early pre-beta supports file type sanity checks and automatic transcoding for codec and bitrate.
  7. Namespace, servers and infrastructure development for the operational website and content systems is underway.
  8. The Creative Commons API-integrated content submission/review/retrieval systems have been mapped-out and implementation is underway.

email: info@occupyradio.fm for access to comms (OSTickets) docs (wikimedia) and project management (chiliproject) systems for visibility and participation.

Current infrastructure is on a mix of donated VPS and managed hosts. We need geographically dispersed dedicated/vps and managed hosts for mirroring, redundancy and failover.

We need software development and infrastructure engineers. Experience in Security, Namespace management, Server Management, iPhone, Android, NoSQL, BigData, Web Services and OpenSource Service Bus technologies are requested. All occupyradio.fm developed softwares are free/libre/open licensed and publicly available.

[edit] Projects currently being considered (8)

[edit] Diaspora

https://joindiaspora.com/
@JoinDiaspora [ http://twitter.com/JoinDiaspora ]
What diaspora is: a personally maintained Facebook-like environment, where all information is stored within a privately hosted node. Atlanta is working on a Diaspora setup, and would like help working with it.

Distributed Social Network Projects
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtXMsLaocacrdDAwTzdPeGdPNlhZSHFMelg0MnQ2N2c&hl=en_US&pli=1#gid=0 on Diaspora
https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Distributed_social_network

Interested in helping with Diaspora:
Robert rapplean <robert@intellectualicebergs.org> another alternative platform for social networking is crabgrass, an example of which is hosted by riseup:
https://we.riseup.net/


[edit] Volunteers Needed on Projects (9)

Help build Education Revolution...Teachers, students, anyone who wants to knock down student loan companies, text book profiteers, huge administrator salaries, raising tuition costs...this is even in the pre-technology phase, but we're getting there nycga.net/groups/Education-Revolution : )

Occupy Austin (OA) is designing multi-input power generation systems to get occupations off the grid. We aim to design low-cost replicable infrastructure, inspired by the TimesUp direct environmental action group at OWS. See contact details below. Similarly, OA is designing unmanned aerial systems (tethered balloons, dirigibles, quadcopters) that can carry camera/livestream payload.
For example, see this project (with video) in Warsaw: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/11/17/warsaw-protester-launches-drone-to-spy-on-police/
That article was cribbed from a post at Wired's @DangerRoom suggesting OWS protesters take to the skies: http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/11/ows-drones/

[edit] Volunteers Looking for Projects (10)

Sol w/ Occupy Buffalo, NY [ sol@? ] - System Admin; BASH; etc.

Stevo w/ Thinking-About-OccupyingVentura

  • nerdcore developer, ruby, python, WANTS TO WRITE CODEZ
  • sdebaun74@gmail.com | reverendstevo.wordpress.org | www.facebook.com/reverendstevo | http://www.linkedin.com/in/sdebaun

[edit] Needs for Technical Projects (11)

Software for managing volunteer lists (CiviCRM?) Also recommend NationBuilder (SaaS, not free, but sympathetic) [ http://nationbuilder.com/ ].

VOLUNTEER JOB BOARD
Andrew's CiviCRM experience: important to think about how to connect volunteers to real projects in a less centralized way similarly to permabanks. With a centralized volunteer model, there's burnout

Permabank promotes horizontal stuctures, but its exchange model isn't ideally suited to jobs and skills exchange (yet).
However, there are immediate needs for movement building heightened by the dissolution of many "camps".
A job board style system would work well in the interim, and there are probably packages out there for this?
If interested in continued dialog on this project?
email Andrew Mallis -- ows@ideograph.ca

Telephony Needs / Solutions for Occupations and InterOccupation Voice Communications (OccupyAtlanta) (12)
All sorts of free telephony services, mailboxes, etc. (+1, nice work)
Contact: it@occupyatlanta.org
one phone number where you can reach any committee

  • goes to personal phone, whatever
  • voicemail to email
  • phone tree
  • asterisk-style features
  • Fully Hosted Service OR SIP Trunks available. SRTP/ZRTP available for RTP (Audio) encryption.
  • facilitator: for interoccupy national occupy phone tree? -- We could make it. Definitely easy for conferencing interoccupation.

[edit] Working Occupation Web Sites and Email Addresses

http://occupyatlanta.org (it@occupyatlanta.org)
http://occupyvoip.org (it@occupyatlanta.org)

[edit] Occupy Austin

[edit] Working groups:

[edit] National Dev Lists

occupy-tech@lists.mayfirst.org
occupy-dev@lists.takethesquare.net,
Google group list for this specific phone call: I will create and invite: add your email or email me at urbanpubedreform@gmail.com
I think there is a list already? what is it?
looking one sec :) - stevo - maybe im just seeing the occupycallplanning@ address
OK, well, I can retract this idea because all of the info seems to be here already...thanks
occupycallplanning@googlegroups.com

Project Management: http://projects.occupy.net (Redmine) http://projects.occupytechnology.org (RedMine installation provided by May First)
note: that there are many more projects there than projects using redmine. FGA is there, but BetterMeans and Pivotal tracker are more heavily used by NYC right now. (Pivotal is no longer being used 2/11/12)
note:Versions of BetterMeans & Pivotal Tracker are going to be added as project management tools to occupy.net for everyone to use
 
Brought to you by OCCUPY TECH