Open Source Ecology - User contributions [en]

Wiki instructions

2011-06-29T04:24:55Z

ARGHaynes:

{{OrigLang}}
{{Breadcrumb|Wiki}}
{{tip|Helpful Reading|The '''[[Crash course on OSE]]''' page will help you understand the underlying intentions for the OSE Wiki so that your contributions can be as meaningful as possible.}}

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A wiki is a place where a large number of people can contribute to content generation and organization.

The critical point about a wiki is that '''it can be used as a repository for a large amount of information which can be organized later'''. We encourage you to internalize this point and start using wikis as a place where human knowledge can be collected, and value can be added to that knowledge by further organization towards applications.

= Policies =

In the ideal situation, a large messy hairball of input is organized into distilled, high-quality content. A successfully-implemented wiki has the capacity to self-organize under the guidance of clear procedures in the hands of wiki moderators; with this in mind, please make sure to familiarize yourself with these procedures as expressed in the following policies:

* [[Wiki Login Policy]]
* [[Wiki Transparency Policy]]
* [[Wiki Curators]]

= Content =

There is a wide scope of things that can be included in the wiki - anything related to '''healthy, sustainable living, open source technology, good human relations, human empowerment, etc'''. OSE is about the integration of humans with technology in a benign way, with a focus on open source techniques. That's just about all under the sun that was historically proven to be worthwhile. Please be careful to keep this in mind while editing.

The wiki is designed to be a 'braindump' - so, even if it is not well-organized initially, it has a chance to become organized at a later date. Short entries, or stubs, are acceptable because they can be used as a definition later - even if nothing links at present. The expression ''braindump'' should not suggest a low level of quality; bad content to a Wiki is like bad nutrition to a body. If the Wiki is supposed to stay healthy, then a certain level of quality is essential.

Most of all, bad content, which is usually added by non-experts, discourages the distinctive experts from contributing. Everyone is urged to double-check his/her contributions, paying attention to respect, motivation towards others, accuracy and general quality. Both the motivation of positive contributors and the discouragement of negative contributors through content qualification is probably the strongest driver in wiki quality management.

The OSE Wiki-contents are different from typical wikis because the focus is narrowed to the support of OSE, with this difference in mind, a concentrated OSE Wiki can be built that serves its purpose.

"A Wiki is only as good as the search process is quick". It is a useful practice to examine the main wiki concerning any topics before starting an article.

=== Advertisement ===

There shall be '''no''' advertising on this wiki. Sourcing information and product reviews are allowed, as long as they are directly related to the creation of [[Distributive Economics]].

= Style Guidelines =

* The first sentence of an article should be a one-sentence summary of the whole topic
** The next paragraph should be a longer summary of it
** Then go into details
* Be direct and practical
** Avoid acronyms, jargon and neologisms (or words like ''neologisms'', which most people do not understand)
** Never use a long word or phrase where a short one will do.
** If it is possible to cut a word out, cut it out.
** Never use the passive where you can use the active (e.g. say "We built the house on Tuesday" rather than "The construction of the house took place on Tuesday".)
** Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
** Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
* When writing about measurements, list both imperial and metric values. List both Fahrenheit and Celsius for temperatures.

= Searching =

You can search for content by typing your search terms on one of the '''search boxes''' at the '''top left corner'''
* The '''first search box''' will search for text matches on '''this wiki only'''
* The '''second search box''' will perform a ''custom Google search'' on '''this wiki''', on '''our [http://blog.opensourceecology.org/ blog]''', on '''our [http://forum.opensourceecology.org/ discussion forum]''' and '''other related sites''', like ''Appropedia''.
** For more details, see the page about the [[OSE custom search engine]]

{{Tip|Search before creating a page|
Articles on our wiki should be cross-referenced against articles on [[Special: interwiki|neighboring wikis]] (like ''P2P Foundation'' or ''Appropedia'') to avoid re-inventing the wheel any more than we have to.
So, before creating a page, use the ''second'' search box to see if there are any existing articles on related wikis. If so, creating a link to it may be better than creating a new page, unless the existing page on the other wiki does not contain enough information.

Articles from any wiki listed at [[Special: interwiki]] can be linked to by using the value at the ''Prefix'' column, like this:
<pre>[[Appropedia: Comparison of electrical motors]]</pre>
which creates this:
[[Appropedia: Comparison of electrical motors]]
}}

= Logging In =

{{Info|Log in first!|Before creating new pages or editing existing ones, you have to '''log in first'''.}}

Any person contributing to the project in a substantial way should fill out the [[Team Culturing]] survey, and therefore, any name should be linkable with a full description of the person, such as [[Marcin Jakubowski]]. This will facilitate referencing and connection between projects and developers. The potential contributions of a person should be transparent if they fill out their abilities in the [[Team Culturing]] Survey.

In order to log in, you can use one of the methods below:

== Preferred Method (with OpenID) ==
You can log in using your existing [[wikipedia: Openid|OpenID]]. If you have an account with Google, Yahoo, Wordpress or any other OpenID-enabled site, then you can simply use that to log in here:

* Click on '''Login with OpenID''' at the '''upper right corner''' of the page to log in
** Just follow the instructions on the page that loads
* If you are '''logging in for the first time''', you'll receive a '''confirmation email'''
** Once you follow the instructions on that email, you'll be able to make changes to our wiki

{{Tip|OpenID preferences|You can add or remove OpenIDs associated with your account by first logging in and then clicking on the ''OpenId'' tab at your [[Special:Preferences|user preferences page]].
}}

''(Are you wondering why '''OpenID''' is the preferred method for logging in? See the [[Wiki Login Policy]] page for a background.)''

== Without OpenID ==

* If you '''already have a wiki account''', you can [http://openfarmtech.org/wiki/Special:UserLogin log in without OpenID]
* If you want to create an account '''without using OpenID''', please [[Special:Contact|use our contact form]] to request an account (''please provide your desired login in the subject line'')

== Login Problems ==
{{Info|Having problems logging in?|This wiki is open to anyone who wants to contribute. So if you want to log in but are unable to, please [[contact us]] to report your problem.}}

== Coral CDN ==
* If you are accessing our site through [[Coral CDN]] (http://openfarmtech.org.nyud.net/wiki/), the login link above won't work.
** In that case, you have to access the [http://openfarmtech.org/w/index.php?title=Special:OpenIDLogin&returnto=Wiki_instructions OpenID login page] from its original URL or the [http://openfarmtech.org/wiki/Special:UserLogin standard login page].
* If you want to '''''bypass'' Coral CDN''' for a given page, append '''coral-no-serve''' to the query string, like this:
** http://openfarmtech.org/wiki/Wiki_instructions?coral-no-serve

= Grouping =

* '''Categories''' can be used to organize a large number of pages, media, and even other categories. Read [[Using Categories]] for more information on proper categorization.
* '''[[#Creating Subpages|subpages]]''' can also be used to group pages. They organize information hierarchically. However, too many nesting will lead to a long name that is hard to remember.

= Creating New Pages =

To start a new page or to edit an existing one, just type the desired page name in the [[#Searching|search box]] at the top left corner (the one '''above''' the ''OSE custom search engine'' box) and click on the button labeled '''Go'''. If a similar page already exists, you might want to edit that page instead of creating a new one. Otherwise, click on the message '''Create the page "''your page name''" on this wiki!''' (at the top of the search results) to create the new page.

Then you can start editing the page. Also, while editing a page, you can create links to new or existing pages with double brackets around their title, for example: <pre>[[My New Additions]]</pre>

= Creating Subpages =

{{Tip|When to use subpages|
A subpage can be used to group pages belonging to some topic or main page
* to create user-specific pages in a given user's ''[http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Link#User_space user space]''.
* to create [[Translation#Page_Title_Convention|other language versions of an article]]
* to create '''archives of old discussions''' under a talk page
* to create '''scratchpad editing spaces''' under a user page
}}

{{Info|User Spaces|Pages on user spaces do not have to follow strict quality guidelines, as they '''are not official''' OSE content.
Other pages should reflect more closely the official OSE stance on a given issue.}}

If you want to create a [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Subpages subpage] named '''A subpage name''' under a given page (for instance, '''My Parent Page'''), all you have to do is to ''create a page'' whose title is '''My Parent Page/A subpage name''' ''(see [[#Creating_New_Pages|how to create a page]])''.

You can also link to subpages from the parent page using a [http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Link#Subpage_feature specific link format].

== Examples ==
* [[User:Elifarley/pds]] - a subpage named '''pds''' in [[User: Elifarley| Elifarley]]'s user space

= Deleting Pages =

== When to Delete ==

A page is a good candidate for deletion if:
* it is '''clearly and beyond and doubt''' spam or complete nonsense
* it's a redirect page whose title has nothing to do with the page it redirects to
** ''Example:'' a page named '''How to cook using only sunlight''' that redirects to '''Arduino controller schematics''' doesn't make sense. Either redirect it to a page that deals with the subject of ''cooking using only sunlight'', or delete it.

== How to Delete ==

{{Warn|Before Deleting a Page|
'''Never delete a page that is not clearly and beyond and doubt''' a spam page. '''A [[#Redirecting|redirect]] is often more appropriate'''.<br/>
You're urged to read [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Deleting_a_page Deleting a page] and [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Sysop_deleting_and_undeleting Sysop: deleting and undeleting] before you delete a page.
}}

Only Sysops can delete pages. If you're not a Sysop and you would like to mark a page as a candidate for deletion '''(see the [[#When_to_Delete|criteria for deletion above]])''', you should add the following text at the top of the page you would like to delete:
<nowiki>{{delete}}</nowiki>
This will include the [[Template: delete| delete]] template and will add that page to a list of [[:Category: candidates for speedy deletion| candidates for speedy deletion]].

= Redirecting =

You can redirect a page to another page by replacing the contents of the original page with a '''#REDIRECT''', like this:
<pre>
#REDIRECT [[My destination article]]
</pre>

You can redirect a page to an [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Links#Interwiki_links interwiki link] too:
<pre>
#REDIRECT [[Appropedia: Justa stove]]
</pre>

[[Using Categories|Adding a category]] may help others find the page, since it'll be listed on the corresponding category page:

<pre>
#REDIRECT [[Appropedia: Justa stove]]
[[Category: Cooking]]
</pre>

{{Tip|Too many redirect pages?|If you're afraid that the wiki will get cluttered with redirected pages, fear not. You can see this as a feature (a good one), not a bug, since anytime someone tries to add a page with title X (X being one of those redirected pages), they would be redirected to the appropriately-named page, instead of being given the chance to create a page with different title but similar content.}}

= Editing Pages =

{{Tip|Tips|
* '''Before editing''' a page, click the '''discussion''' tab at the top to check what others are saying about that page
** You can add your own considerations or questions there too
* '''To edit existing pages''', just click the '''edit''' tab
* '''Before saving''' your changes, click the '''Show preview''' button located just below the editing window to make sure everything is as expected
* '''To save''' your work, click the '''Save page''' button
}}

While in edit mode, there are some buttons at the top of the editing window to help with formatting text, creating links, inserting objects, etc.

== Sections ==

'''[http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Section Sections]''' are created by creating their headings, as below:
<pre>
== First Section ==
=== First sub-section ===
==== First sub-sub-section ====
== Second Section ==
</pre>

{{Tip|Top-Level Sections|Top-level sections should start with '''2 equal signs at each side''', as in '''<pre>==My Top-Level Section Example==</pre>'''

Sections with only one equals sign per side causes a title the size of the page name. On Wikimedia wikis they are used only sparingly and in prescribed circumstances.
}}

== Inserting Tables ==

You can copy and paste your data from your spreadsheet to http://area23.brightbyte.de/csv2wp.php and it will convert it to a cut and pasteable mediawiki table.

== Inserting Templates ==

You can insert a [http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Template template] using this code:
<nowiki>{{My Template}}</nowiki>

To '''create or edit a template''' named ''My Template'', '''simply create a page''' named ''[[Template: My Template]]'' (see [[#Creating_New_Pages|how to create a page]]).

= Text Markup =

== Text color ==

Put in the name of the color in this markup:
<pre><span style="color: green">Some text</span></pre>
The example above generates this:

<span style="color: green">Some text</span>

== Strikethrough ==

<s>Strikethrough</s>

== Inserting Images ==

=== Uploaded Images ===

To insert an image, anywhere in the body of a page, type:
<pre>
[[Image:filename.jpg]]
</pre>
Then click ''Save page''. After the page is saved, you'll be allowed to click on that filename, and the wiki will prompt you for an image file to upload.

=== External Images ===

You can simply paste links to images from any of the sites defined on [[MediaWiki: External image whitelist]].
See also: [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:$wgEnableImageWhitelist $wgEnableImageWhitelist]

Example: '''<nowiki>http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/3d-printer.png</nowiki>''' gives this image:

http://openfarmtech.org/temp-gvcs-icons/3d-printer.png

=== Inserting Image Galleries ===

Use the ''gallery'' tag. Example code:
<pre>
<gallery>
Image:fefrepstrap1.jpg
Image:fefrepstrap2.jpg
Image:fefrepstrap3.jpg
Image:fefrepstrap4.jpg
Image:fefrepstrap5.jpg
</gallery>
</pre>

Produces this:

<gallery>
Image:fefrepstrap1.jpg
Image:fefrepstrap2.jpg
Image:fefrepstrap3.jpg
Image:fefrepstrap4.jpg
Image:fefrepstrap5.jpg
</gallery>

== Linking files ==

If you want to link uploaded files in the Wiki, then you use this code: '''<nowiki>[[media: file name]]</nowiki>'''<br/>
See an example [[Press_Procedure|here]].

== Inserting Movies ==

To insert movies, see this example:

<pre>
<html>
<embed src="http://blip.tv/play/nQaynDuJ6BU" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"
width="640" height="510" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed>
</html>
</pre>

The code above generates this:

<html>
<embed src="http://blip.tv/play/nQaynDuJ6BU" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="510" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed>
</html>

For any video, insert the <nowiki><html> and </html></nowiki> tags, and put in the html code that you get from YouTube or some other video format.

== Embedding from Blip.tv ==

Here is a sample embed settings screen from blip.tv. Note that you do 'share', 'legacy player', then click 'go.' Then, make sure you select 'in-line player', flv for flash video - and then click 'update embed code above'. Then, copy the code into the blog, and in the blog, make sure you are in HTML, not visual, mode.

[[Image:blipembed.jpg]]

== Subtitling Videos ==

Here's how to activate Universal Subtitles for your videos:

1- Go to http://universalsubtitles.org/ and click on "Subtitle a video"
2- Paste the URL of the video you want to have subtitled. The URL can point to a file in Ogg, WebM or FLV format, or it can point to a video hosted on YouTube or Blip.TV (Vimeo support will be available soon). Examples of URL:

WebM file: http://content.bitsontherun.com/videos/m3P14laP-283112.webm
YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shqrdCBTD70
Blip.TV video: http://blip.tv/file/3841170/

3- A black page with a central video and a close button (a red tab on the top right corner) will appear. This is the initial step where users can start typing the subtitles for the video. Since you probably don't want to create the subtitle text right away, but instead want the embed code to paste on your blog, you can just click on the close button.

4- In the next screen, the embed code can be found inside the text box below "Embed this video in your site". Just click on the 'Copy to clipboard' icon next to it. The embed code will look like this:

<pre>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://s3.www.universalsubtitles.org/embed.js">

(

{"video_url": "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shqrdCBTD70"}

)

</script>
</pre>

This embed widget is in alpha stage, so it may have some bugs. I have tested it with youtube videos and it worked quite well. With Blip.TV, the video wouldn't play though.

It'll be really great when it's working correctly with Vimeo and Blip.TV

== Inserting Source Code ==

Always wrap source code in 'pre' tags. This ensures proper formatting, and means that someone can copy code without having to 'edit' the page first.

An example looks like this:

<pre>
int mainup = 5; // Define pins by plugin of hydraulics
int maindown = 6;
int secin = 10;
int secout = 11;
// Define pins 5, 6, 10, and 11 according to their hydraulic
// function on the CEB press - moving main cylinder up and down,
// and moving secondary cylinder in and out. 'In' is defined as
// the direction of brick ejection motion out of the machine.
</pre>

== Adding Categories ==

If you want to add a specific category to your page, please check the already existing [[Template:List_of_categories|list of categories]].

= Next steps =

This wiki is powered by MediaWiki. For complete and up-to-date technical information about using this wiki, refer to the [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Contents MediaWiki help pages]. Keep this page in mind as a reference for future use.

If you're confident about your understanding of everything written in this page, the following pages will point you towards what to do next:

* [[Wiki maintenance]]
* [[Wiki Reorganization 2011]]

[[Category: Policies]]
[[Category:Wiki]]

Aquaponics/Research

2011-06-27T14:37:08Z

ARGHaynes:

[[Aquaponics]]

=Urban Farming Guys=

Aquaponics overview: It seems like no one has really published a fully documented open source design for a full closed loop aquaponics system, is that the case? If so it's going to take a bit of research and prototyping to produce the first finished design. It looks like with http://theurbanfarmingguys.com/aquaponics-how-to
aquaponics principles video and designs http://theurbanfarmingguys.com/wiki/knowledgebase-2/aquaculture-aquaponics/aquaponics-system-plans/40-gallon-tote-basement-system plus the OSE aquaponics page we have enough information to start with.

However, one of the difficulties with the UFGuys is that their system breaks the rule of "2x as much growing media as fish space" so in the 40-gal-tote system, there should be three totes, 2 for veggies and 1 for fish.

=Measurements=

For optimal production you need tools to measure the system to make sure its running correctly. There's a basic list of things to measure here for hydroponics: http://www.n55.dk/MANUALS/HOME_HYDRO/HOME_HYDRO.html Light, pH, Conductivity, Nutrients, Temperature, Water quality. What tools are used to measure those? Where are good places to get those tools?

[[Category: Controlled-environment growing]]

Talk:OSE Member Organizations

2011-06-26T18:43:35Z

ARGHaynes: Created page with "How does this all fit into what OSE is?"

How does this all fit into what OSE is?

OSE Member Organizations

2011-06-26T18:43:17Z

ARGHaynes:

[[Image:ose-org-chart.png|thumb|Proposed OSE Organizations]]
=Organizations=

There are several kinds of groups that might be considered part of or related to OSE:

# A local chapter
# An intentional community (OSE villages)
# A regional group (OSE Europe, for example)
# A commercial affiliate
# The umbrella organization (OSE International)

See also [[OSE Standards]]

==Local Chapter==

A group of people who come together to explore, discuss, and work on OSE-related projects together. They are non-profit oriented, though fabrication of OSE parts/assemblies/tools could be a fund raiser activity for them. They exist under the OSE umbrella organization (eventually under the OSE regional organization). They are formalized by a "charter" which grants them the right to use the OSE name in return for abiding by OSE guidelines.

See [[OSE Local Chapters]] for more details on starting a local chapter.

==Intentional and Right-Living Communities==

A group of people who have come together to form an OSE-style community of the kind described by the "Organizational Strategy" wiki page. They would be looking for land together, working out divisions of labor, tooling up, expanding skills sets needed to create an OSE community. They might apply to OSE to receive a set of OSE tools with the understanding that they have the obligation to create additional tool sets to others that apply later, see [[Karmic Debt for OSE Villages]].

Initially, OSE villages will be treated as a special case of a Local chapter.

==Regional Group==

A national or continental group in which local chapters and individuals can come together periodically (annually?) to share ideas, present projects, present proposals, etc. It is a networking event that allows people to meet like-minded OSEers. The regional groups are considered branches of the central OSE organization. Regional groups could offer OSE training on a variety of topics and may serve as a fundraiser to support regional and local projects.

==Commercial Affiliate==

A company, shop, fab-house, etc. that is for-profit. They are registered with OSE to be suppliers of parts, assemblies, or whole tools. They offer repair, maintenance, and enhancement services for existing OSE products. They might create custom extensions, modifications, and add-ons which they offer exclusively.

The Sakai project has a very successful commercial affiliate program which substantially enhances the overall community. They pay a nominal annual fee.
In return, they are allowed to attend conferences and promote their products. They are have representation on the Sakai board of directors and are allowed
to vote on the selection of new directors.

==OSE International==

OSE International is the umbrella organization for all OSE activities. Run by an executive director (currently [[Marcin Jakubowski]]), this organization oversee the following activities:

* Regional OSE Organizations
* Commercial Affiliations
* GVCS and Technology Related Projects
* OSE Collaboration Platform (wiki, forum, chat, project mgmt, etc.)
* IT Infrastructure (web sites, servers, etc.)
* Global Promotion and Marketing
* Association Relationships (other OS organizations, technology groups, etc.)

The executive director is assisted by a small paid staff and volunteers to manage the day-to-day operations of OSE as a global community of people who share it's goals, standards, and ethos.

[[Category:Standards]]

Permaculture

2011-06-26T13:51:33Z

ARGHaynes: cleaned up and formalized language

{{Category=Permaculture}}
The term related to either "Permanent Agriculture" or "Permanent Culture". Permaculture is a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_thinking systems thinking] design model focusing on sustainable and regenerative systems. It considers ecological theory informed by the lifestyles of indigenous cultures as well as modern technological advancements. Permaculture ranges a diverse field of design methods, anything from perennial-based agricultural systems, to the homestead, to individual or community structures.

The majority of permaculture design is considered within the framework of '[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zones_(Permaculture) zones]'. Holmgren [Who?- Reference Needed] has also theorized a series of 'meta-zones' in which he describes spheres of influence. In this meta-zone system, Zone 0 represents a person's core, their self, whereby energy inputted for change has a high likelihood of impact or result. This series of meta-zones ends at the global level; at the global level one is less likely to experience any form of direct impact.

Permaculture is considered a unique design system because of its [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permaculture#Core_values core values] and [http://www.permacultureprinciples.com/principles.php principles]. While it was once considered a fringe movement of alternative culture, permaculture is now seen as an intelligent, informed, and truly important body of study:

<blockquote>''"What permaculturists are doing is the most important activity that any group is doing on the planet. We don't know what details of a truly sustainable future are going to be like, but we need options, we need people experimenting in all kinds of ways and permaculturists are one of the critical gangs that are doing that."'' </blockquote><div style="text-align: right; direction: ltr; margin-left: 1em;">- Dr David Suzuki geneticist, broadcaster, and international environmental advocate</div>

'''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permaculture#References Wikipedia: permaculture References et al]'''

There is a growing movement dealing with [[Open Source Permaculture]], in which all the agricultural information and genetic resources are shared.

==See Also==
[[Ekopedia: Permaculture]]

==Online Resources==
*[http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/5040528/PERMACULTURE__A_Designers_Manual__Bill_Mollison ''Permaculture: A Designer's Manual''] by Bill Mollison. The book that started it all, available on The Pirate Bay.
*[http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/4070954/An_Introduction_to_Permaculture An Introduction to Permaculture] - a torrent with 12 gigabytes of educational books and videos about permaculture, agroforestry and things like that. Includes ''The One Straw Revolution'' by Masanobu Fukuoka.
*'''[http://www.permaculture.info/index.php/Main_Page Permaculture Wiki]'''
* [http://www.wikieducator.org/permaculture_design WikiEducator: permaculture design]
* [http://www.wikieducator.org/category:permaculture WikiEducator: category:permaculture]
*[http://www.pfaf.org/index.php Plants for a Future Database] >7k species, lots edible perennials
*[http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/default.html NewCrop] Perdue's edible species profiles
*[http://www.worldagroforestry.org/sea/Products/AFDbases/AF/index.asp AgroForestryTree Database] World Agroforestry Center's tree species profiles
*[http://www.worldagroforestry.org/sea/Products/AFDbases/AF/index.asp Forest, Farm, and Community Tree Network] more agroforestry resources
*[http://nzdl.sadl.uleth.ca/cgi-bin/library?e=d-00000-00---off-0fnl2.2--00-0--0-10-0--0-0---0prompt-10---4------4-0-1l--11-en-50-0--20-about--100-0-1-00-0-0-11-1-0utfZz-8-00-0-1-00-0-0-11-1-0utfZz-8-00&a=d&cl=CL1 Food and Nutrition Library 2.2] lots of free e-books on food, nutrition, farming

Forum Policy

2011-06-09T04:28:16Z

ARGHaynes:

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}
==Introduction==

The Open Source Ecology project, like most open source projects, is based primarily on information. OSE is a team of people working together towards certain goals that we believe can have a fundamental impact on society at a local, national, and global level. The main output of that team is information in the form of designs, CAD drawings, etc. Such information does not appear magically. It is developed by dedicated, committed people working together. Much of that work is communication.

OSE has several communication tools that it uses including the wiki, blogs, project management tools like Pivotal, etc. This document deals with discussion forums and describes the policies of OSE with regard to both public, technical, and private forums.

Before getting into the details of how these forums are structured, new comers should realize that the forums, particularly the General Discussion forum, are one way to make yourself known to OSE and it's project teams. We welcome all constructive input from all intersted persons. However, we also recognized the destructive influence that individuals may inflict. It is for this reason that the general discussion is moderated. The moderator has the ability, authority, and responsibility to keep all discussions positive, project related, and fair.

To increase the quality of discussion - we recommend that new participants:

* Read the [[Crash Course]] and [[FAQs]]
* Technical contributors (both organizational and technological) should read the [[OSE Specifications]]
* All participants in the forum should read the policies and standards described below.

===Meritocracy===

OSE, like many open source projects (such as Linux, Apache, etc.) are based on the concepts of meritocracy. Meritocracy means that people are given access, authority, and responsibility in direct proportion to their contributions. Such a system is very necessary as most of us are volunteers contributing our time, labor, and money to something we deeply believe in. It is a system designed to weed out tire-kickers, naysayers, complainers, and especially those who don't do any real work.

People who do work for OSE or make a commitment of some kind are designated as "Contributors". There are a few steps to becoming a Contributor:

# Fill out the [[Team Culturing Survey]]
# Volunteer to work on an OSE project
# The project leader will invite you join the Pivotal project
# Figure out an initial task together and complete it.

Based on your results, you will be invited to become an OSE Contributor, giving you access to the project forums. There are some other ways to get recogized, such as helping to maintain the wiki, but since OSE is focused largely on technical projects, the above is the best way. Once you become known to other Contributors, you will likely be invited to do more work. A meritocracy means you are being judged on your merits as measured by your contributions. One of those contributions is your ability to work smoothly with other members of the team.

It should be noted that a metritocracy is based on ''active and on-going'' participation. While it's reasonable to take a break, legacy accomplishments are insufficient to maintain your Contributor status. People can also be bumped off projects if they show poor behavior or are inconsisent in delivering on their promises.

==Forum Roles==

OSE has defined the following forum membership levels or 'roles':

* General - can read most forums, but only post to the General Discussion forums.
* Contributor - can post to technical forums they are a member of.
* Staff - can post to all forums, including restricted organization forums.
* Moderator - a Contributor with special permissions in the forums that he (or she) moderates.
* Administrator - an OSE staff member tasked with overseing all of the forums, currently [[Elifarley Cruz]].

==Category Structure and Content==

Shortly, OSE will be simplifying the forum categories and structure to make them simpiler and clarify access. The new structure will include the following:

* General
** A single, general category with no sub-categories; one forum each for English, Spanish, French, Russian, and Portuguese. (writable by all)
** Announcements (read only, press releases, etc.)
* Technical (writable by participating contributors, readable by all)
** GVCS Projects (50, top 20 for now)
** Component Projects (5 or so now, much more later)
** Community Projects (villages, communities, local OSE chapters, etc)
** Agriculture Projects (farming, permaculture, etc.)
** Other Projects
* Organization (writable by participating contributors, readable by all)
** Resource Development
** Web Infrastructure
** Project Management
** Standards (Docs, CAD, CAM, etc.)
** Fundraising
** Project Proposals
* Staff (private to OSE staff)
** Grant Management
** Press
** Marketing
** Personnel

OSE may create new categories within these high level categories if the need arises.

===The General Discussion Forum===

The general discussion forum allows people who are interested in OSE to express their ideas and explore OSE concepts through discussion. We have created separate forums for different languages to make people more comfortable and not worry about trying to translate their thinking into another language.

People new to OSE should be aware that the general discussion forum is regularly monitored by OSE project leaders looking to recruit new people to their projects. As such, give some thought to how you write your posts keeping in mind:

* Clarity - how well you communicate your ideas or views
* Support - substantiate your claims with links or references
* Civility - manners and the ability to be polite are important in teams that work closely together
* Expertise - the ability to contribute your own experience and learning to discussion threads

When in doubt of the above, ask questions. They may not get answered, but sometimes a well-written question is more valuable than an off-the-cuff opinion.

Please note that the general forum isn't a place to air personal grievances, but rather to hold substantive discussion, with the goal in mind of getting things done, and in particular, getting the GVCS designed and built.

Please review forum polices below, as well.

===Technical Forums===

Technical discussion is the next level of forum discussion. Technical contributors are required to fill in the [[Team Culturing]] survey prior to starting their contributions. This gives other contributors a view into your skills, views, location, etc.

The technical forums are communication tools focused on specific OSE projects. Initially, these include the 50 GVCS projects, various component projects (like the [Open Source Stepper Motor]]), community-oriented projects like [[Factor e Farm]], agricultural projects related to farming and permaculture, and other projects (like product ecology, [[Systems Engineering]], etc).

Contributors to technical forums are held to a higher standard than general members. They are expected to use the forum to communicate and discuss information, ideas, and concepts that are related to the project. Opinions and discussion are encourged - that's the whole point of the forums - but discussion should be positive in nature and contribute to the project as a whole. Contributors who abuse their access rights will see them removed.

Technical contributors are also invited to use the wiki talk: pages for discussion associated with particular wiki pages.

===Organization Forums===

Contributors and OSE staff have the ability to participate in and post to organization forums. This is the right place to discuss OSE resources, project management, improvements to OSE as an organization, information standards, and fundraising. It is also where new project proposals are made and discussed for formation into full OSE projects.

===Staff Forums===

OSE staff members have special duties and responsibilities that sometimes require private or restricted discussion of sensative topics. Forums in the Staff category are restricted to OSE staff members and invited contributors.

==Forum Moderator Duties==

Forum moderators should have subject-matter expertise, practical experience, and at the very least, serious interest in, their respective topic of moderation. Moderators are to serve indefinitely, unless otherwise agreed upon, but other moderators may be added to a particular forum in case of increased traffic or other circumstances. Moderators should have sufficient time to read through postings, to make sure that they adhere to [[OSE Specifications]] and general goals of OSE as specified in the [[Crash Course]]. Moderators should seek assistance if the volume of communication exceeds their ability to handle the discussion. Moderators should contact [[Elifarley Cruz]] with any issues.

Moderators are generally associated with the roles of [[Project Managers]] and other members of the [[Development Team]] - both in technical and organizational development, to make sure that any discussion leading to substantial development on the project is handled accordingly or forwarded to responsible parties for further action. Moderators should be familiar with the membership of the [[Development Team]], so that moderators can take initiative in linking contributors to further resources and team members.

Moderators should also start, contribute to, or maintain, an FAQ on their Forum, to help inform and orient contributors.

Moderators should also provide a digest of their forum activity, after, say, 100 messages transpire. A digest would serve the purpose of regrouping and reorganizing discussion to facilitate progress, to point out worthwhile highlights, and to propose new initiatives. This digest can be a post on the forum, and it may be worthwhile to start a wiki page. If substantial activity warrants it, Moderators are invited to blog on the Factor e Farm blog to share their highlights.

Moderators are expected to facilitate keeping discussion on track, and making sure that spam, [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:No_personal_attacks|personal attacks]], and any non-constructive behavior does not take over discussions. There may be a fine line in certain cases, so the Moderator should become keen in focusing discussion towards practical results, rather than philosophical discussion or armchair critique.

See [[OSE Forum Moderators]] for a list of current moderators.

==Administrator Duties==

The forum administrator is tasked with making sure that the OSE forums fulfill their role in the OSE process. These duties include:

* Resolving infrastructure and software related issues
* Maintaining software including upgrades
* Maintaining backups and archives
* Creation of new forum categories
* Settling disputes
* Review requests for banning members

==Forum Policies==

The following policies are established with respect to access and use of the OSE forums:

===1. Intention===

The purpose of the OSE Forums is to promote the [[Current Scope]] of the project. The general culture of the forums is summed up in the [[Core Values of OSE]]. OSE forums are intended to be a communication tool to explore ideas, solve problems, and general foster the progress of OSE projects. Contributes should review an [[Essay on Creative Problem-Solving]].

===2. Spam===

The OSE forum is not a place for spam. This includes blatant product pitches, advertisements, links to promotal websites not in support of an OSE project, etc. Repeated posting of spam are grounds for being banned. Advertisements will be removed from the forum.

===3. Personal Attacks===

OSE has a zero tolerance policy for [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:No_personal_attacks|personal attacks]], trolling, or other disrespectful behavior. Therefore, we will moderate such behavior actively, and eggregious behavior will result in an immediate ban from the forum. Violators and banned members may appeal to the forum administrator for resolution.

===4. Unsubstantiated Claims===

The OSE forums are a place to post and discuss information relevant to OSE and OSE projects. Claims to performance, quality, etc. are expected to be backed up with substantiating links. Unsubstantiated claims only confuse current discussion and take away from progress towards solutions.

===5. Creative Approach===

OSE forum members are expected to take a positive, creative approach to forum contributions. These may include suggestions, ideas, noting problems and challenges, etc. Constructive criticism is welcome, provided it is presented in a manner and spirit that leads to further project goals.

==Forum Use==
To make the most of our forums, please see some [[Vanilla Forums]] usage tips.

===RSS Feeds===

==See Also==
* [[Essay on Creative Problem-Solving]]

[[Category:Standards]]