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OSV: The Foco, and Starting an Open Source Venture

Here's a quick update on picture this, the open source venture we are trying to build.

We've been working on it for a couple of months now, and have learned some valuable lessons. The most important lesson is that starting an open source venture is just like starting an open source insurgency. You need a foco and an example (that provides a plausible promise).

A foco is small team, a vanguard if you will, that initiates the effort. In this case, since we are building a company that generates revenue, the foco is a group of people that can write the business plan and do the initial exploration of the venture space (both technical and business sectors).

An example is something that ignites the imagination. In conflict, the example is an attack (Iraq, Nigeria, etc.) or protest (Tunisia, Egypt, or Libya) that ignites the imagination. It says: we can do this. In business ventures, its a business plan and a demo/mock-up of the product. It shows that this venture can be built.

Here's one way the foco and example combine to start an open source venture:

1. The foco launches the effort by publicly announcing the effort. The business plan is released (wikified?). Call for volunteers/entrepreneurs is made. Release of technical demonstration of the product (if technical/etc.).

2. The foco raises money for the project via crowd-funding vehicles.

3. A people bank is created for the project. Skills/availability/area of interest.

4. A project bank is created for the project -- both internal and external. Internal projects are those help move forward the main objective of the venture. External projects are those that create/move forward complimentary ventures.

5. The business plan serves as a living document that provides structure to the venture. It demarcates the ways complimentary ventures can interact with it (it's business/technical API).

For those that have been involved with the picture this venture to date, it's obvious that we fell short of the mark in our early efforts. That's being corrected through the development of the "picture this" business plan (it's looking very slick and doable).

http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/glo ... nture.html

Nordic wrote:Nice idea. I like the motivation behind it.

But ....

Not to harsh the mellow, but I think this kind of thing falls into a certain kind of trap, which is "we can consume our way out of our problems".

We live in a consumer culture, so this type of thinking is inevitable. We're not even called "citizens" any more, but "consumers".

But hey, why not, go for it.

(personally I have so little money to spend beyond food and shelter that it seems moot)

it's flexing the ONLY muscle we have

justdrew wrote:well, I've talked before about an android/iphone app that let's you take a picture of a product and tell you if it's on the boycott list or not.

one could also make a version of AdBlock plus that only blocks ads from blacklisted companies.

Would be nice if the web hub offered up alternative sources.

Nordic wrote:Nice idea. I like the motivation behind it.

But ....

Not to harsh the mellow, but I think this kind of thing falls into a certain kind of trap, which is "we can consume our way out of our problems".

We live in a consumer culture, so this type of thinking is inevitable. We're not even called "citizens" any more, but "consumers".

But hey, why not, go for it.

(personally I have so little money to spend beyond food and shelter that it seems moot)

Canadian_watcher wrote:

Nordic wrote:Nice idea. I like the motivation behind it.

But ....

Not to harsh the mellow, but I think this kind of thing falls into a certain kind of trap, which is "we can consume our way out of our problems".

We live in a consumer culture, so this type of thinking is inevitable. We're not even called "citizens" any more, but "consumers".

But hey, why not, go for it.

(personally I have so little money to spend beyond food and shelter that it seems moot)

it's the opposite of consuming our way out of problems though. it's flexing the ONLY muscle we have that they give a shit about which is: where are they putting their dollars?

the real mellow-harsher is the reality that taking down a big conglomerate would also take down one or more pension funds. So don't expect mom and dad to participate

Bruce Dazzling wrote:
Yes, CW, that has occurred to me, but I should be clear that the long-term goal is to use this as a tool to pressure for reforms and legislation that would eventually lead the way back towards strong unions and better wages/pension funds, etc. (as well as addressing environmental and human rights concerns). There's no silver bullet, obviously, and any action we take that can possibly produce results will also require some pain and sacrifice, but I believe we're at the point where we have more to win than to lose.

Nordic wrote:

it's flexing the ONLY muscle we have

If the Egyptians thought that they'd still be living under the iron butt cheeks of Mubarek.

I'll shut up now because I don't want to derail it, but I think the Egyptian model is the only thing that has any chance of working at all.

Cedars of Overburden wrote:Coca Cola deserves it, but AT&T might be better for the simple reason that no one -- I think no one -- is addicted to AT&T.