The Connection Graphics, is a work of David Braden and Jean Russell and has not been wholey approved by the EFN COT communication decision making process.

[Edited by group owner: Julie Caldwell on 25 Jul 2007 11:11 PDT: to reflect more accurate representation ]

I, and some of the other COT members are involved in two of the nodes envisioned as the "base set of bridges". Those are the "Tech Node" which is moving forward as Source Tree Commons and the Network Weavers Network.

I am thinking in terms of those two groups cooperating together -

with Network Weavers bringing more and more people to open source software, and

Source Tree developers building platforms to assist network weavers,

as the base "value exchange" that will bring more and more people into the set of bridges we are trying to build.

Over the next couple of weeks I will be focusing on copying off and restructuring some of the work I have posted on O.net. (I don't want it all in one file since it would then be unlikely that I would ever go back and go through it.)

I will continue to post here as I think of things and I hope any of you reading this will feel free to share your thoughts. And, if there is some progress with decision making by the COT I will also post that here.

I'm thinking that we need to create an independent infrastructure based on Brandon's topsoil developed at AboutUs.org and the reputation currency features from Arthur and GeekGene.

I always liked the way independent groups get created at this site, and would want to carry that forward too. Ability to import Onet files would be a big plus for the new infrastructure. Grab your archive files anyway, you never know how those bits may be useful in the future.

Thanks Gerry, I was looking at the Source Tree Commons site linked above. And they have added a "Group" formation feature. I am somewhat concerned as technophobe when they talk about transitioning the site from drupal to congo (what does that mean - and what new things will I have to learn?)

But, we could follow up on Habib's thoughts about Network Weavers active on multiple sites - I think I could be happy working between Source Tree, Aboutus, and Wiserearth.

Well downloading all that stuff is really boring. It is much more fun to have a stimulating conversation.

As I am reviewing and downloading (I'm to the F's) I keep thinking about how I might incorporate this material in the various sites, and/or in a web site of my own. It is like a book where one can start anyplace and go in any direction - but to understand any part, one must understand how the whole fits together - so the reader really needs someone to guide them through based on the reader's level of understanding and the reader's questions about how things work. (that is how the material developed here on O.net actually - trying to find ways to describe the difference between the conventional view and a whole system view).

Michael Maranda, when he was here in Colorado, urged (and offered to help) me to start a drupal web site of my own so I could re-post this material and start blogging. That feels daunting right now - but I suppose I would be willing to pursue that when the downloading is done.

I am thinking about variations on "abundant future" for the name. I had originally thought of Coalition for an Abundant Future for the local organizing effort. Kachina suggested Coalition for an Abundant Local Future as a better acronym (CALF) as opposed to (CAF).

Ok - enough frivolity - back to downloading.

Thought this comment from another Network Weaving thread works in here:

Comment by Daniel F. BassillAuthor: Daniel F. Bassill (535) Date posted: Sat, 21 Jul 2007 07:33:40 PDT Comment on: Network Weaving (52)

Gerry Gleason said:

For me, network weaving is more about connecting projects and ideas through the people who are passionate about them. It is about making person-to-person bridges that build a network of ongoing interaction towards shared goals and building shared infrastructure.

Where will you all go to make these connections now that Omidyar.net won't be around? Where are you doing that already? Why not post the list of sites where active network weaving is taking place on the directory at http://www.aboutus.org/Category: NetworkWeavers

If such a list grows between now and the end of O-net, it can keep the connections growing.

David Braden said:

But, we could follow up on Habib's thoughts about Network Weavers active on multiple sites - I think I could be happy working between Source Tree, Aboutus, and Wiserearth.

This type of work, along with Daniel's suggestion above, Ted as a support, a series of face-to-face events that provide space and place for multiple site folks to meet and some node weaver development (like Michael and Kachina have proposed) would make for sweet use of our O.net award funds.

Node weaver development could include more than just Network Weavers and Source Tree Commons...

Ideally, we could run for some board seats and work with the migrating teams (and non-migrating teams like NWN, STC, Amoration, NED, World-wide Connectory...)

and those outside of either worlds like:

• youth network work in NZ, Singapoore, Mongolia, Brazil, USA, Europe, Africa, etc...
• Service Nodes that would offer a variety of node related services (ie: International Humanities Center fiscal agency services and maybe other such services like Ravi and Pravin have suggested -- marketing, legal, coaching, miles for smiles, coach/meeting space exchanges, publishing...)
• A Widget Application Node (Showcasing widgets with user evaluation modalties)
• More and more of course.

My thoughts go back to Ted's original encouraging of us to work together on a map of what needs to come forth. Then strategically understand how to best use our funds.

David Braden wanted us to work together as well.

We might be pleasantly surprized what working together on a map (without being funded to do so) might materialize.

I've set up a workspace for us to work on here:

http://emergingfutures.net/wiki/ Mapping_EFN_Together

deleted.

[Edited by group owner: Julie Caldwell on 25 Jul 2007 11:14 PDT: .]

We might be pleasantly surprized what working together on a map (without being funded to do so) might materialize.

I've set up a workspace for us to work on here: http://emergingfutures.net/wiki/ Mapping_EFN_Together

deleted.

[Edited by group owner: Julie Caldwell on 25 Jul 2007 11:15 PDT: .]

David Braden said:

Thanks Gerry, I was looking at the Source Tree Commons site linked above. And they have added a "Group" formation feature. I am somewhat concerned as technophobe when they talk about transitioning the site from drupal to congo (what does that mean - and what new things will I have to learn?)

But, we could follow up on Habib's thoughts about Network Weavers active on multiple sites - I think I could be happy working between Source Tree, Aboutus, and Wiserearth.

Just a bit of clarification. I don't see Source Tree Commons as being in the same category as AboutUs and WiserEarth.

AboutUs and WiserEarth are platforms, which are intended to have gazillions of users.

Source Tree Commons, just like the Network Weavers Network, is an "organization" (or a commons or a network). Both of these "organizations" offer online resources. But, I don't think the format of their websites is a big issue.

I can't speak for the members of the Source Tree Commons. But, the direction that the Network Weavers Network is heading is to work with lots of platforms, as well as lots of "organizations"/"groups"/"commons"/"networks." So, I would see us having a VERY close working relationship with the Source Tree Commons, as well as <i>using</i> resources including AboutUs and WiserEarth to do our work.

Hope that helps clarify rather than confuse!

Julie Caldwell said:

Thought this comment from another Network Weaving thread works in here:

Comment by Daniel F. BassillAuthor: Daniel F. Bassill (535) Date posted: Sat, 21 Jul 2007 07:33:40 PDT Comment on: Network Weaving (52)

Gerry Gleason said:

For me, network weaving is more about connecting projects and ideas through the people who are passionate about them. It is about making person-to-person bridges that build a network of ongoing interaction towards shared goals and building shared infrastructure.

Where will you all go to make these connections now that Omidyar.net won't be around? Where are you doing that already? Why not post the list of sites where active network weaving is taking place on the directory at http://www.aboutus.org/Category: NetworkWeavers

If such a list grows between now and the end of O-net, it can keep the connections growing.

I'd like to suggest that we might want to consider an even more active approach. The Emerging Futures Network, as well as the Network Weavers Network (and perhaps some of our other nodes) may be interested in ACTIVELY helping people on O/Net to find opportunities to connect their work with other good stuff that is going on.

We don't yet have the infrastructure to do this for every sphere of activity. But, we might be able to target a few areas of O/Net activity -- for example:

Youth organizing Sustainble development for Africa

Make connections with people involved in those areas, and help them to make connections with people/networks who are doing related work outside of O/Net.

My guess is Jean and some other Network Weavers are already doing this. I'd like to suggest we consider doing it as a group.

One way of looking at my suggestion above is that we could help to "outplace" work on O/Net into "the real world" :-)

(Just kidding about "the real world" -- O/Net is just as real as anyplace else. Unfortunately, it is not as permanent :-(

Julie Caldwell said:

Node weaver development could include more than just Network Weavers and Source Tree Commons...

Ideally, we could run for some board seats and work with the migrating teams (and non-migrating teams like NWN, STC, Amoration, NED, World-wide Connectory...)

and those outside of either worlds like:

• youth network work in NZ, Singapoore, Mongolia, Brazil, USA, Europe, Africa, etc...
• Service Nodes that would offer a variety of node related services (ie: International Humanities Center fiscal agency services and maybe other such services like Ravi and Pravin have suggested -- marketing, legal, coaching, miles for smiles, coach/meeting space exchanges, publishing...)
• A Widget Application Node (Showcasing widgets with user evaluation modalties)
• More and more of course.

Aha. Julie and I are thinking along similar lines. I just want to suggest that we choose a very few areas to focus on. We can't do everything in a few months! I think we should focus on weaving in those areas we are already strong.

By the way, regarding issues of how to spend money, consensus etc... I'm not familiar with all the issues involved. But, i want to point out that, unfortunately, sometimes when resources become available, we can start having conflicts over how to use them. This is common to lots of situations, not only EFN.

I'd suggest a couple of things:

1. That everybody be aware that everybody else is acting out of their best and hightest intentions
2. That you might just want to consider spending a bit of the money for some consulting on the process of consensus itself. I know people who do such work, and would be very good to work with. One such person is Tree Bresson, one of the leading voices of the intentional communities movement. Check out her website at http://www.treegroup.info/

deleted content as it has been read and replied to and not needed now that the above rubage has also been deleted!

This is why I did not wish to bring this discussion into the public Julie. You and I could debate the facts all day. I find you dishonest and manipulative and I do not wish to spend any more time than necessary associated with that behavior. As I told you in the skype chat - if you insist on controlling EFN you will kill it - it seems that is what you are intent on doing.

Habib,

Thank you for you thoughts. I am not in a mood right now to adequately respond - but I will, when I calm down a little.

Thank you to those who participated in our unscientific poll on which version of reality is more accurate. Perhaps now we can make some progress?

Habib said:

I can't speak for the members of the Source Tree Commons. But, the direction that the Network Weavers Network is heading is to work with lots of platforms, as well as lots of "organizations"/"groups"/"commons"/"networks." So, I would see us having a VERY close working relationship with the Source Tree Commons, as well as using resources including AboutUs and WiserEarth to do our work.

Hope that helps clarify rather than confuse!

Maybe only a little confused about the difference between having a working relationship and using resources. I can see network weavers comparing notes on Aboutus and other social networking sites, working to connect resources on WiserEarth, and a group at SourceTree devoted to tools for organizing. I don't think we disagree?

Habib said:

I'd like to suggest that we might want to consider an even more active approach. The Emerging Futures Network, as well as the Network Weavers Network (and perhaps some of our other nodes) may be interested in ACTIVELY helping people on O/Net to find opportunities to connect their work with other good stuff that is going on . . .

. . . I'd like to suggest we consider doing it as a group.

I would be interested in pursuing this idea further. In particular I want to stay in touch with David Bale and his World Wide Connectory, Brian Lewis and his whole system design work, and Christina Jordan and Life in Africa.

Perhaps we can think of it in terms of a "set of bridges" that we wish to retain on the demise of O.net. I would like to work on what I think you have described as Social Network Analysis tools (which I have not had a chance to get into yet) - do those tools have a value flow component? can we describe flows in three dimensions?