Move Commons is still an alpha version (preview), but we plan to launch an improved version soon, based on the feedback we have been receiving last months. Here we list some of the suggested ideas to improve the current MC:

• Fine-graining the categories. Subdivision of the “big” four categories into optional simple subcategories. That is, whoemever wants something easy and quick, should answer something like the current form. Whomever wants to really provide a lot of info, should be able to, in an additional optional part. This additional information wouldn’t be represented in icons, but in the semantic code… allowing it to be computationally tracked and to build things on top. Example of subcategories we have thought about (open to additional fields):
  • Inside Non-Profit (NP): do you have a justification why NP? give URL link; do you have open-accounting?; do you accept donations? URL of donation page; do you accept volunteers? URL;
  • Inside Reproducible (RP): justification why RP? URL; Creative Commons license? which? other? ; what can others reproduce? org structure? docs? results?
  • Inside Reinforcing the Commons (RC): justification why RC? URL; which of the four areas?
  • Inside Grassroots (GR): justification why GR? URL; assemblies? consensus-driven? majority? democratically elected representatives? are board meetings transparent?

   

• Remove negative categories in favour of keeping only the positive categories (NP/RP/RC/GR). Besides, turn all categories to be optional. This way we wouldn’t enforce any mandatory questions to collectives/initiatives, and they will be able to advertise the categories they prefer.
• Expected changes in the category “Reinforcing the Commons“. It is still fuzzy for most collectives (when filling the form, they believe it’s just the area: Digital, Ecology…), as the concept of the Commons is not spread enough, or not as clearly as we’d have liked. We received suggestions to replace it, to make it mandatory, to just communicate it better…
• Allowing extensions of MC. That is, provide an atomic/basic version and allow user-customised versions for expressing own semantic content (and icons?) on top of ours. Then, there would be total flexibility in the categories and sub-categories to be added/modified/removed by the community. Probably, this won’t be implemented yet in the forthcoming release.

If this list inspired you, share your suggestions/ideas to make MC evolve with us. We are very open to the community to join the debate of shaping MC’s future 🙂