About Cooperative Source

"Cooperative Source" is a new(-ish) way of developing software. It's not open source, but it takes a lot of the things about open source that make it good, while patching up some of its less stellar features.

Ultimately, Cooperative Source is a way for maintainers and users to organize together into a healthy, mutually-beneficial, cooperative community that creates software to fulfill their needs and make it available to others.

What makes a project "Cooperative Source"?

Any project or development community is considered "Cooperative Source" if it aligns with the following values:

Source Available

The source is always available to any Members. This does not necessarily mean that source is public, but it does imply that anyone using ultimately gets access to it, and is able to modify it to their own needs.

Shared Code Ownership

The ownership of the code either belongs to a shared entity, such as a company or a foundation, or it is cross-licensed to all members using something like a cross-license collaborative. One individual should not have absolute control over the project itself: the project must belong to its community of Members.

Labor is Valued

A key purpose of Cooperative Source is to value Maintainers' time, and stay away from the burnout and abuse that open source communities so often fall into. To this end, any significant contribution must be rewarded in kind, either through remuneration by other Members, or through in-kind contributions through collaboration. Work is Work, even if it's done for a community, and volunteerism only goes so far before it becomes exploitative.

User and Maintainer Co-Governance

In exchange for in-kind contributions, non-developers are granted a stake in the governance of a project, through a one-person one-vote system. It is up to individual communities what is an appropriate contribution back into the community, and what warrants a Membership, but once a Member, and so long as one is a Member, one is actually entitled to a say in project governance, either directly, or through a Board or similar.

Non-Members MAY NOT be granted a governance stake or vote in the project. Only those that have given to the project in some way may be Members.

Finally, Members may not delegate or otherwise proxy their votes: It is expected for each individual Member to express their own interests and will when participating in decision-making, not that of a third party.

Non-permissive licensing

A Cooperative Source project MUST NOT use a so-called "permissive license" that allows non-Members free reign in usage and redistribution of source code and other project artifacts. At the same time, and licensing MUST grant full ability to own and modify (but not necessarily redistribute) equally to all Members.

Additionally, Cooperative Source projects are strongly encouraged to collaborate with each other, whether by labor collaborations, cross-licensing agreements, or resource sharing, or any other kind of cooperative endeavor.

Cooperative Members Help Each Other Grow

Members SHOULD help each other grow, share information, teach each other, and otherwise uplift other Members of the Cooperative Source project. Documentation and mutual education are a core part of such projects.

No Discrimination

A Cooperative Source project must make it explicit and clear (through documents such as Codes of Conduct), that they will not discriminate against Members or potential Members on the basis of class or category. This includes, but is not limited to, discrimination based on race or ethnicity, religion, caste, gender, sexual orientation, or disability status.

On a separate axis, there should not be discrimination between types of Members. While different Member categories may be created and have different expectations about what sort of contributions they must provide, rights and privileges must be shared equally between Members.

FAQ

Isn't this just Open Source?

No. Cooperative Source disagrees with the Open Source definition. Cooperative Source explicitly does not involve the free distribution and redistribution of software by Non-Members. It is a Community-centered approach that focuses on participation, fairness, and preventing the exploitation and extraction of Workers by user communities and corporations.

Is this Free Software?

Absolutely not.

What Principles is Cooperative Source Based On?

Cooperative Source is based on, and strives to live by, the Rochdale Principles, sometimes called the Seven Cooperative Principles:

• Voluntary and Open Membership
• Democratic Member Control
• Member economic participation
• Autonomy and independence
• Education, training, and information
• Cooperation among cooperatives
• Concern for community

I have other questions or ideas!

Come join us over on our Discussions Board! Tell us what you think and help us shape what this new ecosystem can become!