What are you proposing?

I propose that a subgroup of OAE members is formed to experiment with reimplementing Loomio using a Hypermedia-Driven Architecture approach. With the stretch goals of a) implementing a plug-in system, allowing Loomio to be easily extended like WordPress, and b) to build a plugin for ActivityPub federation.

Why is this important?

The dependence of the Loomio team on JavaScript frameworks like React keeps them on a treadmill, constantly tweaking the software to keep up with changes to the framework they're using, and forcing major refactors every time one reaches End of Life. This sucks developing time and energy away from the real business of Loomio, engaging with the people using it to make decisions, figure out how to serve their needs better, and build new features and integrations that do that. It also sucks time and energy away from a project like rebuilding Loomio to escape that dependence, creating a vicious cycle.

Forming a team to experiment with using HDA to rebuild Loomio is a way to learn about and test the value of HDA in practice, and if it succeeds, the code we write could inform the next major version of Loomio. Or failing that, become a fork that some people hosting Loomio instances for their own communities might decide to switch to and support going forward. It could also be a good way to revitalise the OAE group, and obtain a yield from the amazing network of people who've been attracted here over the years.

What are you asking people to do?

If you have software engineering or web design skills, or you'd like to learn by doing in collaboration with a group, I'm asking you to volunteer a at least 2-3 hours each week for the next 3 months.

Say whether this looks good, could be better, or needs a rethink — and share your reasoning. I've made responses to this poll anonymous by default, so everyone can feel to express themselves honestly, even new members who haven't participated much yet. But feel free to identify yourself using the option to give a reason for your response.

Please note: It's not the expectation that any code generated in this experiment would be adopted by Loomio, or used in production at all. Although it would be under AGPLv3, as a derivative work of Loomio, so they would have that option. The objectives are simply to;

• Test an HDA approach by applying it to an established Free Code app

• Provide a practical project a group of people could participate in to learn about how HDA works