What is meant by core platform services? Akin to the bisection of Constitution and Playbook, Core Services are that which Cosmos determines is fundamental to provide in order to generate value in accordance with its mission and ethics. Whereas the Plug-ins Strategy reflects the customizable/optional free-form play that’s possible through interlinking members.
Quite simply: it’s what a broad community consensus-by-discourse (OR an empowered leadership team faithfully distilling and crafting a plan, from community feedback and personal discernment), at the moment, believes is most valuable to all in terms of capacities to build out. It is the non-optional components to constructing a platform and spaces suitable to this expansive community. Yet let us acknowledge: this is a matter of perception, collectively.
Core services are kind of like the constitution : they’d be “fixed” or at least “standard” offerings, incorporated into the core code. By contrast, the “plug-ins” reflect the variety of member-initiated, member-requested projects that may one day become core functionality of Cosmos.
This is reflected in the way resources are allocated. Core services would be resourced through operational capital of the organization (projects of Cosmos). Plug-ins would be resourced by autonomous allocation of personally-managed resources by the individual members, through media like Litcoin, EQ, dollars, sweat-equity pledges, and other such methods (projects of the community/members).
Currently viewed as “core” to Cosmos are:
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building out platform infrastructure to host vibrant, deep/broad, autonomous and accessible conversations (includes creating a blogging and podcasting platform)
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building the Dashboard, Spaces of Exchange, Internal Currencies, and related functionality;
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implementing basic “process templates” (and enabling growth/innovation) in the realm of the Five Pillars, tied to Cosmos’ mission of empowering members’ creative processes