Difference between revisions of "Volunteer Projects"

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This page describes the various projects that are ongoing within the MassMesh community. If you are looking for something to help with, this is a good place to start!
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While we're not formally divided into teams, we've started to diverge into a couple distinct sets of activities for now. It's our goal to remain non-hierarchical as we grow and pursue more specialized tasks, and it's also important to us that all of our members feel empowered to grow through their involvement in the project. Mass Mesh convergences are our weekly touch-base, and a place for strategizing, hacking, being creative, trying new things, and learning.
  
== Device Selection ==
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You can get involved in any/all of the following teams by joining us at our weekly convergences in Boston/Cambridge or joining us remotely on our Matrix chat channels.
  
We are always on the lookout for inexpensive hardware to run our software. Specifically, we are looking for devices around or under $100 that can run [https://openwrt.org/ OpenWRT] or other open distros such as Debian, and contain multiple networking interfaces to reduce the extra cost of adding adapters. Examples include multi-radio devices and small SBCs with multiple network interfaces such as the [http://espressobin.net/ EspressoBin].
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=== You can help!===
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If you care about the Internet, we need you to organize with us. You can help us most by doing any of the following:
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* [[Host A Public Access Point]]
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* [[Coordinate A Neighborhood Network]]
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* [[Host An Event In Your Neighborhood]]
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* Create materials to help spread the word.
  
We are also keeping our eye on custom hardware like the [https://librerouter.org/ LibreRouter]. If you have experience with small embedded devices or custom hardware, we encourage you to get in touch or attend one of our [https://www.meetup.com/SomervillePirates/ meetings].
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== Committees ==
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Mass Mesh has identified 8 main teams/committees as being vital to our growth and continued success:
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# [[Technology Team]]
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# [[Install/Tech Support Team]]
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# [[Publicity Team]]
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# [[Recruitment Team]]
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# [[Education Team]]
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# [[Governance Committee]]
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# [[Finance/Fundraising Team]]
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# [[Legal Team]]
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If you would like to join a committee, just get in contact with the team's captain or come to one of our weekly meet-ups.
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== Expansion Committee ==
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Matrix channel: MassMesh Outreach
  
For more information about our supported devices, see our [[Devices]] page.
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We're focused on getting adoption out in the real world. Based on the technology available, we form strategies for near-term expansion -- then we get the word out in any way we can. In the past, we've put up flyers in Allston, hosted a design workshop in Roxbury, and done installations in Holyoke and the Boston University area.
  
== Mesh Gateway Configuration ==
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We maintain a support desk, and respond to tickets from that platform. At this point, all tickets are requests for installations.
  
One of the challenges of bridging a mesh network with the wider internet is determining how and where traffic will traverse between the 2 networks. We are working on producing software that will help users of the mesh choose an exit to enable browsing the wider internet. This involves automating discovery of nodes that are set up to provide internet access, as well as automating the configuration of tunneling traffic. We are currently working with [https://yggdrasil-network.github.io/ yggdrasil] and [https://transitd.org/ transitd], so if you have programming experience (especially with Go or Lua), this would be a great area to help out with.
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We are exploring becoming a cooperatively owned business entity of some kind, but there is a long way from here to there. Right now, we are primarily focused on organizing our meetings better.
  
[[File:Megaphone.png|left|125px]]
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== Technology Team ==
== Outreach ==
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Matrix channel: MassMesh Tech
Our outreach strategy is informed by the practice of design justice in order to intentionally build neighborhood power. Apart from connecting with people during our [https://www.meetup.com/SomervillePirates/ Meetups], we are cultivating knowledge of mesh networking in the working class neighborhoods of Boston. Current programs include [https://github.com/dcwalk/performingmesh Performing Mesh], which we have piloted with [https://www.ujimaboston.com/ Ujima Boston]. We are actively engaging with neighborhoods in order to grow our network while expanding their autonomy. Our education project is meant to galvanize installs and cultivate political knowledge/discourse about the ISP cartel.
 
  
Growing our install base is another key goal of our outreach program. In order to differentiate our project, we have to approach this process differently than traditional ISPs. Our installation project should be embroiled in the education project, and vice versa.  
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We're focused on building upon Yggdrasil, OpenWrt, and other mesh networking technologies to create a usable product. Our goals are to be end-to-end encrypted and zero-configuration. We've deployed BMX6 networks, created bridges between Yggdrasil and Tor, and done extensive tinkering with Wireguard in the context of the Yggdrasil network.
  
"Evangelist" nodes in public areas should also be something we consider in the near future, as these will show the practicality of our system while building trust with property owners and wireless Internet users.
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We build configurations for all of Mass Mesh's supported hardware, and [https://github.com/massmesh/ host it on Github.]
  
For more information about our outreach programs, share resources, or get involved, check our our [[Outreach]] page or contact [MAILTO:lurker@riseup.net James].
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We are always on the lookout for inexpensive hardware to run our software. Specifically, we are looking for devices around or under $100 that can run [https://openwrt.org/ OpenWrt] or other open distros such as Debian, and contain multiple networking interfaces to reduce the extra cost of adding adapters. Examples include multi-radio devices and small SBCs with multiple network interfaces such as the [http://espressobin.net/ EspressoBin].
  
== Mesh Services ==
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We are also keeping our eye on custom hardware like the [https://librerouter.org/ LibreRouter]. If you have experience with small embedded devices or custom hardware, we encourage you to get in touch or attend one of our [https://www.meetup.com/SomervillePirates/ meetings].
  
<insert mesh services description here>
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For more information about our supported devices, see our [[:Category:Devices|devices]] page.

Revision as of 22:16, 13 January 2020

While we're not formally divided into teams, we've started to diverge into a couple distinct sets of activities for now. It's our goal to remain non-hierarchical as we grow and pursue more specialized tasks, and it's also important to us that all of our members feel empowered to grow through their involvement in the project. Mass Mesh convergences are our weekly touch-base, and a place for strategizing, hacking, being creative, trying new things, and learning.

You can get involved in any/all of the following teams by joining us at our weekly convergences in Boston/Cambridge or joining us remotely on our Matrix chat channels.

You can help!

If you care about the Internet, we need you to organize with us. You can help us most by doing any of the following:

Committees

Mass Mesh has identified 8 main teams/committees as being vital to our growth and continued success:

  1. Technology Team
  2. Install/Tech Support Team
  3. Publicity Team
  4. Recruitment Team
  5. Education Team
  6. Governance Committee
  7. Finance/Fundraising Team
  8. Legal Team

If you would like to join a committee, just get in contact with the team's captain or come to one of our weekly meet-ups.

Expansion Committee

Matrix channel: MassMesh Outreach

We're focused on getting adoption out in the real world. Based on the technology available, we form strategies for near-term expansion -- then we get the word out in any way we can. In the past, we've put up flyers in Allston, hosted a design workshop in Roxbury, and done installations in Holyoke and the Boston University area.

We maintain a support desk, and respond to tickets from that platform. At this point, all tickets are requests for installations.

We are exploring becoming a cooperatively owned business entity of some kind, but there is a long way from here to there. Right now, we are primarily focused on organizing our meetings better.

Technology Team

Matrix channel: MassMesh Tech

We're focused on building upon Yggdrasil, OpenWrt, and other mesh networking technologies to create a usable product. Our goals are to be end-to-end encrypted and zero-configuration. We've deployed BMX6 networks, created bridges between Yggdrasil and Tor, and done extensive tinkering with Wireguard in the context of the Yggdrasil network.

We build configurations for all of Mass Mesh's supported hardware, and host it on Github.

We are always on the lookout for inexpensive hardware to run our software. Specifically, we are looking for devices around or under $100 that can run OpenWrt or other open distros such as Debian, and contain multiple networking interfaces to reduce the extra cost of adding adapters. Examples include multi-radio devices and small SBCs with multiple network interfaces such as the EspressoBin.

We are also keeping our eye on custom hardware like the LibreRouter. If you have experience with small embedded devices or custom hardware, we encourage you to get in touch or attend one of our meetings.

For more information about our supported devices, see our devices page.