Background and Non-Technical aspects of setting up Community Currencies with CC2
CC2 is a customised, repackaged version of Cyclos 3.7 which is designed to
The system is currently used by a number of community currency programmes based in Europe, including:
CC2 was developed in 2011 as a joint project between Qoin.org (NL) and The New Ecomomics Foundation (UK), with generous funding from
UK based open source consultancy Isotoma developed the CC2 reporting application and masterminded the redesign and wireframing of the Cyclos skin.
The following organisations formed a steering group for the CC2 project:
License
CC2 is available to download under the GPL open -source license: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html
As with any open source software product released under the GPL, you are permitted to download, install and use this software for free, perpetually. If you redistribute, or modify this software, you are required to do so under the same license. You are not permitted to charge a license fee for others to use this software.
You should also note that the software comes with no warranty and no support – but see below for links to organisations who can help.
Skills required
CAUTION: We do not recommend that community currency programmes are launched, without first seeking expert advice in designing the programme and the monetary model.
Qoin, STRO, The CC2 steering group and partners do not accept any responsibility for financial, legal or regulatory issues caused by poor currency design and implementation.
To get the most out of CC2, there are two specialisms that you need to be aware of.
Firstly technology: This is a high powered software package, not suitable for amateur plug-and-play applications.
Expert knowledge of configuring servers and java applications is recommended for successful installation and maintenance of CC2.
If your organisation does not possess all relevant software expertise, contact one of these organisations:
You can also use Cyclos 4 Communities - a free, online version which requires no technical knowledge to set up: https://communities.cyclos.org/register/app/form
Secondly, software is only ever a means to an end. The versatility of CC2 requires even greater certainty in the objectives, practicalities and particularities of designing, launching and running a community currency system. Good knowledge of tested models, other currency initiatives, financial, legal and regulatory aspects of such projects and high levels of entrepreneurial stamina are required to make these projects successful and sustainable.
Qoin and the New Economics Foundation are working with other European partners on syndicating and improving the available information and support in this field. An initial version of their “Currency Design Framework” is available through their EU-Interreg project "Community Currencies in Action".
Future development plans
Qoin has already begun developing the next version of our community currency platform, CC3. CC3 continues to use Cyclos as a powerful transaction engine, but replaces the user interface with an entirely Django-based portal. CC2 is being developed with funding from the EU Interreg IVB Community Currencies In Action project (www.ccia.eu).
We expect to launch our first CC3 systems in autumn/winter 2013. CC2 will continue to be recommended as a simpler, lower-cost option for communities who need to get up and running with a powerful system at the minimum cost.
Technical details
The CC2 package consists of the following modules:
If you wish to host a CC2 instance, you will also need to install a number of additional software products:
Linux or unix are the recommended platforms to host CC2, however it is also possible to use windows hosting.
Changes to standard Cyclos: