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Release Note (June 2013)

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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

  • Allow small communities to get up and running quickly with the world's leading alternative currency software
  • Improve the look and feel of Cyclos and make it more intuitive for users
  • Add additional reporting functionality (x and z reporting, automated invoicing) for business users

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

  • The Tudor Trust (UK)
  • Doen Foundation (NL)

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:

  • Transition Network (UK)
  • Bristol Pound CIC (UK)
  • Brixton Pound CIC (UK)
  • Qoin (NL)
  • New Economics Foundation (UK)
  • SPICE (UK)

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:

  • Qoin – non-profit foundation based in Netherlands and UK, agency for community currencies, can assist with developing your programme, configuring your currency, specifying, implementing, hosting and maintaining CC2. We offer differentiated consultancy rates for profit and non-for-profit projects.
  • STRO – developers of the Cyclos software. Provide detailed documentation and a forum where users can post for help and support (from each other, not from STRO).

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:

  • CC2 Cyclos 3.7.1 (Java application)
  • CC2 Reporting (Django application)

If you wish to host a CC2 instance, you will also need to install a number of additional software products:

  • Tomcat application server
  • Apache web server (or another webserver of your choice, eg: lighttpd, nginx)
  • Python
  • Django application framework
  • Cyclos SMS Module (if you require SMS transactions to/from Cyclos)

Linux or unix are the recommended platforms to host CC2, however it is also possible to use windows hosting.

Changes to standard Cyclos:

  • Addition of jsps to handle paypal credits to member accounts (pages/general/paypal.jsp, pages/general/paypal.js, pages/general/static/paypal-pay.jsp)
  • Addition of event listener for balance +- on account history page, to allow it to function as a link to transaction detail page
  • Changes to menus
  • Changes to tiles configuration
  • Change to cyclos.jar to support additional event listeners
  • Addition of reporting.jsp in the root directory of the cyclos instance, to handle single-sign on between Cyclos and the Django CC2 Reporting app