Project plans

[Michael Allan]

This is an outline of the plans I'm currently working to.  Comments
are welcome.  I'm especially interested in ideas and alternative
proposals for the common parts, that go beyond Votorola.

Summary
-------
Embed the software in a common architecture.  Unroll it centrally at
first.  Then allow administrators to pull it outward into a fully
distributed form.

Details
-------
Structural design at architectural scales is covered elsewhere (links
below).  What follows is mostly a matter of component design and
implementation.  Much of the implementation can be prototyped using
temporary hacks:
http://u.zelea.com/wiki/User:Mike-ZeleaCom/Opening_an_architecture#Rapid_prototyping

 1. Ready Votorola's pollserver

    Deploy the essential voting facilities of Votorola itself.  Here's
    what's missing:

    a) Centralize

       Allow multiple areas (cities, states) per pollserver.

       Move area and district configuration out to the pollwiki (PW),
       where the users can take charge of it.  http://u.zelea.com/wiki

         (PW)
          |          PW  pollwiki (common)
          |          PS  pollserver (Votorola)
          |
         (PS)

    b) Support unlimited polls

       Move poll configuration out to the wiki.

       Support an unlimited number of polls.  Allow for ad hoc
       construction, where the poll is created by the first vote.

    c) Prototype the difference engine

       Code a bare-bones difference engine.  Explore and develop the
       interface with discussion media.

    d) Code the verification facilities

       Allow for independent verification of poll results.

 2. Develop the common residential voter register

    Prototype the streetwiki (SW).  Integrate it with the central
    pollwiki (PW).  http://metagovernment.org/wiki/Streetwiki

      (PW SW)
         |          PW SW  integral pollwiki/streetwiki
         |          PS TS  pollserver/trustserver
         |
      (PS TS)

 3. Decenter the architecture

    This depends on vote mirroring.  It also depends on cooperation
    with other voting projects.  There are roughly three axes of
    distribution:

    a) Support forking of the central Votorola pollserver, if this is
       demanded.

    b) Enable the first area or organization to separate from the
       central site and go independent with its own pollservers and
       wiki.

         (PW SW)    (PW)    (PW)
            |        |       |
            |        |       |
            |        |       |
         (PS TS)    (PS)    (PS)

                    area    area

       If a local area also sets up an independent streetwiki, then
       subscribe to its registration lists from the central
       pollserver.  The local registrants may then vote everywhere.

    c) Support free-range voting.  Wait for the first non-Votorola
       pollserver (voting site or tool) to hook into the common
       architecture.  Share votes with it.  Let the users try it
       out and wander freely between the servers.

              (PW)
              /|\
             / | \
            /  |  \
           /   |   \       PW  pollwiki (common issues)
         (PS) (PS) (PS)    PS  pollserver (Votorola and others)
           \   |   /       TS  trustserver (common registrants)
            \  |  /
             \ | /
              \|/
              (TS)

    http://u.zelea.com/wiki/User:ThomasvonderElbe_GmxDe/Vote_mirroring

These plans are also in the pollwiki at:
http://u.zelea.com/wiki/User:Mike-ZeleaCom/p/vop

-- 
Michael Allan

Toronto, +1 647-436-4521
http://zelea.com/