[hackerspaces] Fundraising for FLOSS non-profit accounting software
Joshua Pritt
ramgarden at gmail.com
Thu May 2 18:32:08 CEST 2013
Would it work better if we create a hackerspaces group of software
engineers (aka code monkeys, code poets, and source ninjas) to start up a
sourceforge/github/google/SVN repo project and create our own non-profit
accounting web app? Or should we all just put in a few hours here and
there from our spaces and do work on this Conservancy project?
I've always wanted to see how large of a software powerhouse we could make
out of all the coders from all the hackerspaces spending just a few minutes
or hours a week on a project.
I imagine just creating a simple task list where each person takes a task
for themselves and divide and conquers it that way.
I dunno, maybe it's not possible but I bet we could tackle almost any
software project with ease, especially something like a non-profit
accounting web app or even just plugins for GNUCash, etc.
DISCUSS!
On Thu, May 2, 2013 at 11:11 AM, Kevin Conner <kevin.r.conner at gmail.com>wrote:
> OpenERP is an option I've been using. It's not focused specifically on
> non-profit entities, but being open source I'm sure modules are available
> or could be made without having to start from scratch.
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, May 2, 2013 at 8:32 AM, Pete Prodoehl <raster at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
>> We've got software we use for billing our members, as we as keeping track
>> of rentable storage space.
>>
>> https://code.google.com/u/jason.gessner/p/mkemakerspace-tools/
>>
>> Right now I think Milwaukee Makerspace is the only one using it, though I
>> believe jason g. (lead developer) has talked with some people at Pumping
>> Station: One and Workshop 88 about it.
>>
>>
>> Pete
>>
>>
>>
>> On 5/2/13 10:07 AM, Edward L Platt wrote:
>>
>> We used to use GNUCash at i3 Detroit, but wound up switching to the
>> proprietary software that shall not be named.
>>
>> The major limitations of GNUCash were:
>> * Not a web app - prevented dividing tasks among multiple pepole
>> (receipt/payment entry, reconciliation, billing, etc.).
>> * No way to track vendors/customers. We wound up creating a sub-account
>> for each member, which was really unwieldy, especially since GNUCash didn't
>> alphabetize them, and wouldn't total them in our reports.
>> * Clunky interface.
>> * Learning curve too steep for volunteers.
>>
>> Also here's a feature request that I've never been able to find in
>> *any* accounting software:
>> * See the statement date for which each transaction was reconciled.
>>
>> If anyone starts an open source bookkeeping web app, I'd love to get on
>> the dev list.
>>
>> -Ed
>>
>>
>> On Thu, May 2, 2013 at 9:46 AM, Doug Philips <doug at hackpittsburgh.org>wrote:
>>
>>> I wonder if they have looked at ledger (http://www.ledger-cli.org/).
>>> They're on the cusp of releasing v3,
>>> but that'll be soon enough.
>>> -=Doug
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 5/2/13 9:20 AM, Tim Butram wrote:
>>>
>>>> I don't think that GNUCash has all of the required features that they
>>>> need. From their list I don't think that GNUCash can do:
>>>>
>>>> * Tracking and reporting of non-profit income types (related
>>>> business income, unrelated business taxable income, donations, etc.)
>>>> * Basic annual audit preparation reporting
>>>> * Ability to easily handle all these features on a project-by-project
>>>> subset of the accounts, and to easily export and excise that subset from
>>>> the system. (i.e., support for temporarily restricted assets, earmarked for
>>>> fiscal-sponsored projects)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Unless these are just features are unknown to me. Either way, they were
>>>> not ruling out contributing to some project, so it could end up being that
>>>> GNUCash gets some more features.
>>>>
>>>> Tim Butram
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Wed, May 1, 2013 at 6:27 PM, Joshua Pritt <ramgarden at gmail.com<mailto:
>>>> ramgarden at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I'll donate some of my free time to work on this software! I have
>>>> had to help with issues with proprietary software such as Exceed! Basic.
>>>> Is Conservancy trying to do the same thing as GNUCash?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Wed, May 1, 2013 at 5:15 PM, Danny O'Brien <danny at spesh.com<mailto:
>>>> danny at spesh.com>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> I thought this might be something that many here would see as a
>>>> worthwhile project to donate money toward:
>>>>
>>>> http://sfconservancy.org/campaign/
>>>>
>>>> Conservancy has a plan to help all non-profit
>>>> organizations (NPOs)
>>>> by creating an Open Source and Free Software accounting
>>>> system
>>>> usable by non-technical bookkeepers, accountants, and
>>>> non-profit
>>>> managers. You can help us do it by donating now.
>>>>
>>>> To keep their books and produce annual government filings,
>>>> most NPOs
>>>> rely on proprietary software, paying exorbitant licensing
>>>> fees. This
>>>> is fundamentally at cross purposes with their underlying
>>>> missions of
>>>> charity, equality, democracy, and sharing.
>>>>
>>>> You can help Conservancy fix this problem by donating now.
>>>> We seek
>>>> to raise $75,000 to employ a developer for one year to make
>>>> substantial progress on this project.
>>>>
>>>> Note that this first year will concentrate on US non-profit
>>>> requirements, "Conservancy seeks to lead an international
>>>> effort, and
>>>> welcomes contributions and input from everyone in the non-profit
>>>> community from around the world. Conservancy has created a
>>>> mailing list
>>>> for discussion of this project and encourages interested
>>>> parties from
>>>> around the world to join the mailing list and contribute to the
>>>> project!"
>>>>
>>>> http://lists.sfconservancy.org/mailman/listinfo/npo-accounting
>>>>
>>>> Donation sidebar is on the main page:
>>>> http://sfconservancy.org/campaign/
>>>>
>>>> d.
>>>>
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>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
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>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Edward L. Platt
>> http://elplatt.com
>> http://civic.mit.edu/users/elplatt
>> http://i3detroit.com
>> @EdwardLPlatt <http://twitter.com/EdwardLPlatt>
>>
>>
>>
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