PlaNet: The Open Co-op's dream communications system

Components of PlaNet

• An easy to use Geographical Information System (GIS) style interface
  
  

• A friendship network based on trust and reputation.
  
  

• Start pages for any individual, group or organisation that displays their chosen news, events and other feeds.
  
  

• An online accounts and payment system featuring conventional and community currencies and a ‘time bank’ for community service. Users have the facility to rate and give feedback to product/service providers.
  
  

• Guides to products and services, showing ratings and reviews (as in Alonovo) of both companies and products.
  
  

• An online 'Skills Exchange’ to find work and workers, which acts as the employment hub of PlaNet. It offers a wide range of skills and offers payment in conventional or local currency, acting as a source of part time jobs and low-cost services for businesses. Ratings and reviews on peoples service maintain confidence, as on eBay.
  
  

• Management software specificaly designed to provide stability and optimisation for all types of businesses and other organisations. Quality is maintained by feedback and peer inspection, not fear of loss of customers.
  
  

• An online Swap Shop (like Freecycle) which lists items that members no longer want and are prepared to barter, some things are even given away and collected from Swap Shop by charity.This encourages the efficient circulation of children's clothes, books, videos, old TVs and all sorts of other products which used to be dumped in landfills. The Swap Shop employs a team to repair faulty and broken goods, It saves people money and helps them consume far fewer precious resources.
  
  

Other things we'd like to see included as part of PlaNet

• Decision making tools
• Organisational support for the Collaborative Groups
• Planning and workflow (Project Management) tools
• Sign-up sheets for rotas (allocation of tasks)
• Discussion zones (e.g. IRC channels) for instant communication
• Forums for online help and support.