For a very long time I have wanted to encourage contributors to publish content on our blog.

At the same time, nobody works for free. Any of Acorn's successful projects fundamentally depend on our ability to harmoniously engage with an organization and, particularly, an organization's suite of subject matter experts.

Our Proposal:

Coming soon, we want to test out a concept of paying subject matter experts to contribute to our blog. In order to do this, we plan to extend the capabilities of our application in order to support this in our Role Based Access Control (RBAC) paradigm.

The Role: Publisher

This role would have permissions assigned to it that would be different from a more senior web application administrator.

Permissions:

• Can log into our administrative dashboard
• Can create one post based off of a requisition order

• Can add multimedia to a post including uploading images, and embedding video files
• Can turn a post to live OR can request a review so that a social media marketing team member can schedule the delivery of the blog contents across multiple platforms

Restrictions:

• Can't add, edit, or delete an application's case study

• Can't add, edit, or delete an application's services page
• Can't edit page contents

Few People Understand That Acorn Has Built Its Own Standalone Content Management System

With amazing tools and technologies available, many are probably wondering why we took on such an initiative. Aren't we reinventing the wheel?

The truth is more complicated ...

By developing our own content management system with publishing capabilities, we are able to simulate the types of processes Acorn excels at, while simultaneously using our platform to train the team on

• CI/CD methodologies
• Agile Project Workflows
• Unit Testing
• DevSecOps best practices
• Scalable Code Use
• Design to development handoffs / consultations
• ⚡⚡SEMVER!!! ⚡⚡
• and many more topics

In short, it's been a great way to develop our teamwork, and develop interdisciplinary aptitudes for complex problem solving. Is building our own CMS a bit extra? Perhaps. But guess what sweetie:

SO ARE WE.

As such, it's time for us to start connecting the dots on our software systems by expanding the role based access provisions for contributors, and considering ways to invite high octane subject matter experts to contribute sweet things by leveraging ...

The Plan

1. Introduce the idea that we want to pay people to contribute to our blog system by explaining that we will pay in ethereum
2. Designate categories that align with Acorn's existing suite of client service provisions, or support Acorn's longer term ambitions (more on this to come)
3. Get contacted by relevant subject matter experts, or consult them on platforms like LinkedIn (also, have you thought about following the best company page in the universe?)
4. Pay guest contributors using cryptocurrency

To keep things simple in a proof of concept, we will be using Gemini. In using this, we recognize the more problematic notion of "not my keys, not my coin", but this is a proof of concept and a way to build momentum so WHATEVER MAN. Having a straightforward way to process a transaction using the blockchain is more about financial incentives for the provision of time, not the cybersecurity provisions of an immature system.

If contributors want to publish some specifics on this topic, however... (you see the point)

Strategic Areas of Interest:

1. Sensor configurations in advanced computation - how can we setup a sensor array, with what equipment, for what reasons, to record data in a way that is plugged into a database
2. DevSecOps to Machine Learning and AI - How can a well structured environment allow for cohesive integrations with advanced computational methodologies
3. Quantum Annealing - The word that just rolls off the tongue. What the heck is this, and how can organizations plug into these tools using an api
4. Case Studies of Cryptocurrency invocations and positive user experiences to facilitate value generation
5. (more to come)

Conclusion

By being able to start with a very simple proof of concept, e.g. we give you crypto and you give us content, we can publish better contents informed by subject matter experts, to drive entirely new features on our application, reduce the cognitive load of researching these independently, network with really cool people, and!...

...evolve our capabilities for cryptocurrency exchange in the context of data publishing to include requisitions for design services and software feature integrations tracked (and exchanged) as a proof of concept. All through traditional means like pull requests and design approvals using tools like Github and Figma.

This will not happen overnight.

Right now we are just trying to pique interest, and generate groundswell. The next steps include:

1. Securing operating capital provisions and grants
2. Explaining the idea to other people, and the team
3. Creating an inventory of contributors
4. Repurposing the application to include necessary RBAC configurations
5. Beta testing RBAC capabilities
6. Testing cryptographic exchange
7. Finding the proverbial test hamster who wants to try this out
8. Updating suite of tools and dependencies for publishing to include copy+paste-able syntax, highlighting math formula tools
9. producing training collateral for onboarding contributors and showing them the ropes of publishing

My hope is by generating interest in this regard we can start to attract things like investments and contributions from truly unique and extraordinary individuals. Who knows where this will go, like many of the best things in the universe the first step is the most daring. Or in other words:

Throw spaghetti onto the wall and see what sticks.

Thank you for listening to my Ted Talk. Here is a much better one now: