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1,986 bytes added ,  14 December 2003
the main page *must* give a clear *visualization* of what is going on, else we lose 99% of the audience... move anything here to the FAQ, but NOT the greenlight/redlight stuff, that's critical
m (added link)
(the main page *must* give a clear *visualization* of what is going on, else we lose 99% of the audience... move anything here to the FAQ, but NOT the greenlight/redlight stuff, that's critical)
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[[Consumerium]] is a not-for-profit project, being designed under [[GFDL]] [[licences|license]], to develop [[w:free software|free software]] and [[Hardware Requirements|infrastructure]] for storage, transport and display of varying levels of [[Features|product information]] to [[consumer]]s at the [[point of purchase]]. 


Major activism trends to promote [[fair trade]] and [[political consumerism]] are driving several [[essential projects]] that are trying to make [[moral purchasing]] more accessible.
[[Fair trade]], [[political consumerism]] and [[moral purchasing]] trends are coming together to create what we call '''''[[moral purchasing power]]''''':


Consumerium hopes to focus this [[moral purchasing power]] to keep this planet as hospitable as possible for life by enabling people to detect and act on negative and positive cycles all over the world.   
[[Consumerium]] is a not-for-profit project to focus that power.  We are collaborating under the [[GFDL]] [[licences|license]], to design a [[healthy buying infrastructure]].  We are identifying [[hardware requirements]] for storage, transport and display of varying levels of [[features|product information]] to [[consumer]]s at the [[point of purchase]].  We hope to be part of an evolving [[healthy signal infrastructure]] that all [[essential projects]] can participate in.
 
Q: Will every element of this be [[free software]]?
 
:Not necessarily.  Free software and open source models have problems especially when they have to work together all over the planet at once, where strong self-interest is involved, and where many entities may have incentives to skew the data.  A [[Consumerium Governance Organization]] may also develop or aggregate "non-free" software to assist in the compilation and validation of information to guide purchasing.  For integrity reasons and to prevent bad copies and misleading competitors, this may require a more specific [[Consumerium License]] regime.  We reserve the right to use your contribution to achieve the general goals of Consumerium, and the discussions remain GFDL.
 
Q:  What exactly will this look like to me as an end user?
 
A: here's our best current guess:
 
:Our front end will be seen by the [[end user]] as a [[red light|red]]/[[yellow light|yellow]]/[[green light]] traffic-type signal, or as a [[score]] easily translated into a [[price premium]], or as a note in [[Simple English]] about issues with, or merits of, the product.  Release of this advice is keyed to [[bar code]]s.
 
Q: How will this data be updated to the users' device?
 
:There are several ways to connect back to front end:  we may rely on frequently updated data embedded in hand-held devices, and/or dynamic retrieval via [[short-range wireless]] to the shelf front.  Where possible, reasons for making buying decisions, or refusing a certain product, will go as [[feedback]] to the [[producer]]s. 
 
Q: How will this data be kept accurate?
 
:Our back end relies on [[opinion wiki]] comments compiled by software using a [[wikitext standard]].  [[Semantic link]] standards may be required also.  To work out the conventions and issues involved, we are working through a wiki in the R&D phase. 
 
''This'' is that wiki.  We invite you to participate by editing proposals and discussions belowAny page can be edited by anyone, or restored to a previous state by anyone, which is the convention we assume will also apply in operation:


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===Selected articles===
===Selected articles===


'''On Consumerium''' - '''[[Features|Planned Features]]''' - '''[[Consumerium Services]]''' - '''[[Opinion Wiki]]''' - '''[[Content Wiki]]''' - '''[[Design paradigm|Current Design Paradigm]]'''<br>
'''[[Links|Looking for info on companies and products now?]]''' - '''[[Features|Planned Features to The Consumer]]''' - '''[[Consumerium Services]]'''<br>'''[[Opinion Wiki]]''' - '''[[Content Wiki]]''' - '''[[The Consumerium Exchange]]''' - '''[[Design paradigm|Current Design Paradigm]]''' - '''[[Essential projects]]'''<br>
'''Links''' - '''[[Links|Looking for info on companies and products now?]]''' - '''[[Essential projects]]'''<br>
'''[[Fairtrade On Demand]]''', '''[[Consumerium User Stories]]'''
'''Misc.''' - '''[[Fairtrade On Demand]]''', '''[[Consumerium User Stories]]'''
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===New to Consumerium or Wiki?===
===New to Consumerium or Wiki?===
* [[Brief introduction]] [[(NEW)]]
* [[Consumerium:Welcome, newcomers|Welcome, newcomers]]
* [[Consumerium:Welcome, newcomers|Welcome, newcomers]]
* [[Motivation]]
* [[Motivation]]
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