Excited about all the enthusiasm yet lost as to where to get your questions answered?
You've come to the right place.
This document includes both the questions new entrants have and answers provided by those who've been around for a while.
There's also a group in Basecamp specifically for asking questions called (AAA) WELCOME! Orientation Camp. When I can't find answers easily elsewhere, I'll continue to post questions there and then move them here.
Although this document will eventually be co-owned with a new generation of new~B players, for the time-being, I'm your host: Marcia Conner , who joined the group mid-June 2013. I'm beginning with the questions I had, some which are still unanswered, believing others share in my wonder. Right now it's a very casual conversation document used as much as a way for me to track what I want to learn as a way to keep in one place the answers I find. I imagine over time this will change.
Now that I have Basecamp access, where should I start?
Each of us work through the conversations on Basecamp in our own way. Look around, see what grabs your attention, follow a few projects that you know you can contribute to. Realize that there are many conversations going on at any time and no one expects you to keep up with them all. (Instructions on how to adjust your email settings .)
We'd like to create a document that briefly explains each project, which will be linked to here. If you'd like to help create that document, speak up. (Here's a list of new projects .) That's the general culture around here: follow your interests, add in your expertise, fill any voids you see as you can. Go.
Here are the things that have most likely been done for you so far. If you notice something hasn't yet been done, please let Miriam Burrows know (telephone: 540-886-4401). She's an amazing resource for most everything.
What must I know right away?
Two of our guiding principles are strict legality (take actions that are both ethical and within the law) and radical transparency. While we realize that privacy and transparency are different, we fully recognize that what we say and do, even if it appears to be in a private space such as Basecamp, may at some time in the future be visible to people who don't have the proper context. Keep that in mind that anything you say or write may become world readable at some point.
We're working on writing up and sharing other principles that guide our work.
What is Game~B?
Our mission is to catalyze the formation of a healthy and generative community (game~b) that can scale to include as many people who desire to participate and can over time enable game~b players to progressively detach themselves from Game A and achieve increasing levels of fulfillment and wellbeing. (Source)
Some backstory and early conversations about what is Game~B.
Why is there a tilde ~ in Game~B?
At a meeting during the spring, vBret introduced idea of using the tilda in the name, pointing out we could claim the largely unused symbol and give it significance, as twitter has done for the @ and #hashtag. Also, a fluid wavy line metaphorically in line with how we roll, not hard and rigid like “---”. ~ can be used to reference many domains that are “game b-ish” ie Education~B or B~Education.
You bring new people into Game ~B by telling them about it. People are already playing some combination of Game-A and Game~B in the professional and personal lives.
We are working to be able to bring everyone who is interested into our Game~B network and associated web sites. For the moment, this process is artificially constrained so that we can all make sure we are on the same page and can build from a core of assumed trust. This requires that we get to know each new member personally which takes a bit of time. We expect to be able to remove these limitations when we have built out our technology systems and have tested our on-boarding process and generally expect to have all limitations removed by mid-2014.
Will there be specific skills/talents/areas we'll be seeking?
We're not at that stage yet, but probably fairly soon.
What's the nomination process?
A few documents to address this are underway. I'll post as soon as I find a central hub.
Why Staunton?
Jim Rutt moved to the area at the end of last summer where he found a number of Game~B proximate activities going on and people receptive to launching an initiative. Although there may be areas of the country with more Game~B proximate activities going on, if we can make it work in Staunton, we've likely found the conditions to make it work in most any community. For point of reference, Mark Frazier (vMarkF) lives about 15 minutes north of town. Meghan Williamson (vMeghan) is based in Staunton. Curtis (vCurtis) has recently moved to the area. Marcia (vMarcia) lives about 2 miles south of town when not on an airplane to elsewhere.
Where is Staunton?
In the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Allegany Mountains, Staunton sits at the intersection of Interstate I-64 that goes across the country and I-81 that runs North and South. [I'll add some links].
What is Staunton VI?
Each of the previous in-person meetings, held in Staunton, have a number. The last one was Staunton V, held in May. We're working on planning the next one, Staunton VI, for near the end of August. The question on the table is whether it's one and a half days (Saturday and half-day Sunday) or includes a third day. Perhaps it will have some mandatory meeting time and then some optional field-trip sorts of activities.
This early stage of the Game~B initiative is often referred to as Epoch I. It's currently envisioned as a group of no more than 50 people who surface the initial set of objectives, values, and likely the organization's culture. Priorities within Epoch 1 include recruiting:
Thought leaders in relevant fields: Alt currency, Reputation Systems, memetics, money-in-politics, etc.
Super nodes: People with their own followers or networks of their own
Basecamp is a good tool for small to medium size groups, but we've already found ourselves outgrowing the system. We're looking at a different sense, probably later this summer. It's based on Reddit technology (referred to as Reddit++) so what's at the top of mind from the group will bubble to the top of our collective conversations.
Why is the letter v before people's names in discussions?
@Personname isn't searchable in Basecamp (and perhaps more importantly can't be parsed by the gmail filter), so the team adopted vPersonname instead. It can be searched and filtered for so it can be used to find where one has been tagged in a post. Although other letters we could have used, v suggests a checkmark. vEdward came up with the v nametag convention and it's been working well. This directory contains everyone's names and their vTags. If you're interested, here's some backstory on the vTags topic too.
Why are some things in Basecamp and others in the wiki?
For the most part, Basecamp is used for to-dos and discussion. Pages on the wiki are curated.
How can I add to this wiki or create a new wiki document?
You can add to this (or another) Wiki page by clicking the EDIT button. If you don't yet have access, contact Miriam.
Wikis generally create pages by creating links first and then clicking on them. To create a new page go the page where the link should appear and add to that page the new page's name. Select the text you want to use for the link and then clicking the link button which looks like a couple chain links in the edit toolbar. This will bring up a box you can fill in with details. The defaults will be to create the page name using the link text.
For top-level pages, create the link on the home page.
Once you have created the link, click on it and then click the edit bar to fill in some text for the page before it actually creates a page that shows up in the pages list on the left side of the wiki. In this way, you can actually create many links at one time and then fill in each page itself over time.
Are there things in Basecamp I'll want to do but aren't obvious how?
Interested in inviting everyone in Game~B to a new project or discussion in Basecamp? Rather than having to invite each person individually, invite "NuJay Company" which is all of us.
Overwhelmed by Basecamp Notifications? This document will teach you how to turn off notifications and Filter the ones you want through Gmail:
If you know about projects to catalyze more Game~B initiatives, please include them in that discussion too.
Is there a Game~B reading list?
Not yet, but as soon as we have one, it will be linked here. There are some older ones related to the political party and many books and readings mentioned in Basecamp.
If I have a specific kind of question, who should I ask?
You are welcome to ask whomever you know and feel comfortable asking on the Game~B team.
Overall: Miriam is terrific with addressing process and "the between the bricks" questions Curtis Faith is very helpful with technical questions about Basecamp itself or the wiki
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
[Alpha version 0.5]- New to the Game~B initiative?
- Overwhelmed by all the conversations on Basecamp?
- Excited about all the enthusiasm yet lost as to where to get your questions answered?
You've come to the right place.This document includes both the questions new entrants have and answers provided by those who've been around for a while.
There's also a group in Basecamp specifically for asking questions called (AAA) WELCOME! Orientation Camp. When I can't find answers easily elsewhere, I'll continue to post questions there and then move them here.
Although this document will eventually be co-owned with a new generation of new~B players, for the time-being, I'm your host: Marcia Conner , who joined the group mid-June 2013. I'm beginning with the questions I had, some which are still unanswered, believing others share in my wonder. Right now it's a very casual conversation document used as much as a way for me to track what I want to learn as a way to keep in one place the answers I find. I imagine over time this will change.
Starting Points
Now that I have Basecamp access, where should I start?
What must I know right away?
What is Game~B?
Why is there a tilde ~ in Game~B?
What's the history of Game~B? (for the time being, this link takes you to another Wiki page)
Can I tell people about Game~B?
How do I bring new people into Game~B?
Will there be specific skills, talents, areas we'll be seeking?
What's Epoch I?
If I have a specific kind of question, who should I ask?
Why are we called Peers?
Location
Why Staunton Virginia?
Where is Staunton?
What is Staunton VI?
Technology
Why Basecamp?
Why is the letter v before people's names in discussions?
How can I find people's Twitter IDs?
Is there a directory with people's names and contact details?
How can I add to this wiki or create a new wiki document?
Why are some things in Basecamp and others in the wiki?
Are there things in Basecamp I'll want to do but aren't obvious how?
Beyond Game~B
What projects are going on in the world that are somehow related to Game~B?
Is there a Game~B reading list?
Now that I have Basecamp access, where should I start?
Each of us work through the conversations on Basecamp in our own way. Look around, see what grabs your attention, follow a few projects that you know you can contribute to. Realize that there are many conversations going on at any time and no one expects you to keep up with them all. (Instructions on how to adjust your email settings .)We'd like to create a document that briefly explains each project, which will be linked to here. If you'd like to help create that document, speak up. (Here's a list of new projects .) That's the general culture around here: follow your interests, add in your expertise, fill any voids you see as you can. Go.
Here are the things that have most likely been done for you so far. If you notice something hasn't yet been done, please let Miriam Burrows know (telephone: 540-886-4401). She's an amazing resource for most everything.
What must I know right away?
Two of our guiding principles are strict legality (take actions that are both ethical and within the law) and radical transparency. While we realize that privacy and transparency are different, we fully recognize that what we say and do, even if it appears to be in a private space such as Basecamp, may at some time in the future be visible to people who don't have the proper context. Keep that in mind that anything you say or write may become world readable at some point.We're working on writing up and sharing other principles that guide our work.
What is Game~B?
Our mission is to catalyze the formation of a healthy and generative community (game~b) that can scale to include as many people who desire to participate and can over time enable game~b players to progressively detach themselves from Game A and achieve increasing levels of fulfillment and wellbeing. (Source)Some backstory and early conversations about what is Game~B.
Why is there a tilde ~ in Game~B?
At a meeting during the spring, vBret introduced idea of using the tilda in the name, pointing out we could claim the largely unused symbol and give it significance, as twitter has done for the @ and #hashtag. Also, a fluid wavy line metaphorically in line with how we roll, not hard and rigid like “---”. ~ can be used to reference many domains that are “game b-ish” ie Education~B or B~Education.Backstory and conversation on the tilde.
Can I tell people about Game B?
Yes.You can also share our public-facing resources including the skunkworks JubileeNow.org blog. (Backstory on the blog.)
How do I bring new people into Game~B?
You bring new people into Game ~B by telling them about it. People are already playing some combination of Game-A and Game~B in the professional and personal lives.We are working to be able to bring everyone who is interested into our Game~B network and associated web sites. For the moment, this process is artificially constrained so that we can all make sure we are on the same page and can build from a core of assumed trust. This requires that we get to know each new member personally which takes a bit of time. We expect to be able to remove these limitations when we have built out our technology systems and have tested our on-boarding process and generally expect to have all limitations removed by mid-2014.
Will there be specific skills/talents/areas we'll be seeking?
We're not at that stage yet, but probably fairly soon.What's the nomination process?
A few documents to address this are underway. I'll post as soon as I find a central hub.Why Staunton?
Jim Rutt moved to the area at the end of last summer where he found a number of Game~B proximate activities going on and people receptive to launching an initiative. Although there may be areas of the country with more Game~B proximate activities going on, if we can make it work in Staunton, we've likely found the conditions to make it work in most any community. For point of reference, Mark Frazier (vMarkF) lives about 15 minutes north of town. Meghan Williamson (vMeghan) is based in Staunton. Curtis (vCurtis) has recently moved to the area. Marcia (vMarcia) lives about 2 miles south of town when not on an airplane to elsewhere.Where is Staunton?
In the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Allegany Mountains, Staunton sits at the intersection of Interstate I-64 that goes across the country and I-81 that runs North and South. [I'll add some links].What is Staunton VI?
Each of the previous in-person meetings, held in Staunton, have a number. The last one was Staunton V, held in May. We're working on planning the next one, Staunton VI, for near the end of August. The question on the table is whether it's one and a half days (Saturday and half-day Sunday) or includes a third day. Perhaps it will have some mandatory meeting time and then some optional field-trip sorts of activities.If interested in learning more, check out the current project on planning around Staunton VI.
What's Epoch 1 (or Epoch 2 for that matter)?
This early stage of the Game~B initiative is often referred to as Epoch I. It's currently envisioned as a group of no more than 50 people who surface the initial set of objectives, values, and likely the organization's culture. Priorities within Epoch 1 include recruiting:Why Basecamp?
Basecamp is a good tool for small to medium size groups, but we've already found ourselves outgrowing the system. We're looking at a different sense, probably later this summer. It's based on Reddit technology (referred to as Reddit++) so what's at the top of mind from the group will bubble to the top of our collective conversations.Why is the letter v before people's names in discussions?
@Personname isn't searchable in Basecamp (and perhaps more importantly can't be parsed by the gmail filter), so the team adopted vPersonname instead. It can be searched and filtered for so it can be used to find where one has been tagged in a post. Although other letters we could have used, v suggests a checkmark. vEdward came up with the v nametag convention and it's been working well. This directory contains everyone's names and their vTags. If you're interested, here's some backstory on the vTags topic too.How can I find people's Twitter IDs?
vThor (@tempo) maintains a list of Game~B twitter accounts .Is there a directory with people's names and contact details?
We have the beginnings of a directory in the wiki.Why are some things in Basecamp and others in the wiki?
For the most part, Basecamp is used for to-dos and discussion. Pages on the wiki are curated.How can I add to this wiki or create a new wiki document?
You can add to this (or another) Wiki page by clicking the EDIT button. If you don't yet have access, contact Miriam.Wikis generally create pages by creating links first and then clicking on them. To create a new page go the page where the link should appear and add to that page the new page's name. Select the text you want to use for the link and then clicking the link button which looks like a couple chain links in the edit toolbar. This will bring up a box you can fill in with details. The defaults will be to create the page name using the link text.
For top-level pages, create the link on the home page.
Once you have created the link, click on it and then click the edit bar to fill in some text for the page before it actually creates a page that shows up in the pages list on the left side of the wiki. In this way, you can actually create many links at one time and then fill in each page itself over time.
Wikispaces has a good help file: http://help.wikispaces.com/Wikitext
Are there things in Basecamp I'll want to do but aren't obvious how?
Interested in inviting everyone in Game~B to a new project or discussion in Basecamp? Rather than having to invite each person individually, invite "NuJay Company" which is all of us.Overwhelmed by Basecamp Notifications? This document will teach you how to turn off notifications and Filter the ones you want through Gmail:
What projects are going on in the world that are somehow related to Game~B?
The list of Game~B initiatives we know about grows each day.If you know about projects to catalyze more Game~B initiatives, please include them in that discussion too.
Is there a Game~B reading list?
Not yet, but as soon as we have one, it will be linked here. There are some older ones related to the political party and many books and readings mentioned in Basecamp.If I have a specific kind of question, who should I ask?
You are welcome to ask whomever you know and feel comfortable asking on the Game~B team.Overall:
Miriam is terrific with addressing process and "the between the bricks" questions
Curtis Faith is very helpful with technical questions about Basecamp itself or the wiki