A letter from the Founders of PLAN Systems.
We are pleased to be co-leading development of PLAN, a unique collaboration and communication tool for organizations, communities, and private networks of people. PLAN Systems is an Austin based non-profit, currently pending 501(c)(3), and on track for a technical prototype by Q1 2020.
The story of PLAN centers around giving people and teams integrated communication and collaboration tools, inspired from the powerful and mission-critical visual information systems we have worked with over the years. PLAN offers highly unique features, leveraged from modern feats of engineering in distributed crypto systems, 3D graphics, and open protocols/standards.
Above all, PLAN is intended for non-technical but intentioned users (teams, researchers, organizers, and educators) that care about:
– An intuitive and visual UI historically only enjoyed by games
– Total data ownership (in the way Red Hat and linux offers)
– Free and open source / end-to-end security
– A pluggable architecture for interfacing with real-world systems, data silos, and data standards
– “Offline-first” operation (can a team continue to operate in the field for a week w/o internet?)
There’s a wealth of info available at our website, from top-level videos and copy, to our Github. On our main website http://plan-systems.org, the “PLAN Textbook” is an informative narrative plus info on our 501(c)(3) roadmap (modeled after Mozilla). In this document, we list case-studies and technology applications where PLAN changes the game.
In the coming weeks and months, our primary areas of work include:
– Evaluating and partnering with a 501(C)(3) fiscal sponsor
– Fundraising with supporters & contributors | June 19th, 2019 event!
– Getting the PLAN prototype working | Q1 – 2020
– Grow our network and expand the team with people who understand the critical need for secure logistics and collaboration tools
Tools for this generation, and the next.
If you follow the media breadcrumbs of information, the future of computing starts to look like incredible immersive experiences powered by distant servers. But the big question is, who owns/controls the data that is now a human necessity, and where does it reside? We are committed to making software that promotes interoperability of protocols, robust digital self-reliance, and the ability to securely communicate online or offline — with no strings attached.
PLAN can be understood by thinking of layers. At the bottom layer is the infrastructure technology (such as the security & permissions layer, storage layers. For example, cloud & persistent data-storage layers, and a peer-to-peer replication layer that serves your data when you need it.
At the user interface layer are tools for productivity, media, and spatial visualization. Imagine combining Slack (IRC), CAD, Maps, and G-Suite together into an integrated interface, that will continue to work without the internet. Then, sprinkle in a high impact media experience with intuitive visuals and interface for collaborative productivity.
Visual Collaboration & Total Data Ownership by Design
It’s your data universe in a cryptographic city wall. It’s best used for groups of people that are in trust relationships, governance structures, or are collaborating and need integrated tools that go anywhere!
Thanks for taking the time to read about our mission and vision for community tools. If you want to learn more or get involved with development, reach out to us.
Brandon & Drew
PLAN ⏣ Systems
