Notes call today

[wvengen]

Hi everyone,

André and I had a call today. Here are the notes.

Best,
- Willem

Technical setup

• Use Docker for production (there has been some recent work on this - thanks @paroga).
• A Foodsoft deployment/instance serves multiple foodcoops (multicoops feature).
  
• Each flavour of Foodsoft (foodcoops, foodcoop-adam, foodcoop-adam + vokomokum plugin, more?) has its own Docker instance.
  We'll start with just the foodcoops flavour, later we can add others.
• In addition to this, we'll need a sharedlists instance, for the shared database feature.
• Separate mail to foodsoft-global-ops with more detailed steps.
  

Migration

• Get new infrastructure fully ready. Test with seed (rake db:seed:small.en).
• Cross-check lists of groups who mailed [hidden email] and [hidden email] with Benni
  
• Benni makes backups (hopefully can we arrange a good timing) (databases + app_config.yml)
  
• We restore them right after that to minimize downtime and data loss.
  

Questions

• Multi-language: each foodcoop can specify the default language in their settings, so no problem.
  
• How shall we collaborate on shared documents, like a list of contact persons, jobs to be done, volunteers?
  Some ideas: text file on shared server, google docs, owndrive, etc.
• Finances, let's discuss that separately.
  
• We probably need to share server costs.
• Ask each group to contribute. Mandatory to use or a donation?
• Some groups would like to receive a receipt for reimbursement.
  

Actions

• André asks Benni about if we can run for a longer time or if it needs.
  
• André send status update to contacts who want to move (incl. what shared suppliers are needed).
  
• Willem sends a mail to foodsoft-global-ops to get the technical things started,
  

[Robert]

Hi,


> *Migration*
>
>   * Benni makes backups (hopefully can we arrange a good timing)
>     (databases + app_config.yml)
>   * We restore them right after that to minimize downtime and data
> loss.

why do we expect data loss? Couldn't we do:
1. Benni takes down HTTP server,
2. Benni pulls backups,
3. we restore backups
4. and finally we start our HTTP server

There would be no data loss, just some downtime (better announced
downtime than financial chaos in foodcoop).


> *Questions*
>
>   * How shall we collaborate on shared documents, like a list of
> contact persons, jobs to be done, volunteers?
>     Some ideas: text file on shared server, google docs, owndrive,
> etc.

I vote for text file on shared server or a wiki. I think we can easily
get a wiki by our local tech collective if that is what we want.


>   * Finances, let's discuss that separately.
>       o We probably need to share server costs.
>       o Ask each group to contribute. Mandatory to use or a donation?

I like the idea of donations. Groups can donate periodically (e.g per
month) on a voluntary basis. If our budget gets too low at some point,
we launch a small email-fundraising-campaign among all users. If there
is no money left, we stop the service.

Robert

[wvengen]

On 08-08-17 11:11, Robert [via foodsoft] wrote:

> > *Migration*
> >
> >   * Benni makes backups (hopefully can we arrange a good timing)
> >     (databases + app_config.yml)
> >   * We restore them right after that to minimize downtime and data
> > loss.
>
> why do we expect data loss? Couldn't we do:
> 1. Benni takes down HTTP server,
> 2. Benni pulls backups,
> 3. we restore backups
> 4. and finally we start our HTTP server
>
> There would be no data loss, just some downtime (better announced
> downtime than financial chaos in foodcoop).

Yes, if we announce downtime (and Benni would be willing to put the app
in maintenance mode), then we can avoid data loss. Good one.

> > *Questions*
> >
> >   * How shall we collaborate on shared documents, like a list of
> > contact persons, jobs to be done, volunteers?
> >     Some ideas: text file on shared server, google docs, owndrive,
> > etc.
>
> I vote for text file on shared server or a wiki. I think we can easily
> get a wiki by our local tech collective if that is what we want.
Unless there are other better ideas, I'd be happy with a wiki, great!

> >   * Finances, let's discuss that separately.
> >       o We probably need to share server costs.
> >       o Ask each group to contribute. Mandatory to use or a donation?
>
> I like the idea of donations. Groups can donate periodically (e.g per
> month) on a voluntary basis. If our budget gets too low at some point,
> we launch a small email-fundraising-campaign among all users. If there
> is no money left, we stop the service.
I like the idea. Curious what the others think, and also what the full
community thinks. I guess we could start with something, and add a poll
or so at some point. How we make decisions together is something that's
sideways on my mind.

- Willem

[paroga]

wvengen wrote

On 08-08-17 11:11, Robert [via foodsoft] wrote:
> > *Migration*
> >
> >   * Benni makes backups (hopefully can we arrange a good timing)
> >     (databases + app_config.yml)
> >   * We restore them right after that to minimize downtime and data
> > loss.
>
> why do we expect data loss? Couldn't we do:
> 1. Benni takes down HTTP server,
> 2. Benni pulls backups,
> 3. we restore backups
> 4. and finally we start our HTTP server
>
> There would be no data loss, just some downtime (better announced
> downtime than financial chaos in foodcoop).
Yes, if we announce downtime (and Benni would be willing to put the app
in maintenance mode), then we can avoid data loss. Good one.

Here in Austria we set up our own server with all the required databases and the app_config.yml for the different foodcoops. Then we gave Benni access to the database server via phpMyAdmin and he was so kind to import the data and set up a redirects from the old .NET url to the new .AT url for the corresponding foodcoops. That worked without any noticeable downtime.

- Patrick

[paroga]

wvengen wrote

> > *Questions*
> >
> >   * How shall we collaborate on shared documents, like a list of
> > contact persons, jobs to be done, volunteers?
> >     Some ideas: text file on shared server, google docs, owndrive,
> > etc.
>
> I vote for text file on shared server or a wiki. I think we can easily
> get a wiki by our local tech collective if that is what we want.
Unless there are other better ideas, I'd be happy with a wiki, great!

I'd suggest using a "global" foodsoft instance and use the wiki functionality of foodsoft. We can use it for documenting the financial transactions and invoices too. Every "real foodcoop" is then just a ordergroup at the global instance.

some kind of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eating_your_own_dog_food :-)

- Patrick

[before]

paroga wrote

Here in Austria we set up our own server with all the required databases and the app_config.yml for the different foodcoops. Then we gave Benni access to the database server via phpMyAdmin and he was so kind to import the data and set up a redirects from the old .NET url to the new .AT url for the corresponding foodcoops. That worked without any noticeable downtime.

I would prefer if use that approach as well.