Ecosystem service

Concept used in material peer production. An ecosystem service is a service that provides a capacity to the network, such as ability to transact, reputation, trust, mapping, a place for discussions, repositories, interface with traditional institutions, etc.

Ecosystem services can be provided by traditional (ex. foundation, non-profit, NGO) or non-traditional (OVN or DAO) entities. They can also be provided by individuals.

Examples

Ecosystem service as interface with traditional institutions: a Custodian, which is a trust organization that can be formalized as a non-profit organization. The Custodian can, for example be used to sign contracts between an open network and a traditional organization, private or public, can provide transactional infrastructure to network affiliates (a shared bank account), can hold assets for an open network (physical equipment for example), represent a network in relations with a landlord or an insurance company.

Ecosystem service as transactional infrastructure: the Bitcoin network, offering the ability to send tokens across the world to fuel distributed economic activity.

Ecosystem service as agreement: the Ethereum network, offering the ability to formalize agreements between agents that engage in peer production via smart contracts.