Gov/en/Portal:R&D/Open-Calls:FAQ: Difference between revisions

{{ExpertIntro|This FAQ gathers the detailed rules and procedures of the WikiDeal open calls, as a complement to the summary published on the Open Call page. It follows the Open Call Model 1, intended for Prototype 1. The questions cover participation, submission, evaluation, decisions, payments, rights and licensing, and governance. Each question now has a proposed answer, written in careful language; the answers are pending review and comments and are not yet official.}}

These questions and answers aim at being '''generic''': they would apply to open calls on any topic (naming, design, tutorials, contract models, economic mechanisms and others). They complement the summary published on the [[Gov/en/Portal:R&D/Open-Call:Main|Open Call page]] and follow the Open Call Model 1, intended for Prototype 1.

'''Who can participate? Is it reserved for Wikimedians, or open to anyone, anywhere in the world? Does it cost anything?'''

Proposed answer: open calls are intended to be open to anyone, anywhere in the world, with no participation fee. The first wave of calls (the early bird calls) is especially publicised among Wikimedians because it is planned around Wikimania 2026, but it is not reserved for them. Established funding programmes such as the [https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Programs/Wikimedia_Community_Fund Wikimedia Community Fund] follow a similar spirit of broad, low barrier participation, and WikiDeal draws inspiration from that practice without copying its rules.

Proposed answer, under discussion: ideas would be welcome from anyone, including young people. However, paying money to a minor raises legal questions that differ by country, so any payment to a minor would require the consent of a legal guardian and would be examined case by case. Options without cash, such as Miles Credits only or participation without remuneration, could make participation simpler for minors. This point is not yet decided.

Proposed answer: contributing ideas under a wiki pseudonym would be possible, as on most wikis. Receiving a cash payment, however, would require a verified identity and a bank account (IBAN), for legal and accounting reasons. A pseudonymous contributor could therefore choose Miles Credits only, or participate without remuneration, and keep the pseudonym. Details are under discussion.

Proposed answer: yes. Three options are proposed: full participation with cash and Rewards (no guarantee), participation with Miles Credits only and no cash, and participation without any remuneration at all. Contributors would state their preference; many people contribute to free knowledge projects without payment, and that choice would be fully respected here.

Proposed answer: the announced sums come from an initial fund provided by the founder of the project (see the [[Gov/en/Portal:Meta/Licensing-and-Credits|credits page]]). This initial fund is intended to be progressively reimbursed by the first subscriptions, through the Rewards mechanism, and by donations made against Rewards (no guarantee). In other words: the founder advances the money so that the open calls can start before the platform has revenue, and the community model would gradually take over. None of this constitutes a financial promise.

Proposed answer: direct cash is money actually paid to your bank account once attributed. Rewards (no guarantee) are a conditional mechanism linked to future subscription revenue of the platform: they may translate into value later if the project develops, and they may not. The two are always kept distinct in the call tables, and no promise is attached to Rewards. Miles Credits are a third form, usable for services within the ecosystem.

Proposed answer: the committee wants to distinguish a solid base from a flash in the pan. A contribution can deserve money directly, or partly: in that case a part is paid at attribution and the rest is kept by the committee and attributed according to how long the idea stays in use and remains useful over time. For example, half of a sum could be paid immediately and the other half one year later, if the idea has lasted, as an increase of the donation. The exact split would be stated at attribution.

Proposed answer: yes, an IBAN is the proposed default for cash payments. If you do not have one, or do not wish to share one, the proposed alternatives are Miles Credits only, or participation without remuneration. Other payment channels are not planned for the first period, mainly to keep accounting simple and verifiable; this could be revisited later.

'''What are Miles Credits and how can I use them?'''

Proposed answer: Miles Credits are the internal credits of the WikiDeal ecosystem, usable for services within it. A contributor can choose to receive part or all of a reward in Miles Credits instead of cash. They are not money, they are not convertible on demand, and their scope of use would grow with the ecosystem itself.

'''See also:''' [[Gov/en/Portal:R&D/Open-Call:Main|Open Call page]] · [[Gov/en/Portal:R&D/Open-Calls-Maturity|Open Calls & Maturity Score System]]