Cyclos

Cyclos Software

URL = http://project.cyclos.org/

Description

Cyclos is open source software intended for use in complementary currency systems like LETS, Barter, Time bank, C3 (consumer commerce circuit) and micro finance systems like VLC (combination of micro finance with local currency). Cyclos is a transactional (on-line banking) system with several community functionalities and extended modules.

Cyclos has been developed by the dutch NGO STROhalm and is published under the GPL (open source) license meaning that it can be downloaded for free and used at no costs. But, even more important, anybody is free to download the source code and add new functions, make improvements or modifications.

Cyclos is developed in Java. and does run on a variety of platforms like Linux, Windows, Macintosh and Solaris. The objective is to create profesional software that is modular, easy to use and maintain, secure and highly customizable. The current version offers web based access to an environment were members can administer their accounts, view their transactions, make payments in local units, place ads and contact other members. Members can do (secure) payments via web access or mobile phone (wap1, wap2). Next to the 'digital' web and mobile payments it is also possible to administer the emission of vouchers (scrip). The software has an extended administration section with build in automatic functions that make it possible to administer a currency system with minimal manual work.

Cyclos comes with various extra modules like a external payment allows webshops to support online Cyclos payments for their products. Other modules we are working on are consumer cards, a micro finance module and a module to join other currency systems in a distributed (peer to peer) network.

Discussion

"Marco Sachy started by outlining the notion of monetary rhizome, another Deleuze and Guattari-inspired concept describing a possible postmodern alternative to the capitalist paradigm of the bank-debt monopoly. He made the example of Cyclos, an open-source software developed in Brazil and Uruguay, which has been used by organizations and institutions around the world. The software offers a complete online banking system, with additional modules (such as e-commerce), permitting the decentralization of banking services. By using Cyclos, anyone can manage integrated local currencies, providing a second line of credit where the main ones have become insufficient, due to crises or financial shenanigans. The rhizome nature derives from the possibility of connecting “parameters belonging to different domains of existence (economic, ethic, social, etc) by valuing them through different currencies”. In Uruguay, for instance, cultural associations could integrate state funding with a system of virtual, non inflactionate credits called “cultos”, which such actors could use to finance their activities in a more flexible and stable way. The system, called C3 (Commercial Credit Circuit) was developed by Bernard Lietaer and STRO, and uses “insured invoices or other payment claims as liquid payment instruments with a business to business (b2b) Clearing-Network”." (http://ecommons.tuxic.nl/?p=2156)