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5 Open-Source Software for Global Teams To Donate via Kivach

by ObyteOctober 15th, 2024

Too Long; Didn't Read

Kivach is an open-source decentralized application (Dapp) for cascading donations to GitHub repositories. Etherpad is a real-time collaborative text editor launched in November 2008 by David Greenspan, Aaron Iba, and J.D. Zamfirescu. Flarum is a lightweight forum platform that users can easily extend and modify to suit their needs.

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The Internet was created to connect people from all around the world, and now that’s more common than ever. Not only for entertainment purposes, but also for work, activism, personal communications, and more. That’s why collaborative software or groupware was created as well: to help people work together by enabling real-time collaboration, from any part of the world. Today, you could also help in the development of these tools with Kivach.

Kivach is an open-source decentralized application (Dapp) for cascading donations to open-source GitHub repositories. Built on the Obyte network, it allows donations to flow not only to the main project but also to its dependencies and their dependencies, supporting the entire technical stack. It supports multiple cryptocurrencies and enables developers to link their GitHub accounts to easily receive and manage donations. Besides, they don’t need to set up anything to start receiving donations, only to withdraw their funds.

In this article, we’ll explore some groupware projects that are available for free on GitHub, and that depend mostly on donations for their development. You can use them for free anytime, but if you want to send them some coins as a thank you, Kivach might be your option.

Etherpad

Etherpad is an open-source, real-time collaborative text editor launched in November 2008 by David Greenspan, Aaron Iba, and J.D. Zamfirescu. It allows multiple users to work on the same document simultaneously, with real-time updates that show each author's edits in a distinct color. Initially acquired by Google in December 2009, the software was soon made open-source, leading to continuous development by the Etherpad Foundation.

Etherpad's main features include creating collaborative “pads” where users can write and chat, auto-saving documents, and exporting files in various formats like plain text, Word, PDF, and HTML. It also has a “time slider” function to review the edit history and offers password protection for pads. It supports numerous plugins, enhancing its functionality for coding, formatting, and document sharing. In addition, all documents are in complete control of their creators —the users.

The development of Etherpad is supported by donations from its user community and contributions from developers and volunteers worldwide. If you’re interested in offering them monetary aid, you can send them some coins via Kivach and contact them to let them know about it.

Flarum

Launched in August 2015, this forum software came from the minds of the developers Franz Liedke and Toby Zerner. It was built to merge the best elements of two earlier platforms, FluxBB and esoTalk, offering a simple yet powerful tool for managing online communities. Written in PHP and JavaScript, Flarum’s main goal is to provide a customizable, lightweight forum platform that users can easily extend and modify to suit their needs.

Flarum stands out for its flexibility, allowing users to add new functionalities through extensions. Features like real-time notifications, moderation tools, and various editor options make it highly adaptable for different types of communities. The ability to modify themes and integrate custom Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) also allows for personalized design, catering to both small and large communities alike.

Its development is funded by the Flarum Foundation, a non-profit entity that relies on donations and grants. This ensures the platform remains open-source and free for everyone, while also supporting continuous development and maintenance of its vast extension ecosystem. They accept donations from their website, but you can also send them cryptos via Kivach.

Horde

This is a web-based groupware, first released in 1998 by Chuck Hagenbuch. It began as a webmail project, evolving into a broader platform for managing communication and collaboration. Its main purpose is to provide users with tools such as email, calendar management, note-taking, task tracking, and file sharing, all built on a PHP-based framework. It’s widely used in various hosting environments, like cPanel and Plesk.

Horde’s features include a versatile email client, IMP, which supports multiple mail protocols and filtering options. The software also offers integrated groupware tools like a calendar, task manager, note manager, and address book, allowing teams to manage schedules, tasks, and contacts in one place. Its modular nature makes it highly customizable, with additional tools like a file manager and wiki available to enhance functionality.

Funding for Horde comes primarily from community contributions, grants, and donations. As an open-source project, Horde relies on users and developers for support, ensuring it remains freely available and actively maintained. If you want to contribute with some coins, they appear on Kivach as horde/core.

OpenVidu

Released in 2017 by Pablo Fuentes, this platform allows users to create real-time video and audio applications such as video calls, virtual meetings, and large-scale live streaming. Designed for self-hosting, it gives developers full control over infrastructure, ensuring data privacy and flexible customization options.

Its standout functions include features like multi-party videoconferencing, screen sharing, virtual backgrounds, session recording, and high-quality audio-video streaming up to 4K resolution. It also supports broadcasting to platforms like YouTube and Twitch. OpenVidu’s WebRTC integration ensures ultra-low latency, making it ideal for dynamic, live interaction. Moreover, its scalability, fault tolerance, and monitoring capabilities make it a robust choice for both small and large-scale implementations.

OpenVidu is currently in a free beta version for everyone and later will implement a Pro Version only for companies. The community version (one node) will remain free. The platform’s development is now backed by community contributions, sponsorships, and a growing base of backers through platforms like OpenCollective. If you want to support them, you can also donate to them on Kivach.

Agorakit

Launched in 2016 by Philippe Jadin, this is a web-based platform designed to support collective and citizen initiatives. It allows groups to collaborate online by creating discussion spaces, organizing events, sharing files, and managing communication efficiently. Agorakit functions as a forum, calendar, file manager, and email notifier, providing groups with tools to keep members informed and organized.

Its key features include the ability to create both open and private groups, a collaborative calendar, geolocation of members and events, and customizable email notifications. Agorakit also supports file storage and discussions within each group, offering a secure, privacy-focused environment ideal for social movements or nonprofit organizations.

The software is free to use under the AGPL license and is funded primarily through donations, with additional revenue generated from some hosting services and custom development. The platform is community-driven, relying mostly on contributions and volunteer efforts to continue its development and provide ongoing support to users worldwide. To send them some donations, you can find them on Kivach as agorakit/agorakit.

Donate & Claim

To donate on Kivach, start by setting up an Obyte wallet if you don’t have one already. This wallet will let you handle Obyte tokens, including USDC, ETH, and BNB tokens imported from other chains. Once your wallet is ready, you can make donations to any GitHub repository. Simply type the repository on the platform and click “Donate.” Your funds will be securely stored in an Autonomous Agent (AA) until the repository owner claims them.

For those who want to claim and manage their donations, it’s a straightforward process. After linking your GitHub account through the Obyte wallet (Chat – Bot Store – GitHub Attestation bot), you can claim your funds and optionally set your distribution preferences. These preferences determine how the donated funds are shared with other repositories. There are no strict rules on how to distribute the funds, so you can choose to keep them all or share them according to your liking.

Finally, don’t forget to check our previous articles in this series to discover other interesting open-source projects!