## Govrn open source white paper

### Welcome!

We’re happy you’re here! At Govrn we think the best ideas come from the community and thrive in the open, so we’re writing our white paper in public. See details about the process here.

🐦  Join the conversation on [twitter](https://twitter.com/GovrnHQ)

📖  Subscribe to the Govrnance [substack](https://govrnance.substack.com/)

🎊  Join our [discord](https://discord.gg/td5akZ7DMX)  

👀  Learn more about [Govrn](https://www.govrn.io/)

## The Govrn team will be focused on keeping this repo

📖 Readable

We'll look at merge requests as frequently as possible.  If for some reason we're not able to merge your PR, we will archive them to include in our community readouts and reach out to you.

🏗 Constructive

We want to know not only what you agree or disagree with but why. Was there a similar case study or research conducted? What could be reframed, and how?  What other sources should we look into?  Have a better way to phrase an idea? Submit a PR and go for it!! 

🤝 Collaborative

This is a community effort, so please feel free to respond to each other’s comments in the issues tab.

🙈 Fun

We host community calls and live editing sessions during each white paper section. Join our [discord](https://discord.gg/td5akZ7DMX) for more info.

👋 Welcoming

We do not tolerate bigotry (sexism, racism, homophobia, etc.) and if such comments surface, we will delete them as soon as we become aware of them and restrict that account.

## Instructions on how to Contribute

We've recently decided test out using Github for how we write and collaborate on our White Paper (previously was using Google Docs).  We know that for some in our community, this might be the first time you're using Github.  We hope the steps below help explain the new processes on contributing to the White Paper and ease the transition process.
- For those that are Github pro's, woohoo!!  These steps below should be used when making contributions.

### Contribution Methods
There are several paths to contribute to the Govrn White Paper. **If you're new to GitHub, we recommend following this [visual walkthrough](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1n6AExyGiIfbnpGS4HHHLSnniHOwsT3ir-lp-aOM95cw/edit#slide=id.p) we put together.**  Want to practice? Add a comment to the github-practice.md page.

1. **Submit an Issue:** Issues are similar to comments in google docs.  They allow you to start a discussion on a certain sections, parts, on entire chapters of the White Paper.  Currently, there are two types of issues to submit, a Comment or a Section Propoosal.
   - **Comments** should be used when you have a question, idea, or thoughts on an already written part of the paper.  The template for a comment can be found [here.](.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/comment.md)
   - **Section Proposals** should be used when you think that a new sub-section or idea should be added to the paper, but aren't yet ready to write it up for a PR (more information on PRs below).  The template for a section proposal can be found [here.](.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/section-proposal.md)
1. **Submit a Pull Request:**  Pull Requests are similar to making or suggesting edits in google docs.  They allow you to write or re-write sections of the White Paper.  When you create and submit a pull request, you're making a copy of the current version of the White Paper, writing a new version, and submitting the new version to become the main version for the White Paper.
   - **Pull Request Process:**<br/>
         1.  Make a github account if you don't already have one<br/> 
         2.  Fork the white paper repo<br/>
         3.  Edit the white paper section <br/>
         4.  Create a pull request (PR) from your white paper branch to Govrn's<br/>
            - If you don't finish your PR in one sitting, submit your PR as a draft so that others can see that you're already working on it (this encourages collaboration and decreases duplicate work 🤩).  
         5.  We'll merge it as soon as we see it!<br/>
         6.  Remember to click "fetch upstream" before your next PR requests so you always have the most recent white paper version<br/>


🚨Team Request: Before submitting a new issue or PR, please read through the current issues and PRs to see if someone has already created a thread on the suggestion.  Comment on the exisiting thread so you can work and collaborate with them!