Introduction

LETS groups following the UK LETS model usually adopt a constitution and rules, and have an annually elected management committee, usually called a Core Group, amongst whom the tasks of running a paper-based system have been distributed, and each member can choose their own method of fulfilling their task. One member keeps an accounting list showing membership fees and expenditure, another keeps a list of member contact details, another lists the offers and wants, another publishes a leaflet with meeting dates and venues and designs a membership pack and chequebook, another records transactions, another write minutes, another publishes a newsletter coordinating information produced by other core group members, and yet another distributes the newsletter. Advantage is sharing the workload, disadvantage is that important aspects such as outreach and mediation might be overlooked due to the essential focus on administration.

In order to co-ordinate information and administration, standalone databases combining member details, directory and transactions are more efficient, but may have the disadvantage of fixing the work in one location. Several proprietary systems flourished for a while. Here we give reference to odLETS which whilst based on microsoft Access is customised to run LETS and is offered opensource. At least one group, KutLETS, has found a way to write Access to the web so that members can view the results online.

Many LETS groups are now looking for web-based systems, which allow the workload to be shared amongst members. Some provide administrator-only access, most allow members to make their own amendments direct to the web. Timekeeper was the web-based administration system for Timedollars which was overlooked in favour of a proprietary programme, and is now available to LETSlink to use for groups running an hour-based system. Local exchange is in use by Fourth Corner Exchange in the USA where they run an hour-based system, but will work for any currency. Cyclos supports groups sharing a single currency, but requires special hosting facilities.

Next comes the idea of multi-currency support. ccLite is beiing designed to support the multi-registry idea where an agency provides an accounting service for a number of separate groups. MatsLETS is designed as an integrated system allowing for the interplay of different types of currency, (hours, lets and favours) within a single community, and this software is in active development for London-wide LETS.

LoCuS is the design forum for the next generation of software, in the sense that the wish-list being generated whilst writing and using matsLETS for functions that can't feasibly be supported in this version are being added to the requirement list for LoCus. The consensus around the most suuitable content-management system to support LoCus has led us to set up this software forum in Drupal. Meanwhile we are looking to host and support any opensource software which enhances the way in which groups run LETS.