I am the Founder and the first Technology Evangelist of Factory 4.0 Open Initiative, LLC. (or FourOh-LLC for short), a Linux User Group purposed to be relevant in the Manufacturing and Warehousing Sectors. The project is being documented at https://welcome.factoryfouroh.net/dokuwiki

FourOh-LLC is based on the concept of Linux User Groups, with focus on Manufacturing and the Warehouse, and with the purpose to stay self-sufficient. The current cost of the technology stack is about 160 USD / year, spent on Domain Registration, VPS rental and backup service fees. Self-sufficient means that when you build and use FourOh-LLC the owner-operator, who is part of the FourOh-LLC network, is able to visit your shop to help with Information Technology and Support (production machines and databases, environmental scrubbing, data collection, factory heat-maps, etc.) The 160.00 USD / year is earned this way, within a few hours each year. All profit above the 160 USD maybe used to install additional FourOh-LLC nodes, or taken as profit.

FourOh-LLC operates the same way LUGs did in the past: with local focus, where the participants are able to meet face to face. This also ensures that FourOh-LLC does not grow into corporate-like entities: as soon as you spend more than 160 USD on any instance you are NO LONGER FourOh-LLC but something else. That is, you shall not hire technicians, create server farms, operate a fleet of vehicles - and still call yourself FourOh-LLC. This is to ensure FourOh-LLC remains dedicated to the small or home business owners, affordable to be owned or contracted by anyone.

OpenNIC is something FourOh-LLC is considering for a core feature: a FourOh-LLC network is a secure, owner operated email, wiki, chat and web forms stack. Routing traffic going to happen through a network identical or similar to OpenNIC. Using services, resources and regulations by entities controlling the Internet today is going to be kept to the minimum.

Thank you for reading, Mr. Sandor Kunyik Factory 4.0 Open Initiative, LLC. Founder, Technology Evangelist