Reference: Focus Flow (adhd_scheduling) — UX patterns for ★ND products + community connection #56

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opened 2026-07-05 09:17:51 -07:00 by pyr0ball · 1 comment

pyr0ball commented

2026-07-05 09:17:51 -07:00

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Source

http://smolblocks.com:3000/FOSS/adhd_scheduling
Author: Ashley Venn — incoming CF collaborator

Status update

Ashley Venn is coming onboard as a CF collaborator. Two paths under discussion:

Build a new CF product together (ADHD scheduling in the CF menagerie)
CF contributing to Focus Flow directly

See below for the license conversation that must happen before either path proceeds.

What Focus Flow is

Dart + Flutter desktop ADHD scheduler. SQLite-first, cross-platform
(Linux/macOS/Windows), Earthly containerized builds, 80% test coverage gate.
117 commits as of July 2026, actively developed.

Key features:

Timeline task view (spatial/visual — addresses time blindness)
Task pushing controls (defer without guilt or re-scheduling friction)
Timezone-aware commands
Task context menus on the timeline
Local SQLite persistence
Export and backup support

CRITICAL: License conversation must happen first

Focus Flow is AGPL-3.0. CF products use MIT + BSL 1.1.
These represent different philosophies about what "open source" means for a
commercial product, and the path forward depends entirely on alignment here.

Path 1: Build a new CF product together

New product in the CF menagerie (ADHD scheduling — strong ★ND fit)
Ashley contributes domain expertise + Flutter/Dart engineering
CF contributes AI layer, license server, cloud infrastructure, distribution
Requires: Agreeing on MIT (discovery) + BSL 1.1 (AI features) for the new
product. Ashley must be comfortable with BSL commercial licensing.
Focus Flow code stays separate (AGPL-3.0); new product is written fresh or
with clean-room design inspired by Focus Flow's UX.
This is the cleanest path if Ashley is open to CF's licensing model.

Path 2: CF contributing to Focus Flow

CF engineers contribute features to Focus Flow under AGPL-3.0
Anything CF contributes becomes AGPL — cannot be closed or BSL'd
CF's AI features (BSL) cannot be merged into an AGPL project
Could work for CF's MIT/open pipeline layer contributions (e.g., an
AI-free local scheduler backend that CF also ships as part of another product)
This path limits CF's commercial model for anything touching Focus Flow

What to discuss with Ashley before proceeding

Is Ashley comfortable with the MIT + BSL 1.1 model for a joint CF product?
Is the goal a standalone ND scheduling product, or scheduling features integrated
into an existing CF product (Crossbill, Harrier)?
Does Ashley want to keep Focus Flow independent and contribute separately to CF,
or fold Focus Flow's development into a CF product?
Flutter/Dart vs CF's current Python + Vue stack — architectural alignment question.

CF product fit (if Path 1)

ADHD scheduling maps to the ★ND product priority. Candidates:

New standalone product (e.g., "wren" or another open menagerie slot)
Integrated into Crossbill (ND finance already has task/deadline tracking overlap)
Integrated into Harrier (government form deadlines, benefit tracking timelines)

Ashley's strengths to leverage

ADHD-first UX design (task pushing, timeline view, no-guilt deferral)
Flutter desktop (Linux/macOS/Windows) — relevant for Robin, Raven, any native product
Strong engineering practices: 80% coverage gate, REUSE compliance, Earthly CI
Domain knowledge: building this tool presumably as an ADHD user themselves

Flutter/Dart note for CF

CF's current stack is Python + Vue + FastAPI. Flutter/Dart is a different runtime.
If a joint product goes Flutter desktop, it would be CF's first native app.
Worth discussing whether to go Flutter or wrap CF's existing FastAPI backend
with a Flutter frontend (hybrid approach many CF products could eventually adopt).

Action items

Have the license conversation with Ashley (MIT+BSL vs AGPL) — first
Decide: new product vs contributing to Focus Flow vs integrating into existing product
If new product: pick a product slot and create the repo
Review Focus Flow issues/docs for ND UX patterns regardless of path

## Source http://smolblocks.com:3000/FOSS/adhd_scheduling Author: Ashley Venn — **incoming CF collaborator** ## Status update Ashley Venn is coming onboard as a CF collaborator. Two paths under discussion: 1. Build a new CF product together (ADHD scheduling in the CF menagerie) 2. CF contributing to Focus Flow directly See below for the license conversation that must happen before either path proceeds. ## What Focus Flow is Dart + Flutter desktop ADHD scheduler. SQLite-first, cross-platform (Linux/macOS/Windows), Earthly containerized builds, 80% test coverage gate. 117 commits as of July 2026, actively developed. Key features: - Timeline task view (spatial/visual — addresses time blindness) - Task pushing controls (defer without guilt or re-scheduling friction) - Timezone-aware commands - Task context menus on the timeline - Local SQLite persistence - Export and backup support ## CRITICAL: License conversation must happen first Focus Flow is **AGPL-3.0**. CF products use **MIT + BSL 1.1**. These represent different philosophies about what "open source" means for a commercial product, and the path forward depends entirely on alignment here. ### Path 1: Build a new CF product together - New product in the CF menagerie (ADHD scheduling — strong ★ND fit) - Ashley contributes domain expertise + Flutter/Dart engineering - CF contributes AI layer, license server, cloud infrastructure, distribution - **Requires:** Agreeing on MIT (discovery) + BSL 1.1 (AI features) for the new product. Ashley must be comfortable with BSL commercial licensing. - Focus Flow code stays separate (AGPL-3.0); new product is written fresh or with clean-room design inspired by Focus Flow's UX. - This is the cleanest path if Ashley is open to CF's licensing model. ### Path 2: CF contributing to Focus Flow - CF engineers contribute features to Focus Flow under AGPL-3.0 - Anything CF contributes becomes AGPL — cannot be closed or BSL'd - CF's AI features (BSL) cannot be merged into an AGPL project - Could work for CF's MIT/open pipeline layer contributions (e.g., an AI-free local scheduler backend that CF also ships as part of another product) - This path limits CF's commercial model for anything touching Focus Flow ### What to discuss with Ashley before proceeding 1. Is Ashley comfortable with the MIT + BSL 1.1 model for a joint CF product? 2. Is the goal a standalone ND scheduling product, or scheduling features integrated into an existing CF product (Crossbill, Harrier)? 3. Does Ashley want to keep Focus Flow independent and contribute separately to CF, or fold Focus Flow's development into a CF product? 4. Flutter/Dart vs CF's current Python + Vue stack — architectural alignment question. ## CF product fit (if Path 1) ADHD scheduling maps to the ★ND product priority. Candidates: - New standalone product (e.g., "wren" or another open menagerie slot) - Integrated into Crossbill (ND finance already has task/deadline tracking overlap) - Integrated into Harrier (government form deadlines, benefit tracking timelines) ## Ashley's strengths to leverage - ADHD-first UX design (task pushing, timeline view, no-guilt deferral) - Flutter desktop (Linux/macOS/Windows) — relevant for Robin, Raven, any native product - Strong engineering practices: 80% coverage gate, REUSE compliance, Earthly CI - Domain knowledge: building this tool presumably as an ADHD user themselves ## Flutter/Dart note for CF CF's current stack is Python + Vue + FastAPI. Flutter/Dart is a different runtime. If a joint product goes Flutter desktop, it would be CF's first native app. Worth discussing whether to go Flutter or wrap CF's existing FastAPI backend with a Flutter frontend (hybrid approach many CF products could eventually adopt). ## Action items - [ ] Have the license conversation with Ashley (MIT+BSL vs AGPL) — first - [ ] Decide: new product vs contributing to Focus Flow vs integrating into existing product - [ ] If new product: pick a product slot and create the repo - [ ] Review Focus Flow issues/docs for ND UX patterns regardless of path

pyr0ball commented

2026-07-05 11:02:35 -07:00

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Owner

Update: Ashley's license position (July 5, 2026)

Ashley clarified their AGPL-3.0 position directly:

"The reason I chose that license is that I am extremely adamant about open source.
I dont even care if people sell a fork of it or whatever. Which the license allows.
But the source will remain open. Yeah I mean im fine if businesses want to fork and
use it. I dont care."

Translation for CF: AGPL-3.0 is about keeping source open, not blocking commercial
use. CF can fork, build on top of, and sell products using Focus Flow — as long as the
modified source remains available. This aligns with CF's local-first, open-core values.

Path forward:

CF is contributing to Focus Flow directly (not a separate fork product)
Ashley is joining as a CF collaborator
Repo mirrored to https://git.opensourcesolarpunk.com/Circuit-Forge/focus-flow
Initial CF contribution tickets filed on the focus-flow repo:
- Forgejo Actions CI migration
- LLM assistant integration (natural language capture + scheduling suggestions)
- Optional privacy-preserving cloud sync (CF cloud backend)
- Accessibility audit (WCAG 2.1 + ND-specific UX review)

BSL boundary: CF's cloud infrastructure and LLM API keys (BSL 1.1) operate as a
separate service layer. Code contributed to Focus Flow itself is and remains AGPL-3.0.

## Update: Ashley's license position (July 5, 2026) Ashley clarified their AGPL-3.0 position directly: > "The reason I chose that license is that I am extremely adamant about open source. > I dont even care if people sell a fork of it or whatever. Which the license allows. > But the source will remain open. Yeah I mean im fine if businesses want to fork and > use it. I dont care." **Translation for CF:** AGPL-3.0 is about keeping source open, not blocking commercial use. CF can fork, build on top of, and sell products using Focus Flow — as long as the modified source remains available. This aligns with CF's local-first, open-core values. **Path forward:** - CF is contributing to Focus Flow directly (not a separate fork product) - Ashley is joining as a CF collaborator - Repo mirrored to https://git.opensourcesolarpunk.com/Circuit-Forge/focus-flow - Initial CF contribution tickets filed on the focus-flow repo: - Forgejo Actions CI migration - LLM assistant integration (natural language capture + scheduling suggestions) - Optional privacy-preserving cloud sync (CF cloud backend) - Accessibility audit (WCAG 2.1 + ND-specific UX review) **BSL boundary:** CF's cloud infrastructure and LLM API keys (BSL 1.1) operate as a separate service layer. Code contributed to Focus Flow itself is and remains AGPL-3.0.