> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://oce.gitbook.io/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://oce.gitbook.io/docs/introduction/history.md).

# History

![The evolution of OCE](https://2737741879-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-L9ditaV2urtKK1UEJuL%2F-L9k6Tot3ZaKk0lSryMe%2F-L9k6n0KWfebEGhhrMn6%2F6487678e88506dd60f67343d01adac9e.jpg?alt=media\&token=b67bcc82-a354-48a3-9a4a-ccf0894e6f9a)

Much work has been done on the OVN protocol and related specifications by many contributors too numerous to list here. An extremely brief history goes as follows- follow the links to learn more about the theory and concepts behind OVNs.

* **Early 1980s**: Bill McCarthy first defines *Resource-Event-Agent* (REA) model for accounting systems and [publishes many papers](https://msu.edu/~mccarth4/) on the topic.
* **Mid 1990s**: Bob Haugen commercially develops *'Quick Response Engine'* & becomes interested in supply chain systems.
* **1995-2000**: Bob discovers REA, he and Bill [further develop REA](http://www.jeffsutherland.org/oopsla2000/mccarthy/mccarthy.htm) as a semantic model for internet supply chain collaboration.
* **2000**: Verna Allee [coins the term](http://www.sveiby.com/articles/Allee-ValueNets.htm) *"Value Network"*  to describe and model tangible & intangible economic value within organisations.
* **2002**: ISO [adopts](https://www.iso.org/standard/67199.html) REA as their economic and accounting ontology.
* **2005**: Bob [begins to write](http://mikorizal.org/BeyondTheEnterprise.html) about the importance of expanding REA to cover ad-hoc networks of external economic entities.
* **2005-2011**: Bob works closely with Lynn Foster under the name 'Mikorizal Software' on [several open supply chain projects](http://mikorizal.org/groups.html); targeting timber, food networks & fishing industries.
* **2012**: Open hardware manufacturer Sensorica gets involved with REA and coins the term *"Open Value Network"* (OVN). They develop the *Network Resource Planning* (NRP) [software](http://nrp.sensorica.co/) in collaboration with Bob & Lynn. This is the first iteration of the software on which django-rea and its forks are based.
  * [NRP system architecture presentation](https://speakerdeck.com/mikorizal/how-everything-is-connected-in-nrp) **(mandatory reading!)**
  * [Value equations explainer](https://speakerdeck.com/mikorizal/10-nrp-value-equation-concepts-and-tutorial)
* **2013** - Joshua Vial of Enspiral proposes an [Open App Ecosystem](https://github.com/open-app/core). Mikey Williams proposes a common method of 

  [inter-app communication](https://www.loomio.org/d/N1zJ57Q9/inter-app-communication) which settles on Json-LD and Linked Open Data.
* **2014** - Lynn Foster, Elf Pavlik, Mikey Williams, and Jon Richter start the [Value Flows project](https://www.valueflo.ws/) to develop a common vocabulary for apps in economic networks using Linked Open Data. Other people arrive and help, including Kalin Maldzhanski, Paul Mackay, and Elio Qoshi.
* **2016**: Bill expands upon the concept of an *Open Value Network*, building on his prior REA model.
  * [OVN / REA presentation slides](https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxlqOeaPnXHfTkpPRlFNbzcxR0k/view)
* **Q1 2016**: Sensorica's NRP software is [forked](https://github.com/FreedomCoop/valuenetwork) by FreedomCoop and becomes OCP (*Open Collaboration Platform*). Many updates are made and integrations with digital currencies ([FairCoin](https://fair-coin.org/)) begin.
* **Q3 2016**: [Another fork](https://github.com/gopacifia/DEEP/) of NRP is made by GoPacifica and further development continues on that project.
* **2016-2017** Lynn and Bob join with others to continue work on developing the REA ontology, incorporating learnings from prior projects & concepts, including NRP & OVN, as well as others. The project name is genericised to Valuefows and becomes focused on working towards common standards.
* **Dec 2016**: Valueflows team members [discuss and outline](https://github.com/valueflows/valueflows/issues/169) requirements for a modular & community-centered design process around OVN-compatible apps.
* **Q1 2017**: Members from GoPacifica, FreedomCoop, Sensorica  & Mikorizal begin to collaborate on unifying the multiple forks of NRP to a single generic codebase so that development effort can be shared.