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Dream Swap: Build some websites, get a stay in Fiji. But will it really work?

Last night saw the launch of  http://bootstrapcamp.org/, a new service enabling entrepreneurs to list their needs and offers in a system of skills exchange. Setup by Stewart Townsend at Sun, Simon Grice, co-founder at Mashup and James Chivers, lead developer at Google, the idea behind the site is to create a network of entrepreneurs, who instead of spending cash on needed services, can help each other bootstrap their startups’ by spending their ‘BootStrap Credits’.

The site has a number of launch partners including social media tourism project Tribewanted.com who are offering up to 25 weeks on Vorovoro (the Tribewanted Island in Fiji, South Pacific) in exchange for development, design and deployment services from BootStrap Camp members.

The site demo seemed straight forward enough with a nice, clean user interface where members’ post what they need to grow their business – eg: development, and their offers, (what they can offer fellow members in terms of services) – eg: design. Members then decide how many BootStrap Credits their time is worth and swap the credits for needed services.

But a number of questions raised from the audience over value of credits, value of time and a regulatory system, challenged the site’s authority. One audience member raised another issue: tax, pointing out the government’s stance on trade, treating non monetary trade transactions like any normal transactions, and so pointed out their right to levy tax from transactions through the project.

Grice welcomed the feedback and said the site would largely be regulated by the online community, where members would be judged by an eBay style ratings system, but I couldn’t help thinking in a such a small tech community, like London, where your peers are often your friends, how members would honestly rate each other.

The project is a great idea for startups who often don’t have the resources to buy much needed services, but how do you measure one person’s time value against another? And what happens when a member doesn’t fullfill their promises  You can follow progress here: bootstrapcamp.org & Twitter: @bootstrapcamp

And for any web developers willing to exchange their skills for a chance to go to Fiji-here’s a little taster of Vorovoro island.

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