Abstract: A project is developed using a community of remotely located developers over a computer network. An overseer of the project contracts with a customer to develop a project, and the overseer posts a description of the project at a site that is accessible by the community of developers. Bids for the project are received from the developers over the computer network. The project is awarded to at least one of the developers. The overseer manages development of the project by the selected developer and supplies the customer a completed project.

Abstract: A tire treadstock elastomer having reduced hysteresis is prepared by (1) preparing a living polymer by anionic polymerization of a conjugated diene or copolymerization of a conjugated diene with a monovinyl aromatic hydrocarbon, (2) endcapping the living polymer with at least 2.2 equivalents, preferably 3 to 15 equivalents, of a vinyl substituted bicyclic or tricyclic (preferably bicyclic) hydrocarbon, (3) quenching and recovering the endcapped polymer and (4) curing the endcapped polymer using a conventional rubber curing recipe to form an elastomer having reduced hysteresis. This elastomer either alone or blended with a conventional treadstock rubber may form a tire treadstock. The preferred endcapping agent is 2-vinylnaphthalene.

Abstract: A tire treadstock elastomer having reduced hysteresis is prepared by (1) preparing a living polymer by anionic polymerization of a conjugated diene or copolymerization of a conjugated diene with a monovinyl aromatic hydrocarbon, (2) endcapping the living polymer with at least one equivalent, preferably 3 to 15 equivalents, of a 1-vinylimidazole or 1-vinylbenzimidazole, preferably 1-vinylimidazole; (3) quenching and recovering the endcapped polymer and (4) curing the endcapped polymer using a conventional rubber curing recipe to form an elastomer having reduced hysteresis. This elastomer either alone or blended with a conventional treadstock rubber may form a tire treadstock.