@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ A part of case studies. The soupboat. Avantwhatever.net. Queer Motto API. The Sc
## Going with the flows
## Going with the flows
There could be several approaches for making worlds around software. Here are some keywords that refer to the kind of flow these worlding techniques activate.Drafted here are three directions: to _reclaim_ is to get something back: something that was stolen, or taken away, or lost, or forgotten. To _reenchant_ means to intercept and reorientate towards different directions. To readjust a process, or to move for a different purpose. To _reassure_ serves as a prompt to keep going. It helps making meaning together, and refresh ideas. It offers way to register choices, keep track and share what has been done so far.
There could be several approaches for making worlds around software. Here are some keywords that refer to the kind of flow these worlding techniques activate.Drafted here are three directions: to _reclaim_ is to get something back: something that was stolen, or taken away, or lost, or forgotten. To _reenchant_ means to intercept and reorientate towards different directions. To readjust a process, or to move for a different purpose. To _reassure_ serves as prompt to keep going. It helps making meaning together, and refresh ideas. It offers way to register choices, keep track and share what has been done so far.
These labels are open and loose, overlapping and not mutually exclusive, temporary and on the move. They are meant to change, to expire fast, and going bad even faster: they require continuous treatments and repeated efforts. That's why I'm renaming them all after the _re_ prefix: to aknowledge their being in progress, again second hand, already contaminated. Borrowed by friends and foes, that had borrowed themselves from someone else. Nonetheless, they offer ways to visualize different strategies to create worlds around software.
These labels are open and loose, overlapping and not mutually exclusive, temporary and on the move. They are meant to change, to expire fast, and going bad even faster: they require continuous treatments and repeated efforts. That's why I'm naming them all after the _re_ prefix: to aknowledge their being in progress, second hand again, already contaminated. Borrowed by friends and foes, that had borrowed themselves from someone else. One should diffidate of these categories because they're instable. Nonetheless, they offer ways to visualize different strategies to create worlds around software.
There seems to be a risk in reducing sociality around software in a conflict between "friends and foes": a risk in reproducing forms of exclusion and violence typical of the IT world. To just swap good and bad, and offer clean solutions. Try instead to apply Chantal Mouffle's concept of agonistic politics to software development intended as struggle between different hegemonic projects.
There seems to be a risk in reducing sociality around software to a conflict between "friends and foes": a risk to reproduce forms of exclusion and violence typical of the IT world. To just swap good and bad, and offer clean solutions. Try instead to apply Chantal Mouffle's concept of agonistic politics to software development intended as struggle between different hegemonic projects.
How can documentation create new spaces around code? Where new spaces means spaces for who are excluded.
How can documentation create new spaces around code? Where new spaces means spaces for who are excluded.
Think about the works around queerying technologies, from Zach Blass to Trans\*feminist servers, to Queerying UNIX, to 360 degrees of proximity, the Queer motto API.
Think about the works around queerying technologies, from Zach Blass to Trans\*feminist servers, to Queerying UNIX, to 360 degrees of proximity, the Queer motto API.
Think about projects related to accessibility, and space built by and for people with diverse ability. Alt-text poetry is a good starting point maybe.
Think about projects related to accessibility, and space built by and for people with diverse ability. Alt-text poetry could be a good starting point.
## reenchant
Think about the efforts to create safe spaces to learn.
## reenchant
Reenchanting code cannot be just a process of rebranding. Cannot be just a matter of changing the visual identity of the documentation, or washing it green or pink or black, or to capitalize on the inclusion of minorities.
Re-enchanting code means to create new narrations around software. As the artist James Bridle writes trying to untangle the complex social and environmental implications of digital computation: _"Technology is not mere tool making and tool use: it is the making of metaphors"._ (James Bridle, 2018) These metaphors, like code documentation, influence the way we think and use our tools.
`Example:` Master-slave examples on version control software documentation. See [BitKeeper](https://github.com/bitkeeper-scm/bitkeeper/blob/master/doc/HOWTO. ask#L223)
`Example:` The military term _deploy_ adopted by CI/CD systems such as the one on GitLab.
`Example:` The naming of group of servers as fleet on AWS documentation, a term referring to naval formation, often with military connotation.
These metaphors orient code in the world. They reinforce, highlight and validate certain practices. A fleet implies centralized control, a swarm implies direct influences between participants, a federation implies certain degrees of independence, etc.
Nanni Moretti was slapping people in the face to remark the importance of words and their usage, but in order to re-enchant code through documentation just finding & replacing terms is but a first step.
To re-enchant means to re-trace genealogies, to intercept and re-orient narratives and offer a redemption arc to those projects that were left behind. `need better transition`
A good example is the work of documentation around the Uxn ecosystem, a personal computing stack initiated by the 100 Rabbits collective. To meet their needs for a portable and lightweight infrastructure and reduce the energy consumption of their digital tools (they live on a wind & solar powered sailboat), while keep continuing developing games and software ...
... Weathering software winter --> plan-9 and esolangs seen through the lens of permacomputing
The same with DuskOS, a small operative system that return to Forth
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Three sources that could be explored here relate to an alternative to the model of technosolutionism.
Three sources that could be explored here relate to an alternative to the model of technosolutionism.
@ -48,4 +75,8 @@ Staying low
- federico campagna - technics and magic
- federico campagna - technics and magic
- a way of saying from my dialect about fire and embers
- a way of saying from my dialect about fire and embers
