@ -99,18 +99,18 @@ The simulation is structured as a series of stages:
The first step is to decide on the participants of the simulation.
The first step is to decide on the participants of the simulation.
Although we could sink into a well of details to describe actors in the most accurate way, in a simulation just a detail it's enough to start.
Although we could sink into a well of details to describe actors in the most accurate way, just a detail it's enough to start.
Who and what are they?
Who and what are they?
When and where are they coding?
When and where are they coding?
And what do they do when they are not in front of a computer?
And what do they do when they are not in front of a computer?
These and other questions will be unpacked during the simulation.
These and other questions will be unpacked during the simulation.
Instead, let's trace some categories: _programmers_, _software_ and _use cases_.
Instead, let's trace some categories: _programmers_, _software_ and _use cases_.
These categories are a way to deal both with the software and hardware circumstances of code (Marino, 2020), but also their relations with _non-code entities_ (Mackenzie, 2006). A more-than-human and more-than-technical set of elements.
These categories are a way to deal both with the software and hardware circumstances of code (Marino, 2020), but also to give space to relations with _non-code entities_ (Mackenzie, 2006). A more-than-human and more-than-technical set of elements.
<!--TODO: im not sure about the next paragraph -->
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In a grey zone where Actor Network Theory (Latour) and Object Oriented Onthology (Harman) overlap, we can think to every element in these categories as an actor, or an object. Hence we can afford, on one hand, to delegate the identity of an actor to its relations with others. Here every iteration and every update of the simulation is an event, an exchange between actants. On the other hand, the unknowable nature of the object leaves room for the simulation to dig deeper, to keep renegotiating the object' state exposing different qualities from time to time.
In a grey zone where Actor Network Theory (Latour) and Object Oriented Onthology (Harman) overlap, we can think to every element in these categories as an actor, or an object. Hence we can afford, on one hand, to delegate the identity of an actor to its relations with others. Here every iteration and every update of the simulation is an event, an exchange between actants. On the other hand, the unknowable nature of the object leaves room for the simulation to dig deeper, to keep renegotiating the object' state exposing different qualities from time to time.
@ -138,13 +138,13 @@ _Software_ are objects made of code. Here we will refer to a particular subset o
```
```
Software
Software
- lisp
- cobol
- javascript
- javascript
- python
- python
- haskel
- haskel
- assembly
- redstone
- redstone
- assembly
- cobol
- lisp
```
```
_Use cases_ are fields or objectives one could use code for. This could seem a bit loose, but in the scope of the simulation, it orientates actors in certain directions. Their effect is more like a magnetic force, than the call of destiny. This writing machine is not an hard coded teleological device, but rather a sandbox to generate narratives around software.
_Use cases_ are fields or objectives one could use code for. This could seem a bit loose, but in the scope of the simulation, it orientates actors in certain directions. Their effect is more like a magnetic force, than the call of destiny. This writing machine is not an hard coded teleological device, but rather a sandbox to generate narratives around software.
@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ Now we need to combine thigs from the three categories.
- hacker, red stone, modding
- hacker, red stone, modding
- engineer, red stone, research
- engineer, red stone, research
## ITERATE
## Itearate
**DISCLAIMER:** from here on basically just notes for the next steps of the simulation!
**DISCLAIMER:** from here on basically just notes for the next steps of the simulation!
@ -272,14 +272,14 @@ Notes:
---
---
Now that the setup is done, the simulation can start.
Now that the setup is done, the process can start. Every iteration will pose a question to the elements
To build something meaningful out of these initial combinations we can balance between what is defined and what is not.
To build something meaningful out of these initial combinations we can balance between what is defined and what is not.
Leveraging on the unknown of the simulation gives room for narrations.
Leveraging on the unknown of the simulation gives room for narrations.
<!-- does it make sense to specify the moment ? -->
<!-- does it make sense to specify the moment ? -->
### Developer, cobol, work
### 01
00
00
@ -295,27 +295,28 @@ Leveraging on the unknown of the simulation gives room for narrations.
02
02
- Has never written a line in COBOL.
- Ready to accept the challenge in order to get closer to the mainframe.
- It sounds like the certification of being a real developer™️.
<br/>
- Program readability was a commendable design goal, and ahead of its time. But how did it come about that the main emphasis was on readability by managers, instead of readability by programmers?
- Program readability was a commendable design goal, and ahead of its time. But how did it come about that the main emphasis was on readability by managers, instead of readability by programmers?
- Was there any evidence at the time that managers wanted to read programs?
- Was there any evidence at the time that managers wanted to read programs?
- Did the COBOL committee seriously believe that the users could not handle grade school operators of `+`, `-` , `x`, `/`?
- Did the COBOL committee seriously believe that the users could not handle grade school operators of `+`, `-` , `x`, `/`?
- (Sannet, 1981)
- (Sannet, 1981)
- Has never written a line in COBOL.
<br/>
- Ready to accept the challenge in order to get the opportunity to get closer to the mainframe.
- It sounds like the certification of being a real developer™️.
- The company's processing center is on the ninth floor of a large department store.
- The company's processing center is on the ninth floor of a large department store. An harshly lit room. Women —all Filippinas— it seems, are working heads down, at keypunch machine. Data entry with keypunch instead of computer system at a terminal?
- An harshly lit room.
- Data entry systems change, bad habits and exploitation don't.
- Women —all Filippinas— it seems, are working heads down, at keypunch machine.
- Red flag: data entry with keypunch instead of computer system at a terminal?
- Data entry systems change, bad habits and exploitment don't.
- [Workers Leaving the Googleplex](http://www.andrewnormanwilson.com/WorkersGoogleplex.html), 2011
- [Workers Leaving the Googleplex](http://www.andrewnormanwilson.com/WorkersGoogleplex.html), 2011
03
03
- Haunted by the fear of getting caught as being stupid. Coming to a new system and not knowing how to log-on. Lie low and learn the basics.
- Haunted by the fear of getting caught as being stupid.
-
- Coming to a new system and not knowing how to log-on.
-
- Lie low and learn the basics.
04
04
@ -362,7 +363,7 @@ the welcoming community thriving around the programming language?
or the visual paradigm that facilitates the thinking about and connecting abstractions together?
or the visual paradigm that facilitates the thinking about and connecting abstractions together?
