@ -97,6 +97,26 @@ Karaianni reports further discussions in the GNU mailing list, where the proposi
Toxic geek masculinity reinforces stereotypes such as gendered roles in programming, and refuses to acknowledge the participation of diverse identities in the making of software, starting from the very language and attitudes used when writing documentation. Seen from this perspective, documentation becomes an important space where to build community aroud software. For who are we writing code documentation? Who is going to read it? Who are we keeping out and who are we letting in? Who is represented and feel invited and welcomed?
---
more about language:
Not 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.
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, again 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.
Not only to _find & replace_ terms throughout the documentation, but to re-trace genealogies, to intercept and re-orient narrations, and offer a redemption arc to those projects that were abandoned.
### 1.2 Welcoming writing
<!-- The potential of documentation to orientate software in the world clashes against some big elephants in the room, and tech culture should stop keep them in captivity. Sure, it would be nice if developers could rely on several kinds of documentation when approaching code. Unfortunately often there is not even one available. -->
@ -198,11 +218,3 @@ This tentacular surface can reach a programmer in different moment of their life
This system organizes knowledge around code in a way that tries to meet every user possible. _Tutorials_ offer entry points for the newcomers, while _explanations_ unveal core mechanisms for more navigated readers. _How-to guides_ teach how to get the work done, while _references_ report lists of information ready to be consulted. Different documentations for different readers for the same code.
A text that fails to address who's reading can result inaccessible and frustrating. Although the Diataxis framework doesn't encompass every particular situation, its structure offers good aid to situate documentation within different perspectives. This turns out to be really helpful in the process of writing, as a way to fine tune tones and modulate the nature of shared info.
```note
think about:
- move next paragraph in worlding chapter?
- unpack political aesthetic or use a different term, not sure if there is the headspace to go into RancR atm
```
The same is true for the additional layers of meaning necessary for a process of world building. To enchant software with political aesthetic (Ranciérre through Soon and Cox, 2020) is required to operate at different scales. Within both public and private dimensions, with technical and social frameworks. During a workshop for example, people meet face to face. Here togetherness can glue technicalities as a paratext, questioning reproduction of knowledge and its power dynamics. (See for example _Feminists Federating_, mara karagianni, ooooo, nate wessalowski, vo ezn in Toward a Minor Tech - A peer reviewed Newspaper vol 12, 2023) (Note that the opposite effect is also true, with technicalities as paratext conditioning how people are together)
Exploring and stretching coding contingencies using code documentation practices as a backdoor to inject context in software.
Coding contingencies are conditions we found ourselves in. Not entirelly by chance, but on entirelly by choice as well. Sometimes these contingencies are economical: in order to work in this studio, you need to program with this framework. Sometimes affective: a friend shares the excitement over a new visual programming language. Sometimes
@ -80,6 +79,14 @@ rethink participation in coding practice through femminist perspectives is not j
the trans\*femminist servers wishlist engages with a more messy entangled complex way of understanding participation and technology
a way to open up for plurality, for questioning, for instability, for safety, for situatedness
```note
take something from paragraph below
```
To inject context in software is required to operate at different scales. Within both public and private dimensions, with technical and social frameworks. During a workshop for example, people meet face to face. Here togetherness can glue technicalities as a paratext, questioning reproduction of knowledge and its power dynamics. (See for example _Feminists Federating_, mara karagianni, ooooo, nate wessalowski, vo ezn in Toward a Minor Tech - A peer reviewed Newspaper vol 12, 2023) (Note that the opposite effect is also true, with technicalities as paratext conditioning how people are together)
1
these principles are reflected in the documentation of the queer motto api, that question the idea of software as a smooth service always available, with a motto generator that sometimes refuses to work, needs to REST or take a nap, or strikes to celebrate particular days such as the 8th march
@ -177,62 +184,10 @@ decision like these aren't really different from how a type system work, or how
create / claim new spaces for participation, validate participation
```note
àhah ugly writing is difficult at the beginning but then gets funny
```
### aesthetic practices - hello worlding
```note
adjust re-enchanting ?
```
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, again 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. In the movie _Palombella Rossa_, the main character suffered from memory loss after a car accident, and every dialogue was a precious handhold to find back his lost identity. His struggle was less concerning the correct usage of italian language, and more connected to the conceiled history in every word. A missing link between literal meaning of a term, and its broader traditions of uses, misuses, and transformations. The difference between talking and talking within a context.
To re-enchant code then means not only to _find & replace_ terms throughout the documentation, but to re-trace genealogies, to intercept and re-orient narrations, and offer a redemption arc to those projects that were abandoned. To re-enchant code means to coat new systems of meanings around it.
### Hello worlding
#### uxn ecosystem: re reading esolangs, plan-9, and virtual machines through the ecological lens
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 (in order to live and work on a wind & solar powered sailboat)
The two of them live on a sailboat since, mostly offline and mostly offgrid.
To meet their needs for a portable and lightweight infrastructure they progressively moved away from the industry-standard toolchain
towards a self hosted, self developed, personal computing stack
```placeholder
... Weathering software winter --> plan-9 and esolangs seen through the lens of permacomputing
```
as reported in weathering software winter this years long reserach (and life project) worked as backward exploration of what was left behind by so called progress
the search to rethink personal computing from an ecological perspective touches on several projects left at the margin of tech culture
to finally settle on the idea of virtual machine and emulation with uxn and the varvara computer
in the unx documentation
plan-9 and several esoteric programming languages work as lore
and in this way are reactivated as ground for experimenting alternatives to face the ecological disaster
#### the screenless office read through tiger dingsun's chimeric worlding
the screenless office read through tiger dingsun's chimeric worlding
```placeholder
tiger dingsun chimeric worlding is a text on graphic design used for worldbuilding
@ -255,6 +210,14 @@ weave the two together with the main concept of worldbuilding as a way to create
- the screenless office
- open
- - -
fork of the screenless office in the soupboat
#### aesthetic programming as a bridge between software studies and creative coding
