commit 186f2694c16ff91540a1e249875084054735c35d
parent fd5ff08984a92749559b0d46dc3d128bd2ed4fd3
Author: kattrali <kattrali@web>
Date: Tue, 28 May 2024 13:40:13 +0200
reformatting getting_started with more examples
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+What can I do?
+==============
+
+This is a frequent question, and not an easy one to answer.
+
+Permacomputing can take many forms, and every context and situation is
+different. For someone, getting started with permacomputing may be:
+
+* helping a school to work with recycled computers
+
+* learning how to repair and replace components in computing hardware
+
+* discussing the use and impact of smartphones in the household, or data centers
+ in the workplace
+
+* working with local farms and collectives to develop low energy weather
+ prediction
+
+* researching how to provide less resource-intensive tools and systems for their
+ lab or workspace
+
+* getting involved with initiatives to create energy efficient and accessible
+ local libraries of information
+
+* engaging with politics and policy making to advance tech and enviromental
+ regulation in their institution, town, or region
+
+* helping artists interested to engage with ecological topics using tools and
+ media in line with this intention
+
+* writing their own FORTH for a chip reclaimed from e-waste
+
+Each of these can mix and match, and are also examples from the following
+categories of action.
+
+
+Participation
+-------------
+
+Join discussions in your institution, union, building, company, or town council,
+to figure out new ways to discuss the impact and regulation of the usage and
+re-use of computers.
+
+Join a union, join an environmentalist group, join a citizen science lab, etc.
+
+It's also important that users of hardware and software feel confident enough to
+voice their opinion, especially when the development of these projects is done
+in a relatively open way. For instance, issue trackers can be important
+activation sites to voice struggles beyond reporting technical faults.
+
+Experimentation
+---------------
+
+Investigate the places in your life or work involving computer use. How much
+energy does it use, including accessed network resources? Can it be reduced,
+replaced, or removed? What impact does it have on your wellbeing and your
+community? Is there a common task you perform online which could be moved
+locally?
+
+Approach computer use and acquisition with longevity in mind, considering things
+like whether you need to buy new hardware, or could you repurpose an old
+computer or device instead? Does it need to use a computer at all?
+
+When developing something new, what are you gonna use to ensure you make
+something that does not end up being harmful or wasteful? How will you measure
+the impacts of your project, like the resources used to create and run it
+including energy, fresh water, and waste heat?
+
+With computation and computer tech consumerism taking such a big space in so
+many activities, it is very likely that a domain, a common/everyday tool, or a
+practice, in which you have interest, professionally or not, could become your
+field of experimentation. Do you need to acquire new skills? How will you
+acquire these skills? Can you afford to learn such skills? Could you figure it
+out with the help of others?
+
+Reading and learning
+--------------------
+
+For non-programmers and infrequent computer users, some minimal knowledge of
+computing jargon and practices is recommended. However, the question of literacy
+in relation to computational culture is often reduced to staying in the loop
+with the "latest developments" the tech industry and acquiring technological
+skills, when we need to talk more about the other way around.
+
+A lot of the radical thinking in computer science and engineering seems to be
+too often stuck on the same old 60-70s countercultural ideas from the United
+States. We think that it's important that people with a strong technological
+background start to catch up with decades of the various strands of
+computational critique discussed in feminist studies, gender studies, software
+studies, cultural studies, and also arts and humanities.
+
+Organizing
+----------
+
+Consider starting a local group around permacomputing. You don't have and should
+not try to work on this topic on your own! Talk to local cultural organisations,
+hackerspaces, squats, town councils, schools and universities to help organising
+some events, workshops, skill-sharing sessions, show&tell, etc. Try to bootstrap
+a small permacomputing community. Make use of our [[code of conduct|terms]] to
+get you started with questions of moderation, make use of the wiki, communicate
+on the existing lists, chats, or start your own!
+
+Publishing
+----------
+
+Regardless what you do, it will be very inspiring to others if you document it a
+bit, both successes *and* failures. It does not have to be extensive, but it can
+be a much more effective way to demonstrate how to activate critical practices
+in relation to computer techology. You can do that on your own website if you
+have one, you can make zines, something individual or something with others, and
+of course [[you could use this wiki|contribute]]! More generally publishing does
+not need to be only about the projects you are involved with directly, maybe it
+is about helping others writing a manual, a cookbook, a sampler, something
+relatable and accessible.
+
+
+----
+
+Note: the first version of this document was motivated by, and in part inspired
+from, discussions and contributions from participants of the LIMITS 2023
+workshop. THANKS <3
