commit a7a2859d9a26687f9ab51d564571f1765cd067eb
parent d1f9a74e39f5cce28db46567f4365a9292b4b68b
Author: ugrnm <ultrageranium@bleu255.com>
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2025 11:14:55 +0200
Merge branch 'master' of borok:/var/www/git.bleu255.com/repos/permacomputing
Diffstat:
2 files changed, 20 insertions(+), 19 deletions(-)
diff --git a/build_on_solid_ground.mdwn b/build_on_solid_ground.mdwn
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ What can YOU do
With or without a computer: * Consider using software that runs locally, is open-sourced, and has a thriving user community or is well-documented * Try to pick software that favours slow release cycles and thorough testing over rolling updates. * try to use smaller, more general-purpose tools instead of complex, prescriptive all-in-one solutions * You may also read this as "grow roots to a solid ground". Learn things that last. Learn the history of the technology you use.
-When creating and maintaining software, digital tools or infrastructure * Avoid unreliable dependencies, especially as hard (non-optional) dependencies. If you can't avoid them (in case of software), put them in the same place where you have your program available. * It is possible to support several target platforms. In case of lasting programs, one of these should be a bedrock platform, or instruction set, that does not change too much and therefore increase accessibility, portability and fallback scenarios. * Imagine some of your users will never be able to get an update or find support - think about how they might solve their problems. * Try to use standard file and data exchange formats, ideally formats that are human-readable. * Don't take anything for granted. Especially don't expect the infrastructure such as the power grid and global networking to continue working indefinitely.
+When creating and maintaining software, digital tools or infrastructure
+
+* Avoid unreliable dependencies, especially those hard (non-optional) dependencies. If you can't work around them (in case of software), you can’t avoid using such dependencies, you should bundle them directly with your software keep local copies, instead of relying on downloading them from external servers every time. This way, your software won’t break if those external resources disappear.
+* It is possible to support several target platforms. In case of lasting programs, one of these should be a bedrock platform, or instruction set, that does not change too much and therefore increase accessibility, portability and fallback scenarios. * Imagine some of your users will never be able to get an update or find support - think about how they might solve their problems. * Try to use standard file and data exchange formats, ideally formats that are human-readable. * Don't take anything for granted. Especially don't expect the infrastructure such as the power grid and global networking to continue working indefinitely.
Principle in action: * UXN - https://wiki.xxiivv.com/site/uxn.html * DuskOS - https://duskos.org/ * Actually Portable Executable - https://justine.lol/ape.html * Static HTML Site Generators - https://permacomputing.net/static_site_generator
diff --git a/principles2.mdwn b/principles2.mdwn
@@ -14,15 +14,11 @@ Strategies and interventions for all, from techie to casual user, or something i
- **Principle in action & examples**
Further reading, tools for deeper engagement, and examples of implementation
-Contemporary permaculture is founded on three core ethics: Earth Care, People Care, and Fair Share. These ethics serve as a guiding compass for its design principles, co-creating a holistic framework for regenerative living. Similarly, permacomputing is built upon 10 principles that encourage and raise awareness about more sustainable digital practices.
-
-Whether you are a tech specialist, someone who uses computer for daily tasks or only occasionally, there are steps that individuals and groups can take to reduce the environmental and socio-economic impact of their digital activities. The following section explores the permacomputing principles, each illustrated through:
-- Urgency/background
-- What can YOU do? strategies and interventions for all, from techie to casual user, or something in between
-- Principle in action & examples – further reading, tools for deeper engagement and examples of implementation
The community of permacomputing promotes a comprehensive approach to the design of human technology, taking into account social and ecological issues, encouraging resilience and supporting a fair coexistence.
-These design principles are not just technical guidelines but represent strategies for positive changes. That said, permacomputing is not prescriptive; it instead favors situatedness and an awareness of contextual diversity.
+These design principles are not just technical guidelines but represent strategies for positive changes.
+
+That said, permacomputing is not prescriptive; it instead favors situatedness and an awareness of contextual diversity.
We, the Permacomputing working group, hope these design principles can serve both as a guide for practice in specific situations and as a tool for identifying systemic issues in the relationship between computer technology and ecology.
@@ -34,7 +30,7 @@ The text below is meant to serve as a starting point. :)
---
## Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst
-It is good practice to design systems that are resilient and tolerant to interruptions and even if you do not personally believe such scenarios are imminent. This principle invites reflection: why prioritize resilience? Rather than being a defeatist mindset, it is a practical exercise.
+It is good practice to design systems that are resilient and tolerant to interruptions and even if you do not personally believe such scenarios are imminent. This principle invites reflection: **why prioritize resilience? Rather than being a defeatist mindset, it is a practical exercise. **
By imagining a world shaped by scarcity, you sharpen your creativity and adaptability. Acknowledging breakages happen and taking into account the possibility of collapse can inspire self-imposed limitations that lead to resourceful solutions—often uncovering societal scenarios previously unexplored, while also acknowledging that less privileged groups are already experiencing harm and damage.
@@ -92,11 +88,11 @@ Principle in action & examples
- Community initiatives, like repair cafes: https://www.repaircafe.org/en/ and Fablabs: https://fablabs.io/, various regional Right to repair initiatives.
## Observe First
-Before taking action, it’s important to first observe. What are current relations? What is valuable and beautiful? What is needed? What problem are you trying to solve? Is it a social issue? Does it even require technology? If not, refer to Principle "Not Doing". If technology is necessary, what is its purpose, and who will benefit?
+Before taking action, it’s important to first observe. **What are the current relations? What is valuable and beautiful? What is needed? What problem are you trying to solve? Is it a social issue? Does it even require technology?** If not, refer to Principle "Not Doing". If technology is necessary, what is its purpose, and who will benefit?
In permaculture, before working on a piece of land, it’s essential to observe it over time, ideally through at least one full seasonal cycle. This process helps reveal insights about what can be done with minimal intervention, using limited resources and energy. Similarly, permacomputing involves carefully observing a problem or situation to create space for evaluating what needs to be done and how.
-Observing can also relate to sensing the world—where computing can play a key role in strengthening ecosystems through citizen sensing and science projects. Careful observation—gathering data on air quality, water, biodiversity, local temperatures, and more—can help citizens collect the evidence needed to advocate for a healthier environment. These projects gather data on pollution, biodiversity, weather, and more, which can then be used to push for a healthier environment for both humans and non-humans.
+Observing can also relate to sensing the world, where computing can play a key role in strengthening ecosystems through citizen sensing and science projects. Careful observation—gathering data on air quality, water, biodiversity, local temperatures, and more—can help citizens collect the evidence needed to advocate for a healthier environment. These projects gather data on pollution, biodiversity, weather, and more, which can then be used to push for a healthier environment for both humans and non-humans.
What can YOU do?
@@ -146,16 +142,18 @@ But also: The SIDN case illustrates not doing as a political and infrastructural
## Expose The Seams
-Seamlessness in software obfuscates inner-workings and is a myth: things are only seamless to those who fit an idealized standard. To complicate things, software vendors often use the term "transparency" when in fact still designing interfaces in which underlying processes remain hidden to the user. However, making a technology appear transparent or seamless to users, can become an obstacle to understanding how it works, to critical engagement, and to knowledge and skill sharing. Obfuscating inner-workings makes it harder to question and challenge a technology.
+Seamlessness in software obfuscates inner-workings and is a myth: things are only seamless to those who fit an idealized standard. To complicate things, software vendors often use the term "transparency" when in fact still designing interfaces in which underlying processes remain hidden to the user. However, making a technology appear transparent or seamless to users, can become an obstacle to understanding how it works, to critical engagement, and to knowledge and skill sharing. Obfuscating inner workings could also be intentional - it makes it harder to question and challenge a technology and, by extension, systematic oppressions.
+
+Exposing some of the inner-workings of infrastructure is also essential to making it tangible and to help understand meaning, motivation and materiality: **Why has it been implemented this way? How much energy does it use? What processes are happening in the background?**
+Showing the seams is important for decision making about computational processes: are they really needed? How often and how much resources should they be allowed to consume? Who needs access? Who can repair, stop or restart it?
-Exposing some of the inner-workings of infrastructure is essential to making it tangible and to help understand meaning, motivation and materiality: why has it been implemented this way? How much energy does it use? What processes are happening in the background? Showing the seams is important for decision making about computational processes: are they really needed? How often and how much resources should they be allowed to consume? Who needs access? Who can repair, stop or restart it?
+Not everything needs exposing however. Although this principle doesn't concern personal information, it can be confused with the call for full transparency which is considerably dangerous to some and undesirable for most (forced and full transparency can be dangerous to hactivists and activists alike) .
-Not everything needs exposing however. Although this principle doesn't concern personal information, it can be confused with the call for full transparency which is considerably dangerous to some and undesirable for most.
What can YOU do
With or without a computer:
-- Try to identify the "idealised standard". We can politicise and make visible this exclusive choice as a problem.(still not clear?) Who is discriminated by the idealised standard implemented in the design of things?
+- Try to spot and critically reflect the "idealised standard". We can politicise and make visible choices that impose rigid frameworks designed to force us to fit certain standrads. exclusive choice as a problem. Ask yourself: who is discriminated by the idealised standard implemented in the design of things and how can I mitigate this issue?
- Aim to create solidarities with those who suffer from not fitting the idealized standard and must to perform extra work to make [[crappy everyday tech]] infrastructure "work". Identify and question "seamlessness" wherever it prevails and raise awareness about this persistent myth.
When creating and maintaining software, digital tools or infrastructure
@@ -178,9 +176,9 @@ Resources/Links
Some simple systems need less energy, less hardware, and less maintenance. They are easier to understand, adapt, and share. By keeping things simple, we create space for care, accessibility, and long-term sustainability. At the same time, specially in relation to programming languages and hardware design, what is perceived as simple can be energy inefficient and arcane. Similarly, from scaling up datacenters to scaling up the resilience of off-the-internet wireless networks and protocols, scale is also an ambivalent notion in telecommunication, network infrastructure and topologies.
-There is no magic bullet.
+**There is no magic bullet.**
-We acknowledge that some problems are inherently complex and achieving simplicity can be the result of a difficult and arduous process. Sometimes simplicity is simply not possible. However this phase of questioning is rarely properly addressed. The idea of uncritically "enjoying a good challenge", combined with over-engineering and scaling up for the sake of scaling up, prevents assessing if keeping it simple will suffice. Sometimes a partial, semi- or non-automated, supervised or otherwise "incomplete" solution is the most appropriate choice for everyone involved.
+We acknowledge that some problems are inherently complex and achieving simplicity can be the result of a difficult and arduous process. Sometimes simplicity is simply not possible. However, this phase of questioning is rarely properly addressed. The idea of uncritically "enjoying a good challenge", combined with over-engineering and scaling up for the sake of scaling up, prevents assessing if keeping it simple will suffice. Sometimes, a partial, semi- or non-automated, supervised, or otherwise "incomplete" solution is the most appropriate choice for everyone involved.
What can YOU do
@@ -223,7 +221,7 @@ With or without a computer:
When creating and maintaining software, digital tools or infrastructure
- Consider the idea of static and runtime flexibility. Static flexibility defines what the system can do in general, whereas runtime flexibility refers to how it can adapt to a changing environment (e.g. changes in temperature, energy and network availability).
- Computing technology in general is very flexible because of its programmability. Programming and programmability should be supported and encouraged everywhere, and artificial lock-ins that prevent (re)programming should be broken.
-- Design systems you can gradually modify and improve while running them. In this some case this could also means designing a self-obviating system.
+- Design systems you can gradually modify and improve while running them. In this some case this could also means designing a self-obviating system meaning systems systems designed to become redundant through their own successful operation.
- In a long term, software and hardware systems should not get obsoleted by changing needs and conditions. New software can be written even for old computers, old software can be modifed to respond to new needs, and new devices can be built from old components.
Principle in Action
@@ -251,7 +249,7 @@ With or without a computer:
* You may also read this as "grow roots to a solid ground". Learn things that last. Learn the history of the technology you use.
When creating and maintaining software, digital tools or infrastructure
- * Avoid unreliable dependencies, especially as hard (non-optional) dependencies. If you can't avoid them (in case of software), put them in the same place where you have your program available.
+ * Avoid unreliable dependencies, especially those hard (non-optional) dependencies. If you can't work around them (in case of software), you should bundle them directly with your software. Keep local copies, instead of relying on downloading them from external servers every time. This way, your software won’t break if those external resources disappear.
* It is possible to support several target platforms. In case of lasting programs, one of these should be a bedrock platform, or instruction set, that does not change too much and therefore increase accessibility, portability and fallback scenarios.
* Imagine some of your users will never be able to get an update or find support - think about how they might solve their problems.
* Try to use standard file and data exchange formats, ideally formats that are human-readable.
