Difference between revisions of "Michael's Projects"

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I created my [http://conviviality.ouvaton.org first website] in order to promote the ideas of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Illich Ivan Illich] about what he called [[Convivial Tools]].
 
I created my [http://conviviality.ouvaton.org first website] in order to promote the ideas of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Illich Ivan Illich] about what he called [[Convivial Tools]].
  
The underlying theme of all of Illich's work is how to give back to the average citizen some part of the control over knowledge and technology which is exercized by specialized elites. Illich was a precursor of the personal computing revolution and of the Internet. His book Tools for Conviviality directly influenced [http://conviviality.ouvaton.org/article.php3?id_article=39 Lee Felsenstein], whose key role in the invention of the personal computer is little recognized today.
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The underlying theme of all of Illich's work is how to give back to the average citizen some part of the control over knowledge and technology which is exercized by specialized elites.
  
I originally wanted to apply Illich's ideas to the design of household appliances in order to tranform them into [[Reparable Tools]]. Designing appliances to be easily reparable by their owners would both give consumers more control over technology, and reduce waste by making appliances more durable and easier to recycle.
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I originally wanted to apply Illich's ideas to the design of household appliances in order to tranform them into [[Reparable Tools]]. More broadly, I wanted to explore the extent to which [http://conviviality.ouvaton.org/article.php3?id_article=20 idea systems] and [http://conviviality.ouvaton.org/article.php3?id_article=21 social systems]can be considered "tools," and how they could be made more "convivial" in Illich's sense. However, my projects in the field of Convivial Tools got bogged down in the detailed writing of content for the websites that I created on the subject.
  
More broadly, I wanted to explore the extent to which [http://conviviality.ouvaton.org/article.php3?id_article=20 idea systems] and [http://conviviality.ouvaton.org/article.php3?id_article=21 social systems]can be considered "tools," and how they could be made more "convivial" in Illich's sense.
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My attention is now focused instead on the exploration of Internet as a tool. As a friend observed recently, I've beeb diverted from my project of making reparable washing machines to a project of making easily reparable machines for the processing of information flows.
  
However, my projects in the field of Convivial Tools got bogged down in the details of fleshing out the several websites that I created on the subject. My attention is now focused instead on the exploration of Internet as a tool. As a friend observed recently, I've beeb diverted from my project of making reparable washing machines to a project of making easily reparable machines for the processing of information flows.
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==Convivial Internet Tools==
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Making Open Source more Convivial
  
==Convivial Help Sites==
 
 
[To be written]
 
[To be written]
  
==Convivial Internet Tools==
 
Making Open Source more Convivial
 
  
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==Convivial Help Sites==
 
[To be written]
 
[To be written]
  

Revision as of 19:12, 31 December 2009