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| − | I'm [[User:Michael|Michael Slattery]]. Below is a brief description of some of the projects I've been working on - or would like to work on. For more information on each project, click on the title of the corresponding section. | + | I'm [[User:Michael|Michael Slattery]]. Below is a brief description of some of the projects I've been working on (or would like to work on). |
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| − | ==[[Convivial Tools]]== | + | ==Water Engineering on the Web== |
| − | 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. | + | I've created an information website entitled [http://waterengineer.org/index.php?title=Main_Page Water and Wastewater Engineering], but have only found time to write a few articles. Also, I'm unable to activate the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TeX TeX] module for displaying scientific formulas, because my [http://iuserguide.com/index.php?title=Web_hosting_service web hosting service] prevents me from executing [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell_%28computing%29 shell] commands. (The details of this problem can be found here [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Enable_TeX here].) I could solve this by renting my own server and transfering that site to it, but perhaps there are easier work-arounds. At any rate, in the meanwhile I could write articles without scientific formulas in them - if I could find the time. |
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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 idea systems and 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 task of writing detailed content for the websites that I created on the subject. | + | I also plan to write for my [http://waterengineer.wordpress.com/ water engineering blog], but I'm only at the stage of studying how to set up information streams so that I can find relevant news. If I get this going, the blog will serve as a source of information to be fed to the [http://www.facebook.com/pages/Water-Engineering-Professionals/93588477901 water engineering page] that I've created on Facebook. |
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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.
| + | ==Convivial Tools== |
| | + | :''Main article:'' [[Convivial Tools]] |
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| − | ==[[Convivial Internet Tools]]==
| + | As originally defined by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Illich Ivan Illich] in his book "Tools for Conviviality," a convivial tool is one which allows the user to work with independent efficiency and with minimal reliance on external expertise. 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 typically exercized by specialized elites. |
| − | The [http://conviviality.ouvaton.org/article.php3?id_article=2 characteristics] that make a physical tool "convivial" can also be sought after in the design of software. This means designing software to make it easy for the average user to penetrate as deeply as they desire into the program, in order to understand how it works, and to modify or configure it without disastrous consequences. Such a design implies use of convivial principles such as reparability, simplicity, robustness, open access and modularity.
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| − | The "convivial software program" is the opposite of a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_box black box]. Thus [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source_software open source software] is by nature far more convivial than closed source programs. Linux is by nature more convivial than Windows, even though it still lags behind in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usability usability] and market share. And for all the beauty and usability of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple,_Inc. Apple] products, they are "black boxes" from the point of view of both software and hardware. (It could be noted in passing that the hardware of the traditional [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_PC_compatible IBM-compatible PC], based on open standards, ranks high in "conviviality").
| + | My original wish was to foster design of household appliances that could be more easily repaired by their users ([[Reparable Tools]]). Only later did I discovered that Illich's ideas could provide a framework for this project. I've created |
| | + | two websites to promote Illich's ideas: a [http://conviviality.ouvaton.org Convivial Tools Encyclopedia] and a [http://convivialtools.net/index.php?title=Main_Page Convivial Tools Database]. Their contents are largely the same, but the "Encyclopedia" site became overly formal, and moreover I prefer the software of the "Database" site. I plan to develop the "Database" site, but I got bogged down in the writing of detailed articles about all sorts of subjects only vaguely related to convivial tools. I should develop the section about the [http://convivialtools.net/index.php?title=Convivial_Tool_Characteristics characteristics of convivial tools]. I should also start a blog about convivial tools, to stay up-to-date with recent developments. |
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| − | Internet software in general, including open source software for use on the Internet, remains far from the ideals of conviviality. My personal activity in this area is currently limited to learning about these tools, with the permanent intention of trying to penetrate as far as possible into their inner workings. I've begun recording some of my progress on my [http://iuserguide.com/index.php?title=Main_Page Internet User Guide] website. Rather than actually trying to modify software design, which would be beyond my personal capabilities, I am merely working on an Internet [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_help help site] (see the next section below). | + | ==The Convivial Internet== |
| | + | :''Main article:'' [[Convivial Internet]] |
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| − | ==[[Convivial Help Sites]]==
| + | The [http://conviviality.ouvaton.org/article.php3?id_article=2 characteristics] that make a tool "convivial" can also be sought after in the design of software or websites. For software design this involves aiming to help the average user to descend within the program, to understand how it works, and to modify or configure it without disastrous consequences. Currently software for use on the interent, including even open source software, remains far from the ideals of conviviality. |
| − | The word "tool" in its broadest sense includes objects designed to help us learn, such as books or websites designed to help the user. There exist a great many sites that provide all sorts of help in virtually any field of activity. The main types of help website are listed below: | + | |
| − | *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_help Online help] generally refers to guided assistance to a user of a software product
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| − | *A [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Review_site review site] prevents reviews about products or services, posted either by professional writers or by site users (see also [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rating_sites rating sites])
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| − | *An question-and-answer site (Q&A site) is a collaborative website which allows any user to post a question or to answer a question posted by another user
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| − | *An online [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_forum forum] (also called message board) is a discussion website - forums are frequently used as question-and-answer sites
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| − | *A [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki wiki] is a collaborative website which allows any user to create or to edit the web pages making up the site
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| − | The "convivial tool" is one which increases the user's autonomy, augmenting their ability to solve their own problems. While providing help is thus a convivial activity in itself, most help websites are far from being "convivial" since their [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usability usability] is generally low. Anyone who has searched for answers in an online [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_forum forum] knows that this experience can resemble searching for a needle in a haystack. Another general problem with help websites is that the information presented is too often untrustworthy, because of the bias or ignorance of the contributors (on a forum one will often find ten wrong anwsers for each right one).
| + | Websites themselves are "tools" in the broad sense, as objects designed to help us learn (such as books are). There exist a great many sites that provide some sort of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_help online help], such as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Review_site review sites], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rating_sites rating sites], question-and-answer sites, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_forum online forums] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki wikis]. However, help websites too often have low [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usability usability]. Searching for answers in online [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_forum forum]s, for example, can resemble searching for a needle in a haystack, and may often provide information that is unreliable. A convivial help site needs strong editing, to increase usability, limit bias, and provide verified answers. As an experiment I began working on an [http://iuserguide.com/index.php?title=Main_Page Internet User Guide] website to share my own (limited) knowledge of basic Internet use and possibly help others avoid all of the false leads I followed. But of course the extensive work involved in writing content for this site has turned out to be beyond my capabilities. |
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| − | A [[Convivial Help Site]] thus needs strong editorial direction, in order to try to control the amount of bias, and above all in order to direct the user as rapidly as possible towards correct information.
| + | Another internet-related project would be to create a [[Cooperative Social Network]], similar to social networks such as Facebook or LinkedIn but structured as a coop. I believe that [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooperative Cooperatives] are a viable economic alternative to less democratic forms of enterprise, and most of my websites are hosted on [http://www.ouvaton.coop Ouvaton], which is a French web-hosting cooperative. While there exist several innovative projects for building a social network that would be distributed over the computers of all the users, there are distinct advantages to hosted systems. In order to reduce the amount of advertising and data mining, the service could operate on a freemium model: the basic service would be free for all users, while paying premium memberships would benefit from additional services and priviledges. The premium members could form a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumers%27_cooperative consumer's cooperative]. |
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| − | (To be continued)
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| − | ==[[Total Customer Service]]==
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| − | Illich's vision of Convivial Tools can also be developed in the realm of customer service.
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| − | The ideal of unlimited customer service is inherent in the marketing of a convivial tool. Designing a household appliance that its owner can easily repair implies designing the whole after-sales cycle, including long-term availability of spare parts, usable documentation and online assistance. But from the vendor's point of view, commercial constraints always limit the amount of after-sales service one can offer. For example, telephone assistance is costly, so it is often made a paying service, or delocalized to overseas [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_center call centers], or replaced by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IVR Interactive Voice Response] (IVR). To imagine limitless improvement in customer service in the face of real-life economic constraints we have to go outside of the box of commercial logic with the help of an abstract ideal which I call [[Total Customer Service]].
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| − | To imagine Total Customer Service you have to suspend the usual criteria of economic rationality. Traditional marketing seeks to make the user dependent, which ensures continued business. The convivial tool or service on the contrary seeks to make the user autonomous, which comports commercial risks. As the effective life of appliances increases, the sale of new models declines. In the long run you might even help the consumer to make their own tool, thus cutting the vendor entirely out the process. But truly serving the interests of customers implies serving their interests as citizens by aiming to improve society as a whole, rather than simply making a profit for your own company. The question is then how to start from the vision of Total Customer Service and still develop a rational economic activity.
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| − | ==[[Cooperative Social Network]]==
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| − | Most of my websites are hosted on [http://www.ouvaton.coop Ouvaton], which is a French web-hosting cooperative. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooperative Cooperatives] are a viable economic alternative to less democratic forms of enterprise. While the Internet abounds in examples of cooperative endeavors, from wikis to open source software, economic cooperatives are rarely found in the field of high-tech - but how often have they actually been tried?
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| − | A [[Cooperative Social Network]], similar to social networks such as Facebook or Friendfeed but structured as a coop, could be developed on two levels:
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| − | *A [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worker_cooperative worker cooperative] for the team that develops and runs the website
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| − | *A [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumers%27_cooperative consumer's cooperative] for the users (which could be limited to the paying premium memberships)
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| − | This social network could be based on the same business model as existing social networks: free accounts for the majority of users, paying accounts for premium users, and operating revenues from advertising and data mining.
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| − | ==The [[Alterweb]]==
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| − | [To be written]
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| | [[Category:Projects]] | | [[Category:Projects]] |
