Difference between revisions of "Michael's Projects"
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==[[Convivial Internet Tools]]== | ==[[Convivial Internet Tools]]== | ||
− | 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. | + | 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. 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. |
− | + | Internet software in general, including open source software for use on the Internet, remains far from the ideals of conviviality. However, rather than actually trying to modify software design, which would be beyond my personal capabilities, I have instead begun working on an [http://iuserguide.com/index.php?title=Main_Page Internet User Guide] website. This site is "under construction," meaning it is practically empty, but it aims to become a general [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_help help site] (see the next section) for basic Internet use, as a first step towards making Internet software easier to use. | |
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− | Internet software in general, including open source software for use on the Internet, remains far from the ideals of conviviality. | + | |
==[[Convivial Help Sites]]== | ==[[Convivial Help Sites]]== |