User:Rudxain/Permacomputing: Difference between revisions
problem is central, not cloud |
Why->Motivation |
||
| (3 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
Permacomputing is the antithesis of [[planned obsolescence]] (and anything related to it) and [[Bloatware|bloat]]. | Permacomputing is the antithesis of [[planned obsolescence]] (and anything related to it) and [[Bloatware|bloat]]. | ||
== | ==Motivation== | ||
Here's a quote from [[wikipedia:Hundred_Rabbits#Permacomputing|100R]] (links added by me; typos corrected):<ref>https://100r.co/site/weathering_software_winter.html</ref><blockquote>Many of the tools that we thought we could rely on broke down, whether it is [[Apple]] products, or software that require [[Subscription service|subscription services]], <abbr>[[Digital rights management|DRM]]</abbr>, etc. As an artist you spend time developing a skill, you become a Photoshop illustrator. When your connection to the internet fails and that the software locks up, that skill that you thought was [[Right to own|yours]] was actually entirely owned by someone, and can be taken away. | Here's a quote from [[wikipedia:Hundred_Rabbits#Permacomputing|100R]] (links added by me; typos corrected):<ref>https://100r.co/site/weathering_software_winter.html</ref><blockquote>Many of the tools that we thought we could rely on broke down, whether it is [[Apple]] products, or software that require [[Subscription service|subscription services]], <abbr>[[Digital rights management|DRM]]</abbr>, etc. As an artist you spend time developing a skill, you become a Photoshop illustrator. When your connection to the internet fails and that the software locks up, that skill that you thought was [[Right to own|yours]] was actually entirely owned by someone, and can be taken away. | ||
| Line 23: | Line 23: | ||
This principle is the basis of [[wikipedia:Bootstrapping_(compilers)|bootstrapping]]. Simple (and tedious) tools can be used to make useful (and complex) tools! This goes hand-in-hand with [[wikipedia:Reproducible_builds|reproducible builds]], which [[User:Rudxain/Object transparency movement|improves transparency]].<ref>https://bootstrappable.org/</ref> | This principle is the basis of [[wikipedia:Bootstrapping_(compilers)|bootstrapping]]. Simple (and tedious) tools can be used to make useful (and complex) tools! This goes hand-in-hand with [[wikipedia:Reproducible_builds|reproducible builds]], which [[User:Rudxain/Object transparency movement|improves transparency]].<ref>https://bootstrappable.org/</ref> | ||
Examples of simple programming-languages (typically [[wikipedia:Turing_tarpit|Turing tarpits]]): | |||
*[[wikipedia:Forth_(programming_language)|Forth]].<ref>https://github.com/cesarblum/sectorforth</ref> Recommended by 100R. | |||
*[[wikipedia:Lisp_(programming_language)|Lisp]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tunney |first=Justine |date=2021-10-30 |title=SectorLISP Now Fits in One Sector |url=https://justine.lol/sectorlisp/ |access-date=2026-04-26}}</ref> | |||
*[[wikipedia:Lambda_calculus|λ-Calculus]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tunney |first=Justine |date=2022-02-27 |title=Lambda Calculus in 383 Bytes |url=https://justine.lol/lambda/ |access-date=2026-04-26}}</ref> IMO, the most minimal of all. No way to beat it! | |||
*[[wikipedia:Brainfuck|Brainfuck]] | |||
===Ubiquity=== | ===Ubiquity=== | ||
If the tool is hard to recreate, ensure it's mostly [[wikipedia:Omnipresence|omnipresent]]. This is "[[wikipedia:Redundancy_(engineering)|useful redundancy]]", as I call it. This way, you can typically rely on it being available in almost any situation. | If the tool is hard to recreate, ensure it's mostly [[wikipedia:Omnipresence|omnipresent]]. This is "[[wikipedia:Redundancy_(engineering)|useful redundancy]]", as I call it. This way, you can typically rely on it being available in almost any situation. | ||
Examples: | |||
*[[User:Rudxain/Unix|Unix-like systems]], and their [https://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9799919799/idx/utilities.html utilities] | |||
*[[wikipedia:MS-DOS|MS-DOS]], because it's the common subset among [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] systems | |||
*[[wikipedia:C_(programming_language)|C]]. BTW, there's a C-compiler that makes ''extremely''-portable executables.<ref>https://justine.lol/cosmopolitan/</ref> | |||
===Interoperability=== | ===Interoperability=== | ||
{{Main|wikipedia:Interoperability}} | {{Main|wikipedia:Interoperability}} | ||
Ensure the tool-set/tool-chain you use is like an orchestra: there must be some ''harmony''. That is, ensure many tools can communicate with each other using common formats and protocols. Ensure ''those'' formats and protocols follow the same guidelines as the tools (simple, [[wikipedia:Open_standard|open]], ubiquitous, etc...). In short, follow [[wikipedia:Unix_philosophy|the Unix Philosophy]]. Even a tiny set of simple tools can be orders-of-magnitude more useful than a single simple tool. | Ensure the tool-set/tool-chain you use is like an orchestra: there must be some ''harmony''. That is, ensure many tools can communicate with each other using common formats and protocols. Ensure ''those'' formats and protocols follow the same guidelines as the tools (simple, [[wikipedia:Open_standard|open]], ubiquitous, etc...). In short, follow [[wikipedia:Unix_philosophy|the Unix Philosophy]]. Even a tiny set of simple tools can be orders-of-magnitude more useful than a single simple tool. | ||
Examples: | |||
*[[wikipedia:Lua|Lua]]. A simple and powerful lang built for embeddability and [[wikipedia:Extensibility|extensibility]]. It's also '''the''' lang used to make MediaWiki modules. | |||
*[[wikipedia:Zig_(programming_language)|Zig]], which has "reusable software" as part of its slogan. It also has C [[wikipedia:Interoperability|interop]]. However, it's still in an [[wikipedia:API#Public_API_implications|API-unstable]] state, so you'll have to wait before everything is settled. | |||
===Archivability=== | ===Archivability=== | ||
(yes, that's a [[wikt:archivability|real word]]) this is more about data/info than computing. When all else fails, at the very least, ensure data can be easily copied and archived. This isn't just for tools, it's about any kind of data: personal memories, historical events, etc... | (yes, that's a [[wikt:archivability|real word]]) this is more about data/info than computing. When all else fails, at the very least, ensure data can be easily copied and archived. This isn't just for tools, it's about any kind of data: personal memories, historical events, etc... | ||
Universal truths, such as those found in math and physics, can be "extracted" and derived any time. But ''events'' are more unique, so those are in great danger of being forgotten (see also: [[wikipedia:Lost_media|lost media]]). | Universal truths, such as those found in math and physics, can be "extracted" and derived any time. But ''events'' are more unique, so those are in great danger of being forgotten (see also: [[wikipedia:Lost_media|lost media]]). You don't have to become a [[wikipedia:Digital_hoarding|data hoarder]], just focus on important data. | ||
BTW, there's a common misconception that physical media is better than digital media. The main problem is [[wikipedia:Centralized_computing|centralized]] media (typically on the [[Cloud (service)|cloud]]). Physical media is ''still'' digital (unless it's analog, like magnetic tape or vinyl records), it's just outside of a device. | BTW, there's a common misconception that physical media is better than digital media. The main problem is [[wikipedia:Centralized_computing|centralized]] media (typically on the [[Cloud (service)|cloud]]). Physical media is ''still'' digital (unless it's analog, like magnetic tape or vinyl records), it's just outside of a device. | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
| Line 76: | Line 67: | ||
*[[wikipedia:KISS_principle|K.I.S.S. principle]] | *[[wikipedia:KISS_principle|K.I.S.S. principle]] | ||
*[[wikipedia:Minimalism_(computing)|Minimalism in computing]] | *[[wikipedia:Minimalism_(computing)|Minimalism in computing]] | ||
*[[wikipedia:Fault_tolerance|Fault tolerance]] | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||