@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ _a workshop by Cristina Cochior and Joana Chicau for Constant's work session [Co
[Varia](http://varia.zone/en/) is a collective-space [^1] in Rotterdam focused on everyday technologies. We keep a [trail of photographs](https://vvvvvvaria.org/archive/) of what we've done.
[Varia](http://varia.zone/en/) is a collective-space [^1] in Rotterdam focused on everyday technologies. We keep a [trail of photographs](https://vvvvvvaria.org/archive/) of what we've done.
Together, we try to experiment with various [tools](https://varia.zone/en/pages/collective-infrastructures.html) for collaborative processes, as well as collective infrastructure making and [self-hosting](https://varia.zone/images/variaecosystem.png).
Together, we try to experiment with various free software [tools](https://varia.zone/en/pages/collective-infrastructures.html) for collaborative processes, as well as collective infrastructure making and [self-hosting](https://varia.zone/images/variaecosystem.png).
In October 2019, we wrote our own first [CoC](https://pad.vvvvvvaria.org/coc).
In October 2019, we wrote our own first [CoC](https://pad.vvvvvvaria.org/coc).
@ -40,213 +40,182 @@ Varia members use [XMPP](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XMPP ) as a chat protocol
Working on our own digital infrastructure allows us to adapt the tools to our own needs and behaviours; meaning that these bots make sense to us, but they may not make sense to someone else.
Working on our own digital infrastructure allows us to adapt the tools to our own needs and behaviours; meaning that these bots make sense to us, but they may not make sense to someone else.
Currently, we use:
* [Streambot](https://git.vvvvvvaria.org/varia/xmpp.streambot): a bot that saves the images sent to the main Varia group chat and creates an [html page](https://vvvvvvaria.org/stream/) for them.
* [Logbot](https://git.vvvvvvaria.org/varia/logbot): a bot that [logs](https://vvvvvvaria.org/logs/) the quotes that are sent to it.
Currently, we use:
* [Streambot](https://git.vvvvvvaria.org/varia/xmpp.streambot): a bot that saves the images sent to the main Varia group chat and creates an [html page](https://vvvvvvaria.org/stream/) for them.
* [Logbot](https://git.vvvvvvaria.org/varia/logbot): a bot that [logs](https://vvvvvvaria.org/logs/) the quotes that are sent to it.
* You can find a genealogy of the bots around Varia in this footnote [^2]
* You can find a genealogy of the bots around Varia in this footnote [^2]
<br><br>
<br>
### 15:30-15:45 - _bot as conductor or bot as conductive_
### 15:30-15:45 - _bot as conductor or bot as conductive_
_Conducting: "the art of directing the simultaneous performance of several players or singers by the use of gesture." [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conducting]. There are many roles as conductors [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conductor] Also, in connection to the enviroment: "a substance, body, or device that readily conducts heat, electricity, sound"._
Looking into the bots [examples](https://git.vvvvvvaria.org/ccl/bots-of-conduct)
**_name:_** cross.py;
* create an account and [choose nickname](https://conversejs.org/fullscreen.html#converse/register ) on conversejs
* once you are logged in, join the group chat named botsofconduct@muc.vvvvvvaria.org
**_action mode:_**
**_situation:_**
<br>
<br>
**_name:_** gather.py;
_Conducting: "the art of directing the simultaneous performance of several players or singers by the use of gesture." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conducting. There are many roles as conductors https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conductor also, in connection to the enviroment: "a substance, body, or device that readily conducts heat, electricity, sound"._
**_action mode:_**
**_situation:_**
<br>
<br>
**_name:_** greet.py;
Looking into the bots [examples](https://git.vvvvvvaria.org/ccl/bots-of-conduct)
**_action mode:_**
**_situation:_**
<br>
<br>
**_name:_** spark.py;
**_name:_** transit.py;
**_action mode:_**
**_action mode:_** announces when someone enters or leaves the room;
**_situation:_**
**_situation:_** finding non-verbal ways of communicating through presence and absence; making presence felt otherwise;
<br>
**_name:_** whisper.py (we don't have this one yet)
**_action mode:_**
<br>
**_situation:_**
<br><br>
**_name:_** gather.py;
* split into groups of maximum 5 (mixed interest in code)
**_action mode:_** generates a shared language; it creates a collective document;
<br><br>
**_situation:_** a collective discursive setting that generates its own vocabulary;
_BREAK — 10 minutes ;)_
<br><br>
<br><br>
### 15:45-16:25 — _creating situations_
**_name:_** greet.py;
Imagine you are a collective-space with your group peers and you have been active for 2 years
**_action mode:_** sends a message when it enters the room;
**_situation:_** when there is a theme, for example: "send a reference to an existing or imaginary code of conduct, complaint, guideline, bug report, open letter, license or other social-technical protocol and explain why it is of interest to you."; how one wants to be introduced;
* **create a name for the chatroom:**
* to open up the imagination (rooms /sites of action/ environments);
<br><br>
* **imagine a situations:**
**_name:_** spark.py;
* from your own experiences working in collaboration, or with a collective, or having read a CoC, try to recall a specific moment which can define an action mode;
**_action mode:_** replies to a specific word; brings alternatives into the situation; tries to create new habits and terminologies;
**_situation:_** potentially in moments when a situation seems difficult and there is a need for more joyful interactions;
* which situation to think through? / if a code of conduct would exist for a situation?
<br><br>
* **embody the situation through a conductor / conductive bot:**
**_name:_** whisper.py
* in relation to the situation, does your bot act as conductor or as conductive?
**_action mode:_** takes what someone says to it in confidentiality and echoes it to a group chat, thus anonymising it;
**_situation:_** there are remarks or complaints in the room, but the person does not feel comfortable to bring up the issue themselves;
* what are your "action modes" (for eg.: sitting; dancing; witnessing; listening; gathering; greeting; sparking; whispering; reminders is a specific kind of action); action modes that create (or perform within specific) situations (for eg.:conversation is unbalanced);
<br>
Split into groups of maximum 4-5 (mixed interest in code).
* how can bots be embodied / physically enacted? what gestures would it perform?
<br>
**_BREAK — 10 minutes ;)_**
* what apart from language can be used as a way of conducting? what other modes of expression (non-linguistic)?
<br>
* other possibilities for bot behaviour:
### 16:10-16:30 — _creating situations_
Imagine you are a collective-space with your group peers and you have been active for 5 days;
* **create a name for the chatroom:**
* or rooms /sites of action/ environments ..to open up the imagination of what a chatroom may be like!
* iteration, repetition;
* **imagine situations:**
* lack of memory
* from your own experiences working in collaboration, or with a collective, or having read a CoC, try to recall a specific moment which can define an action mode;
* other temporalities (duration / tempo);
* **action modes: embody the situation through a conductor / conductive bot:**
* in relation to the situation, does your bot act as conductor or as conductive?
* what are your "action modes" (for eg.: sitting; dancing; witnessing; listening; gathering; greeting; sparking; whispering; reminders is a specific kind of action);
* action modes that create or perform within specific situations (for eg.:conversation is unbalanced);
* what apart from language can be used as a way of conducting? what other modes of non-linguistic expression?
* will your bot perform in other space extensions? speaking to other (chat)rooms? to other spatial formats (file systems, like the glossary and the txt file);
* **further questions:**
* how could the bot be physically enacted? what gestures would it perform?
* some (non-exhaustive) attributes of bot behaviour: iteration, repetition, lack of memory, other temporalities (duration / tempo);
* will your bot perform in other space extensions? speaking to other (chat)rooms? to other spatial formats (file systems, like the gather.py which uses a txt file for adding words to a glossary);
* will your bot be a channel between private to public? semi-public to semi-public? semi-public to private? private to private?
* will your bot be a channel between private to public? semi-public to semi-public? semi-public to private? private to private?
* will your bot relate to other bots? thinking of distance and proximities between members and bots: is it listening to a specific member? is it listening to other bots?
* will your bot relate to other bots?
* thinking of distance and proximities between members and bots: is it listening to a specific member? is it listening to other bots?
<br><br>
<br><br>
### 16:25-16:40 - _round of ideas-sharing_
### _installing and running the bots_ (optional)
**For computers running Windows OS**
* install [Anaconda](https://docs.anaconda.com/anaconda/install/windows/) with python 3
**For computers running MacOS**
* open the terminal
* check which version of python you have:
> python -V
* if you have a python 2 version, you could install [Anaconda](https://docs.anaconda.com/anaconda/install/mac-os/) with python 3
**For computers running Linux OS**
* open the terminal
* check which version of python you have:
> python -V
> python3 -V
* if you have a python 2 version, you could install python 3
> sudo apt-get install python3
> sudo apt-get install python3-pip
* download the bots from this page
* go to the folder where you have installed them
* run the following commands in the terminal:
> pip3 install slixmpp requests
* to run a bot, you can copy paste the commands which are already mentioned in the bot file, but a general command looks like this:
* if you dont have a code editor, we can suggest (among others) [Sublime Text](https://www.sublimetext.com/)
* to install the conversations app on your phone, you could use either Conversations or [Quicksy](https://quicksy.im/) for Android phones (among others)
<br><br>
<br><br>
### 16:40-17:10 - _installing_
### 17:00-17:30 - _bot in the situation_
* create an account and choose nickname on converse: https://conversejs.org/fullscreen.html#converse/register
* once you are logged in, join the group chat named tuwazap@muc.vvvvvvaria.org
_optional_: for anyone who would like to install and run the bots:
1. are there any Windows users?
2. open the Terminal application on your computer
3. install python3
dependencies (pip install slixmpp requests, install python3, pip3, text editor)
3. download the bots: https://git.vvvvvvaria.org/ccl/bots-of-conduct/src/branch/master
5. run a bot in the terminal (be sure to be in the same directory of the files):
4. show & explain the parts where one can intervene
* if you dont have a code editor, we can suggest (among others): https://www.sublimetext.com/
* if you don't have python3 installed:
* to install the conversations app on your phone [click here](https://quicksy.im/)
<br><br>
### 17:10-17:30 - _bot in the situation_
* experimenting with bots: either adapt the ones we provided (experiment with code) or enact the bots' behaviours iteratively (bot behaviour);
* experimenting with bots: either adapt the ones we provided (experiment with code) or enact the bots' behaviours iteratively (bot behaviour);
* bot behaviour: iterations, repetition, ...
* bot behaviour: iteration, repetition
<br><br>
<br><br>
### 17:30-18:00 - _present and perform_
### 17:30-18:00 - _discussion and performing_
<br><br>
<br><br>
### Footnotes
### Footnotes
**Link to reference's [pad](https://pad.vvvvvvaria.org/Bots_of_Conduct_References) — further references and materials assembled by Joana and Cristina - feel free to add your owns!**
**Link to reference's [pad](https://pad.vvvvvvaria.org/Bots_of_Conduct_References) — further references and materials assembled by Joana and Cristina - feel free to add your own!**
[^1]: Varia is not merely a collective, nor merely a space. Varia is an interdependent concatenation of both
[^1]: Varia is not merely a collective, nor merely a space. Varia is an interdependent concatenation of both
