introduction text

content/federations.md

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-Title: Federations
-Category: federation
-slug: federations
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-
-This is a research into software, technopolitics, labour and people. 
+Title: Welcome to the � Federation
+Category: introduction
+slug: welcome-to-the-federation
+tags: Wtt�F, software, design
 
 Over the past few years there has been a renewed interest in 'alternative' on-line services. These are services that imagine different experiences and models to the ones we are used to from corporations like Google, Facebook and Apple. 
 
 Some of these alternatives are that in name only, opting for similar or identical business models as the platform they want to become an alternative to. In essence a different brand serving the same product. 
 
-Others take different approach, fundamentally challenging the status quo through putting effort in building ecosystems based around protocols. 
-
-The interest of *federations* is to consider software projects that are working towards alternative ecosystems. In particular those projects whose activities have reinvigorated interest for their underlying protocols. They have done so mostly by focusing on design, language and user experience (UX). 
-
-If we understand these software practices as critical practices then 
-
-
-
+Others projects take a different approach. They fundamentally challenge the status quo through putting effort in building free software ecosystems based around open protocols. 
 
-* tegen bandwagon -> geen blockchain etc
-* federatie 
-* belang ui, verhaal fb, niemand klaagt om privacy, maar iedereen vertrekt bij interface verandering. zelfde voor snapchat
+The interest of *Welcome to the � Federation* is to consider software projects that are working towards these alternative ecosystems. In particular those projects whose activities have reinvigorated interest for their underlying protocols, in part by their focusing on design, language and user experience (UX). 
 
+These software practices can be understood as forms of Critical Engineering[^1]or Software As A Critique[^2], developing a theoretical critique of systems into concrete and practical responses. 
 
+The Wtt�F question is then how arts and design communities can play a supportive role in these processes by contributing skills, knowledge and exposure.
 
-This is the start of a research project that is tentatively titled 'Welcome to the Federation' or 'WTTF' for short. Actually maybe 'wπf' could also work. Who knows?
+Wtt�F will host a series of two-day gatherings that invite developers of these software projects and people active in arts and design. After an evening of presentation and discussion on the first day, the second day will be a hands-on worksession.
 
-Anyways, the point of departure for this resaearch is the fact that over the past years there has been a renewed interest in 'alternative' on-line services. Think of all the big sites where you spend a lot of time and then imagine the same services, run through a different platform.
+## coming gatherings
 
-In particular this research is fascinated with the fact that there have been a few projects that have 'revived' interest in their underlying protocols through a combination of good design and UX. This perhaps raises an issue for those working in the fields of arts and design to contribute more to these projects.
+* June 1st: ['The Ecosystem Is Moving'](/conversations-gultsch.html), an evening on XMPP, federated chat and Conversations with Daniel Gultsch
+* 2nd 2018: 'The Ecosystem Is Moving' worksession. A hands-on dive into the affordances and challenges of Conversations as part of a larger free software ecosystem
 
-As such the project aims to organize a few encounters between developers and people from the cultural field to one the one hand explore each others work being done on floss services and on the other hand have a worksession.
+[^1]: "The Critical Engineer considers Engineering to be the most transformative language of our time, shaping the way we move, communicate and think." <https://criticalengineering.org/>
+[^2]: See: <http://constantvzw.org/w/?u=http://constantvzw.org/w/eft/2539.html> and <https://wiki.laglab.org/Software_as_a_Critique>