This is a study on open collaborations for appropriate technology, initiated by Akvo.[1]

What is an "open collaboration"?

Appropriate technology wikis

See also: Appropedia:Wiki origins
  • Open Source Technologies - PESWiki. Though the focus on "free energy" might be misguided,[1], the pages linked here describing open source technology are to some degree applicable to more mainstream open design projects, especially OSAT. (Also, some pages link to what may be valid renewable energy designs, e.g. for Biodiesel.) See PESWiki writings, below.

Not quite "appropriate technology"

Wikis

Sustainable design, if not Appropriate technology:

Check:

Non-wiki

  • MIT Collabatorium - highly structured; in concept phase.
  • OAN - very visual and requires the use of tools to create/present the design: CAD...; starts from a single viewpoint - is there an equivalent of a stub?

talk of OSAT

  • STAR-TIDES - uncertain commitment to platform, but making some use of Appropedia.
  • ThinkCycle? Didn't take off.

Real world collaborations

Open design work in appropriate technology includes:

NGOs and OSAT

Many NGOs in principle believe in openness, including:

  • Practical Action (the original appropriate technology organization, starting in 1965 as the Intermediate Technology Development Group.) Their technical briefs are used by Appropedia and Howtopedia, among others, with the approval of Practical Action. Neil Noble expressed to me (Chriswaterguy) a wish that these would be made inviting for readers to make improvements to these pages.
  • AIDG - site (or blog only?) uses a CC-BY license. How do they document their appropriate technology work?
  • Full Belly Project - explicitly describe their designs as open source - what exactly do they mean by this?
  • Village Earth - to the extent that they set up the first appropriate technology wiki, The Appropriate Technology Wiki Project. It appeared hard to actively manage the wiki while still managing the organization, and in the end it was merged into Appropedia.

What is very clear from looking at examples such as these, is that the intent to share is present, but the techniques available for doing so have been very limited, and have not led to active OSAT development involving NGOs.

Commercial entities and OSAT

  • The Open Toolbox "Vital Keys for Life-Embracing Communities" Co-founder Vinay Gupta states: "Our business model is to sell the service of doing this kind of training work to organizations that need it - NGOs, government, business - so the materials are fully open but if you want us to turn up and teach you these things, you pay for our time."

Open patents and other structures for open design

  • [Open Innovation… bang bang bang bang bang, Jul 24th, 2008, blog post by Vinay Gupta. "Fundamental problem: copyright doesn’t cover *how* - doesn’t protect ideas, only expressions. Patents (can) protect ideas, but they’re expensive and uncertain". "I think we need to consider punching a hole in the international patent regime for bottom of the pyramid work - a statement of professional ethics which requires companies not to abuse patents and then we get NGOs and governments to require companies they buy BOP products and services from to be signatories to that agreement."
  • Starting an anti-patent-abuse appropriate technology political bloc?, Discussion started July 23, 2008 by Vinay Gupta on Global Swadeshi.

Movements and networks

There are also many other movements and networks related to green living, though not specifically to appropriate technology - see for example Green wikis.

Individual initiatives in open source

While individual efforts do not constitute "collaboration", an individual "open-sourcing" their work is enabling collaboration. Open licenses and the widely known concept of "open source" have enabled individuals to contribute to open knowledge even without necessarily being aware of any OSAT network or movement.

At times there may not even be an understanding of open licensing - just an expectation that by putting the information out there, someone will use it.

Examples include.

Writings, concepts and memes

Collations of open knowledge for international development

  • Moulin - Focused on Wikipedia content. (French based, Africa focused plus Persian language. Renaud Gaudin spent several months volunteering with Geekcorps Mali. They're working with the US Peace Corps, in discussion with UNESCO? Apparently approached OLPC in the past, so they're interested in cooperating.)
  • WikiAfrica
  • The Jhai PC and Communication System, a project of the Jhai Foundation, is a computer and communications system designed to meet the needs of villagers in remote and rural areas. (Some thought has been given to providing content on the machines; openness is an expressed value of Jhai.)
  • OLPC, through the XO laptop. (MOU with Appropedia being worked on now - Nov 2008)

Project output

Chriswaterguy is planning to blog and/or write on the wiki on these topics:

  • Interviews for blogs
  • Structure and syntax in OSAT
  • What is appropriate technology exactly? What kinds of data, information, knowledge and wisdom are we sharing?
  • Usability
  • Dispersed efforts for OSAT - upsides, downsides;
  • how to having our cake and eat it
  • Open design licenses
  • Give interviews: Agroinnovations; Ian Woolf and/or John August; approach NPR/ABC (Aust).

Possible areas of further thought and study

  • Explore different software options.
  • Can elements of a design be broken down in a way that they can be tracked in a "history"?

Notes

  1. "zero point" energy are not only unproven, but rejected by the scientific community as impossible.
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