Open Source Ecology (OSE) International
OSE is a global movement and collaboratory. Our goal and current engagement is building the world's first replicable, open source, post-industrial village. The name refers to an ecology, or ecosystem, of open-source hardware that works as an ecological whole. However, the name implies much more than technology - for technology is merely a basis upon which social organization can happen, in harmony with its natural life support systems. The real issue then emerges - the possibility of unprecedented quality of life for all.
To build a post-industrial village, we are developing and testing the set of tools required to build such a village - the Global Village Construction Set. Land stewardship and local production via open source design and digital fabrication - founded on open sharing of information - are the key features of this adventure. Right livelihood and resolution of pressing world issues is the intended byproduct.
Factor e Farm
- Our main open source collaboratory and land-based development facility, since 2007, is Factor e Farm, in the Kansas City area, central USA. See our weblog for ongoing updates.
- Ongoing events and workshops are posted at the Factor e Farm mailing list
- Our static website is here
- First year of Factor e Farm
- Wiki development site for the Global Village Construction Set
- The first university chapter of OSE started in 2008 at the U. Missouri, Columbia
- See our legacy webpage here.
- Archives of some of our theory and history are here.
External Links
- P2P Foundation called us, arguably, the most important social experiment in the world
- BoingBoing article on the open source, CEB press - [The Liberator]
- Wired magazine blog on The Liberator
- Discussion of the economic model for open source production - with The Liberator as a case in point
- Followup discussion on economic sustainability of open production by P2P Foundation
- Discussion on land stewardship basis of distributive economies
- Open source design and manufacturing resource at the P2P Foundation - [1]
- OSE Specifications for Distributive Production and internal link
- Review of sustainability movements - [2]
- Greenr - Accelerate the Change - blog post on Open Source Ecology
- German blog discussing the wealth of resources that come from land
Videos
- Factor e Live series - chronicles of Global Village construction
- Video Interview on Global Swadeshi Dialogues
- Video of Presentation on the Global Village Construction Set, U. Missouri, Columbia, 2008
- Audio interview with Agroinnovations
Highlights of our Work
- Advanced Compressed Earth Block (CEB) press prototype done
- Open source tractor prototype in action
- Product ecology overview
- OSE Product Development Cycle
- Neocommercialization of open source technology
- Technical proposal for the Global Village Construction Set
Collaboration
- Core Development Team application - for the Global Village Construction Set
- Solar Turbine development email group
- Student internships and research - see Research Projects
- We are accepting organic farming internships through ATTRA, Organic Volunteers, and WWOOF
- Find out why you should donate here.