With Simon about experimental publishing

11 April 2025 @ Simon's place

XPUB allowed me to understand technology as something i can touch.

It does not mean that i always have to manipulate it, was a lot.

It turned technology into a material thing for me. That is where the real thing changes.

I can actually interact with this.

You can make a web page, and somebody else can see that web page. And this sounds so simple, but it is actually really powerful.

Other examples are: you can share a computer with multiple people.

And then you become curious. And this curiosity is the real game changer.

Before, i just got frustrated very quickly.

Of course, still you have to decide what is a healthy use of your time..

But at least it increases the amount of choices you have.

Before, you just go for the default. And the default is extremely limited.

And because you have more options, you need to find your favorite software. What really helps is to have people around to speak about which options they are using, to speak about the joys that it creates and also the frustrations. And this creates social dynamics, which is another aspect of it that is so powerful.

It is a powerful thing to see the world as material, rather than symbolic. Because it means that you can start to see that you have agency.