GVCS Machine
Contents
Overview
A GVCS machine is part of the Global Village Construction Set. Examples are CEB Press or Tractor. Machines are composed of modules, and sometimes even incorporate other machines. For example, the Tractor includes one or more Power Cube.
Definitions
The exact list of GVCS machines has evolved over time and is still subject to change. For example, while the MicroHouse and the Car are not GVCS machines in a strict sense (but products created by GVCS machines), they are treated as GVCS machines for historical and business-oriented reasons.
Documentation is found at different places for different target groups:
- Graphical list of 50 machines on our main website (Public)
- Hierarchical representation of machines/modules at dozuki: http://opensourceecology.dozuki.com/ (Public, Prototypers, Developers)
- Wiki internal list of GVCS machines and their breakdown into modules - GVCS Machines and Modules and GVCS State of Completion (Prototypers, Developers)
The master reference for GVCS machines and names is the GoogleDoc https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AkNG-lv1ELQvdGYycGFSMjYtODlZcFROcHZ2NjBwNEE&usp=drive_web#gid=3 as included in GVCS State of Completion.
As of 2015-01-30, the idea is to keep the wiki slightly unstructured and visualize the hierarchical structure of machines/modules in dozuki. This process is in progress.
Warning: As of 2015-01-30, all three data sources are different (different names or sets). Also, the following list is not up-to-date.
Resolve naming inconsistencies
TODO: replace this section by naming conventions when done
General points
- We need consistent names for the machines over all databases and communication channels.
- Proposal: Introduce a fixed numbers for each machine (e.g. "GVCS Machine #001: CEB Press") which allows identification when the name changes. This seems to happen a lot during development (e.g. LifeTrac, The Liberator).
Details (UPPERCASE is name from GoogleDocs, MixedCase from OSE website)
- IRONWORKER vs. Ironworker Machine
- CNC TORCH TABLE vs. CNC Torch/Router Table
- SOIL PULVERIZER vs.Rototiller and Soil Pulverizer
- SOLAR CONCENTRATOR vs. Linear Solar Concentrator
- WIND TURBINE vs. 50 kW Wind Turbine -- Proposal: Do not put technical specs into machine names
- ALUMINUM EXTRACTOR vs. Aluminium Extractor from Clay
- CHIPPER + HAMMERMILL vs. Chipper/Hammermill
- ELECTRIC MOTOR + GENERATOR vs. Electric Motor/Generator
- NICKEL IRON BATTERIES is consistent, but why a plural? -- Proposal: Use singular everywhere
- Why do some machines have "Open Source" or "machine" in their names? Aren't all machines supposed to be open source? Can we just strip that?
- The reference document should use MixedCase to make the correct spelling visible (e.g. MicroHouse). Who can edit that document?
Hierarchical design
The hierarchical design of machines/modules can be visualized as follows.
Naming and identification
See main article Naming and Identification.
Example for module naming/versioning: