Open Source Ecology - User contributions [en]

User:Neodynos

2012-12-13T02:35:01Z

Neodynos: initial commit according to OSE template for user pages

{{InternalWikiCommunication|Neodynos}}



=Team Culturing Information=

Last updated 2012-12

'''WHO''' are you?
*Name/Nationality/Ethnicity - Matthias Ansorg, German national
*Location – what is your city and country? - near Frankfurt/Main, Germany
*Contact Information – E-Mail matthias@ansorgs.de, Skype matthew-nosorrow, everything else [http://ma.juii.net/contact ma.juii.net/contact]
*Introductory Video – see 
*Resume/CV –
*Hobbies and Pastimes – building a [http://ma.juii.net/blog/expv-project-history truck to live in], mountain biking, outdoor activities, developing an "open everything system" called [http://ma.juii.net/blog/earthos-0-12 EarthOS], blogging, understanding economics, philosophy, theology and everything else ...

'''WHY''' are you motivated to support/develop this work?
*''Do you endorse open source culture?''
I do. After a multi-year journey of investigating models for economy and society, all the while suffering personally from capitalist economy, I settled for the "globalize information, localize everything else" approach as the most resilient, least exploitable proposal to structure a society. And globalizing information – spreading the instructions for local living far and wide – is the free & open approach. See my [http://ma.juii.net/blog/earthos-0-12 EarthOS] project as a proof of being serious about open source: it's a large but unfinished open content document that collects and integrates "open" solutions for all of life.

*''Why are you interested in this work?''
I'm on a personal mission to find a free & open solution for everything in life, as explained above. OSE is the most advanced group with the same vision, so I'd love to join forces. No need for fragmentation, which only weakens the movement.

*''Are you interested in teaching about the GVCS?''
Yes, for example by creating educational materials.

*Are you interested in economic relocalization possibilities arising from the GVCS?
It nicely harmonizes with my "globalize information, localize everything else" approach to resilience and social systems engineering. So, yes.

*''Do you want to use the GVCS technologies yourself? Do you want to build them yourself?''
As these are industrial (not household) machines, it's a matter of finding the right community. Definitely interested in that, though I also like nomadic living (which needs some other open source products).

*''Are you interested in starting up enterprise using the GVCS technologies?''
I still have an "open design manufacturing" project in the drawer. So, I'd like to contribute to the open source economy of the GVCS. Depending on what fits into my life situation, I'm also happy with a small contribution in a networked open source economy. Like, having a CNC torch table and cutting parts for others' production runs of machines maybe.

*''Are you interested in having the GVCS technologies fabricated by your local custom fabricator?''
Mmmh. If this fab shop is also part of a non-capitalist, open source economy – yes, because that's synergy then.

*''Are you interested in applying the GVCS to third world development? To redevelopment of crisis areas? To development of derelict areas in the developed world?''
Abandoned villages in Spain and Italy can give me the thrill :) For now, I can well imagine to use the GVCS tech for building an attractive new way of rural living there, and living there myself.

*''Are you interested in starting up Industry 2.0 flexible fabrication enterprises for your local community, by drawing from a global repository of freely down-loadable designs and fabricating using open source fabrication equipment?''
Yep – even if that is just about producing one part of a machine in a desktop company. Would like to see an economically viable form of work in small, self-steered, worker-owned enterprises. It's hard for now, but as a mutually supportive network of open source industry companies that would be a rewarding and liberating experience ...

*''Are you interested in the potential of the GVCS for developing local food systems?''
In my view, food is one of the most important products for economic liberty.

*''Are you interested in doing academic studies/papers, publishing books, or doing other analysis of our efforts?''
I like writing a lot and am in the process of writing a 1000 pp. book "[http://ma.juii.net/blog/earthos-0-12 EarthOS]" on "open everything", covering all areas in life. But while I like constructive writing (ideas, product documentation, solution documentation etc.), purely analytical writing for understanding is not my favorite ...

*Are you interested in financial investment opportunities arising from our work?
I have no finances to invest, and I guess an open source economy will be about ROI only in its transitional state ...

*''Are you interested in the distributive economic aspects of our work, and if so, how do you see this playing out?''
Sure. My approach to resilient, fair economy is creating autarkic "cells" ca. the size of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunbar%27s_number Dunbar's number] (100-250). This is distributive economy in the sense that these groups exchange the knowledge and designs for economic activity and products.

*Are you interested in building renewable energy production facilities based on open hardware (solar concentrator electric, wind, biomass power).
It belongs to an "open everything system for all of life", so yes. Esp. interested in biogas.

*Are you interested in building resilient communities based on access to the GVCS?
I'd love contributing to one of these, as an example to be copied, and as my "permanent home" while on Earth.

*Are you interested in creating a bug-out hut using GVCS technologies?
I'd rather make the GVCS based resilient community more resilient by making it completely relocateable ...

*How do you think that the GVCS can help alleviate the instabilities of global monetary systems?
Because it enables local autarky, partially or even fully, in village to city size groups and networks. The more autarky, the less is an economy affected by economic "crashes" and other big system havoc.

*How do you think that the GVCS can address issues related to resource conflicts?
By being a "fully cyle" economy, not needing any input of non-renewable materials like metals etc. after the first buildup.

*How do you think that the GVCS can address issues of overpopulatoin?
I don't think the GVCS does address that directly. In developed regions, it's a matter of education and values.

*How do you think that the GVCS can address issues of resource depletion and environmental degradation?
In the case of large-scale adoption, it would solve resource issues globally by implementing a sustainable full-circle economy. Before that, it solves resource problems at least for those who already adopted the technology, and for the area of the Earth they use.

'''WHAT'''- Here I am listing mostly the needs of the GVCS development, as I have limited expertise in most of the following items:

*''What have you already contributed to the OSE project? (technical contributions, blogging about us, financial support, organizing events, translations, interviews, video editing, publications, publicity work, behind-the-scenes work, CAD work, wiki contributions, computer support, etc)''
Some blogging and promotion in my network. Signed up as True Fan since 2010-08. Some tech comments / feedback via the OSE blog. So, not much so far.

'''Communications'''
*I am proficient in all kinds of electronic communications from blogging to collaborative authoring to photography, DTP and graphics processing (video: still learning). If necessary, I get down to the tech level (CSS, HTML etc.) to solve my own problems.
*Languages: German (native), English (high level), Spanish (beginner)

'''Organizational'''
*Experience with managing a larger online community incl. group decision making and some conference organization.

'''Computer Support'''
*Using Linux only since 1998, proficient in Linux shell.
*Experiece in Linux web server administration, incl. applications like Wordpress, Magento, Joomla, other CMS, wikis, forums etc..
*Can do programming in Java, Ruby, Actionscript / Flash, PHP, JavaScript, some C.
*Fast learner, capable to solve wicked computer problems (proof: [http://ma.juii.net/blog/category/computing these 1200 blog posts]).
*Some initial experience with CAD/CAM under Linux.

'''Finances'''
*Nothing to offer. Ah well ... I can help with selecting and maintaining financial accounting software.

''
'''Sociology'''
*I'm interested in the topics of social cohesion and how societies work, but no track record yet.

'''Home Economics'''
*Can feed myself :D Plus experience-based proficiency in detecting which food is still edible and which is not.
*Good in improvising solutions and repurposing items around the home.

'''Design'''
*I like thinking of better and innovative product designs, esp. in the DIY / simple technology context. Since 1996, I accumulated around 3000 ideas in both the [http://ma.juii.net/blog/earthos-0-12 EarthOS document] and my older [http://ma.juii.net/ma-documents/main/InventionBase.2010-07-08.pdf invention list].

'''Building'''
*Good working knowledge of mostly hand tools for metal and woodworking.
*Basic practical knowledge on how to operate a CNC mill under Linux.
*Have not built much for lack of time, tools and resources; but I'm building [http://ma.juii.net/blog/gridbeam-boxes my own furniture system], for example.

'''Electronics and Magnetics'''
*Can read and did develop wiring diagrams.
*Can do average electronics welding jobs.
*Basic conceptual knowledge of electronics: can select and combine electronic devices correctly, but cannot design them yet.

'''Automation'''
*As an experienced software developer, I can learn programming for microcontrollers pretty fast.

'''Metallurgy'''
*Basic working kowledge of metal alloys and their properties. Sufficient for some engineering and building, but not for operating a furnace ...

'''Engineering'''
*Expert knowledge in software engineering incl. patterns, complexity management, best practices, "beauty of code", development methods etc..
*Hands-on experience in mechanical engineering, esp. structural modifications to a truck.
*Broad interest in the other engineering disciplines, which helps to at least understand technical problems.

'''HOW''' can you help?''

*''How are you interested in contributing to the work of GVCS development?''
As a remote collaborator, doing all kinds of computer support, software development, content authoring. I'd esp. love to contribute my [http://ma.juii.net/blog/earthos-0-12 EarthOS] content to the OSE wiki.

*''Can you volunteer to work with us, and if so, how many hours per week?''
Up to 20-30 hours a week, if I can get some minimum compensation to cover my running costs (of a simple lifestyle).

*''Are you interested in working with us for pay? If so, what services can you offer, and what is your hourly or per-project rate?''
Yes. For services, see on how I want to contribute. For compensation, see on volunteering above.

*''Are you interested in purchasing equipment from us to help bootstrap development?''
If that means, for legal tender: no, I don't have the money for it now. If I had, sure why not.

*''Are you interested in bidding for consulting/design/prototyping work?''
Aww ... I have worked as IT freelancer for 5 years now and stopped doing fixed-price projects because they always went overtime and devastated me financially. So, no I don't do fixed-price bids.

*''Are you a True Fan? If not, why not?''
My True Fan subscription ended 2012-08 after two years. Will renew soon.

*''Would you like to see yourself working with us on a full-time basis?''
I can definitely imagine doing a job for OSE. (Spent today looking for IT jobs in the formal economy, and found just capitalist crap, from developing a webshop for "individualized pet food" to making financial exploitation software for banks. So, if I get the chance to work on open hardware things that improve this world's state, I take it.)

*''Are you interested in using the technologies that we are developing directly?''
Yes - as a long-term goal, I'm intending to use only open technologies for the material basis of my life.

*''Are you interested in being part of the world's first, open source, resilient community? The GVCS is the preparatory step for the OSE Village Experiment – a 2 year, immersion experiment (2013-2014) for testing whether a real, thriving, modern-day prototype community of 200 people can be built on 200 acres using local resources and open access to information? We are looking for approximately 200 people to fill a diverse array of roles, according to the Social Contract that is being developed. This may be the boldest social experiment on earth - a pioneering community whose goal is to extend the index of possibilities regarding harmonious existence of humans, ecology, and technology – as a beacon of light to benefit of all people on Earth.
''
Not sure yet, as I don't know my options for the next years yet. But I like living in an intentional community and dealing with open source!!

[[Category:Team Culturing]]

=Other=

True Fans

2010-08-23T17:56:24Z

Neodynos: added Matthias' support statement

[[Image:100fans.jpg]]

=Introduction=

We are supported 100% by donations - so we can work on the [[GVCS]] full time. True Fans are supporters of the [http://openfarmtech.org/weblog/?p=458 1000 True Fans - 1000 Global Villages campaign ]. Here you can read why people have joined the campaign, as a motivation for you to join if you're not already signed up. As of August 9, 2010 - we have reached 100 True Fans. Read [http://openfarmtech.org/weblog/2010/08/100-true-fans-reached/ update here].

As of August, 2010 - we have also had requests for larger donation options. Thus, we are creating the Gold and Platinum subscriptions - ones at $20 and $50 per month, respectively, in addition to the Standard subscription of $10/month.

<html><form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">
<input type="hidden" name="cmd" value="_s-xclick">
<input type="hidden" name="hosted_button_id" value="2RTKWYWUKMCCC">
<table>
<tr><td><input type="hidden" name="on0" value="Subscription Options">Subscription Options</td></tr><tr><td><select name="os0">
<option value="Standard">Standard : $10.00USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Gold">Gold : $20.00USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Platinum">Platinum : $50.00USD - monthly</option>
</select> </td></tr>
</table>
<input type="hidden" name="currency_code" value="USD">
<input type="image" src="https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_subscribeCC_LG.gif" border="0" name="submit" alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!">
<img alt="" border="0" src="https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" height="1">
</form>
</html>

=Video Introductions=
*Adam Mitchell - August, 2010 - <html><object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=14138729&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=14138729&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/14138729">True Fan Introduction</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2333113">Adam Mitchell</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p></html>
*Marcin Jakubowski - August, 2010 - <html><object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=14161032&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=14161032&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/14161032">Marcin's Personal Introduction to the True Fans</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2016419">Marcin Jakubowski</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p></html>

=True Fans=

{| style="width:100%"
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| '''Shakti Saraswati''', Brisbane, Australia (mail at shakti dot id dot au)

I have come to the Open Source Ecology, from the Zeitgeist movement and see this as a natural transition from something quite absurd to a more practical way to live our lives. By doing nothing we have allowed this silly profit system overrule common sense and go so viral as to be totally dysfunctional. Society spends all of its time solving problems that are symptomatic and never go any deeper to find causal remedy.

The fact that people can earn money without actually contributing anything of substance is an unbelievable waste of potential usefulness. 80% of the population do this while fiddling the figures, they are totally consumed. Imagine if that problem solving potential was put to good use.

As a musician I find it an incredible distraction living in a society that has not, after 5000 years of civilisation, actually become civilised yet. A lot of the mental energy that I need to improve myself as a musician is wasted basically trying to survive. I have learned to live off the smell of an oily rag, and my priority is improving myself to the detriment of living comfort, and that is because society does not work efficiently.

I see Open source Ecology as the first rung in the ladder to improving all that ails the world. The important thing to mention here is the fact that everything that each individual knows is the collection of their experience of everyone else around them, so they have no right to exclusivity and have a duty to share. There is no reason why all land and resources should not benefit all people. The understanding of this will eliminate all the unnecessary conflict that we have today. The challenge is to put it into practice for the greater good without sacrificing the individual. This will happen when we share the workload and become responsible.

Fulfilment in life comes from hands on achievement and when everybody is contributing instead of building locks and walls while fiddling figures, I bet we have a much more harmonious and luxurious lifestyle without the fear. The real challenges will be then what will affect us all as a human species, rather than just individual survival.

So thank you Open Source Ecology for putting the wheels in motion of the ground-up transition to self-sustaining systems open for the improvement of all who contribute, not just those who wish to profit and exploit.
|[[Image:Shakti.jpg|thumb|Shakti Saraswati. Joined Nov., 2009.]]
|}

{| style="width:100%"
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| '''Isaiah Saxon''', Aptos, USA
I'm a filmmaker, technologist, and one of the instigators of an egalitarian community of 17 people, called Trout Gulch, where we are building a studio, village, farm, and maker space inspired by the actions of Christopher Alexander, Will Allen, Sepp Holzer, and Marcin. My film team, [http://www.esquire.com/features/best-and-brightest-2009/encyclopedia-pictura-1209 Encyclopedia Pictura], is working with hollywood to create a new populist heroic myth for the maker movement.

I'm anticipating that the entire GVCS will be created and documented, then replicated by mechanics, geeks, hippies, weekend warriors, and tough guys that are into their trucks. I think OSE is contributing tangibly and symbolically to the greater cultural shift toward localism, authenticity, and DIY green tech.
|[[Image:Isaiah.jpg|thumb|Isaiah Saxon. Joined August 4, 2010.]]
|}
{| style="width:100%"
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| '''David Crary''', Seattle, USA
I have been really searching to find people out there who are actually experimenting with new forms of social organization where it is possible to create advanced culture - that is thriving in abundance and largely autonomous, creating a model for everyone...so kudos to you guys. Keep up the great work!
|[[Image:davidcrary.jpg|thumb|David Crary, Seattle, USA. Joined July, 2010.]]
|}
{| style="width:100%"
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| '''Benjamin Kaplin'''
I'm a mechanical engineering student, and I support the OSE because a completed Open Source Village kit would represent several orders of magnitude of improvement over existing projects to improve living conditions around the globe with technology. I grew up reading Stephenson, and one of the most powerful images in his book <em>Diamond Age</em> is The Seed, a nanotechnology McGuffin that one of the main characters devotes his life to that would take the control of production and self-determination out of the hands of the McCorporations and put it into the hands of revolutionaries and the impoverished.
Needless to say, nanotech is still several decades away from that dream, and contributing to the True Fans campaign helps a realistic Seed program without pulling me away from my studies.
|[[Image:0213090948.jpg|thumb|Benjamin Kaplin]]
|}

[[Category:1000 Squared]]

{| style="width:100%"
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| '''Paul D. Mamigonian'''
The Open Source Ecology group are making self sufficient living real. Through the Zeitgeist movement and groups like the Open Source Ecology the example is being set that we can come away from the corrupt monetary system. How many times do you hear people say " BUT WHAT CAN WE DO?". There IS SO MUCH THAT can be done and IS BEING DONE. THE TIME IS RIGHT, THE METHODS ARE HERE AND SO IS THE TECHNOLOGY. Please see my site www.livegreenliveclean.org. The Open Source Ecology group are leading the way, and it's up to us all to follow their lead.
|[[Image:paulm.jpg|thumb|Paul D. Mamigonian]]
|}

{| style="width:100%"
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| '''Marcin Jakubowski''', opensourceecology at gmail dot com, marcin_ose on Skype
I started the campaign because I have observed how little of humanity's true potential has been tapped. Everyone slaves their life away to a system that is crumbling at the seams. I believe that we can all reach absolute prosperity and evolve to freedom - by becoming skilled and productive [[Integrated Humans]], and by helping anyone else to do the same. History has shown that this is a general formula for lasting prosperity. As long as we're wise, it should be trivial to get beyond the economics of scarcity. We need to show the world how to build the world's first, replicable, open source Global Village.
|[[Image:marcin.jpg|thumb|Marcin Jakubowski]]
|}

{| style="width:100%"
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| '''Scott Akridge'''
As I get older I'm more and more interested in helping people. A couple weeks back I enlisted the help of a friend to help in developing a CEB press when I began doing research and found www.openfarmtech.org with the open source CEB press. I continued looking for more information but kept coming back to this site for more info and learned more about the project and found I wanted to get involved. I started by becoming a member and donating $10 a month with plans to build the CEB press and build a couple structures then make the effort a cooperative. After reading more I've decided to also build a sawmill, assuming I can recruit some help. I think this is a great project and am excited to be a part of it in a small way.
|}

{| style="width:100%"
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| '''Toby Martin'''
I support OSE because...
* It's an intelligent and direct effort to address some of the most serious problems we face as individuals and as a society.
* It's one of the most interesting and creative projects I've ever heard of.
* I see no reason in principle that it can't improve people's lives.
* It's actually happening.
|[[Image:TF2.jpg|thumb|Toby Martin]]
|}

{| style="width:100%"
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| '''Lucas González''', imagina (dot) canarias at gmail dot com [[Image:lucas.JPG|thumb|Lucas Gonzalez]]
I support OSE because both the model and the elements add some important missing pieces to what I perceive is going on.
* I think it's important to have local possibilities for water, food and energy everywhere. Not just at the household level but more importantly at the village or more aggregated levels. Even if you end up buying stuff from elsewhere, it's best if that happens by choice, not by necessity. It was not by choice when things were local by default and it's not by choice now that things are global by default.
* The whole process of open sharing of ideas, processes, know-how is intriguing and, at the very least, extremely fun to watch. (I really wish I had more time to join in myself, but I'm doing things that need doing. So I translate, tell others, and chip in with a little cash, less than what others spend in smoking. My choice.)
* I'm particularly interested in some items for specific locations. Energy for water in sunny places is a must. Shelter and water collection systems. You name it.
* Do we really know how far and how fast this can go? I think there's bound to be a catalitic process so that more and more technologies will come out openly, in an exciting incarnation of the Stone Soup story. So I want to help keep the fire going.
* It really looks like this can be done, should be done, will be done in 2 years. Less than 2 years now. The whole world now has a sense of urgency, I feel. I'd like to see what we can do after this. But the time is ripe for this, now.
* It's interesting to note how open content gives us a sense of ownership. Many have felt that with software. I want to see that with hardware.
|
|}

'''Joseph Zarr''', joseph.zarr@gmail.com [[Image:DSC_0169.JPG|thumb|Joseph Zarr]]

I am an anthropologist, a farmer, and a permaculturist by training. I support OSE because, well, let's be frank: This is arguably the coolest project on the planet. I am most attracted to Factor E Farm and OSE because of the overall themes of personal improvement (via daily spiritual and physical discipline - in whatever forms a person deems appropriate), human production, and an intertwined personal and community growth. We must collaboratively market the ownership of our futures.

"For less than the price of one coffee per week, for less than the price of one first class stamp per day, you can help change the world. Subscribe!"

As our resource pool dwindles globally, largely due to corporate theft and errant industrial practices, we will have to produce locally and 'in-source'. With a dwindling petroleum base, our dream of cheap energy will disappear. These are simple facts. We must invest human energies in locally-based solutions. We must ignore our propagandized 'reality' and create a meaningful existence together.
With drastically increasing populations (estimated 70 million per year), we must teach ourselves the merits of collaboration, co-housing, and SHARING. My opinion is the era of individualized ownership is archaic and ill-advised. Only by sharing and producing what we actually need, and sharing what we already have (be it skills, books, resources etc.), will we experience the next stage of cultural progress. Hopefully, in the not so distant future our children's hands will not deform due to excessive playing of video games but, rather, they will callous, strengthen and scar due to meaningful labor and a 'hands-on' reality; i.e. literacy, numeracy, production = freedom. The only debts we owe are to ourselves and our community. Let's pay up.

{| style="width:100%"
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| '''Josef Davies-Coates'''
I'm founder United Diversity and co-founder of The Open Co-op and support this project because of all the many many VERY cool projects I follow, this is perhaps the most inspiring and important. I can't think of a better way I could possibly spend my money.
|[[Image:jdaviescoates.jpg|thumb|Josef Davies-Coates]]
|}

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| '''Reto Stauss''', reto.stauss(at)gmail.com, rstauss on Skype

I am mainly attracted by the momentum this projects develops. And of course because it is not talking but doing. My hope is that inspires my own little project (actually it already did): [http://manufakturingruendung.ch/en open source goods produced by small, agile manufactories]. Lucas, Joseph, sign your points.
|[[Image:Reto.jpg|thumb|Reto Stauss]]
|}

{| style="width:100%"
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| '''Geoff Capper''', geoff (at) floodstreetfarmlet.net
I am supporting OSE because it is showing us that it is possible to regain control over the complex systems that to an extent have come to rule our lives. We can build our own machinery, we can build our own future, we can be free. The activity at Factor e Farm is truly inspiring, and I hope to use many of the products building up our own small farm, which may hopefully inspire others locally.
|
|}
{| style="width:100%"
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| '''Tom Lindsey''', thomas.lindsey at gmail dot com
I support OSE because I want Factor e Farm to succeed so I can use the tools they are developing, replicate Factor e Farm, and create a future of freedom for myself and loved ones.
|[[Image:tomlindsey.jpg|thumb|Tom Lindsey and Boomer]]
|}

{| style="width:100%"
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| '''Edward Miller''', embraceunity -at- gmail dot com
I became a true fan because I would like to see our civilization become more resilient by using decentralized technological solutions, and to evolve towards a post-scarcity society. I plan to move on site soon to help build a RepRap machine.
|}

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| '''Jussi Haverinen''', haverinen.jussi at gmail dot com
I'm a strong believer in power of free software approach to technology and very interested in transformative technology and it's effect on society. Politically I'm an social ecologist and I do think that the main task that has to be done is to abolish capitalism and the state through direct democracy in the cities and neighbourhoods (confederated together of course). My skills: mostly computer knowledge, relatively good unix admin skills, and some language skills but that's about it. I only have limited knowledge of farming, construction, electronics, handcraft, but I'm willing to learn.
|}

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| '''Mark Thomas''', factore at thomastechcon dot com
My wife and I are serial homesteaders--we built up a goat dairy from scratch in South Africa, a [http://thomasphotos.wordpress.com small livestock farm in Appalachia], and are just starting on a lambing operation in Southside Virginia.

Politically, I base my ethics on the [[Nonaggression Axiom]] and I do think that the main task that has to be done is to abolish democracy and the state through direct capitalism. Apologies to Jussi above! I do my political writing at [http://distributedrepublic.net/blog/mark Distributed Republic] and much of my reading at [http://mises.org/ the Ludwig von Mises Institute].
|}

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| '''David Voeller''', carefulwiththat at gmail dot com
Open Source Ecology is applying knowledge and skill in the most effective way possible, to create a livable future. The convergence of Permaculture principles and Open Source methodology has been a long time coming. Open Source has shown us that technological advancement need not be encumbered by destructive and wasteful hierarchical control. Permaculture has taught us that a fulfilling and ethical life is not only possible, but realistic in a variety of climates and conditions. Open Source Ecology's work has the possibility to allow many more people to live within their resources; and to drastically increase the quality of life for those already doing so.
|[[Image:davidvoeller.jpg|thumb|David Voeller]]
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| '''Eric Hunting''', TheMillennialProject at gmail.com
We are on the cusp of a transformation in the nature of our civilization. A fundamental shift in the way just about everything works in our society predicated on the evolution of the processes and technologies by which just about everything in our habitat is made. Emerging digital fabrication technology combined with emerging awareness of the factors of industrial sustainability are not only changing how we make things but who is making them and where. Industrial Age paradigms that have been concentrating industrial, economic, and political power for a century are failing in the face of a progressive shrinking, smartening, and demassifying of the tools of production and communication. Open Source Ecology is on the cutting edge of this transformation, pursuing and cultivating a spectrum of tools, new and old, that can realize a radical new level of sustainable community self-sufficiency with the intent of disseminating these tools globally. The Factor E Farm project is an incubator for a nascent movement with world-sweeping potential.
|[[Image:EricHuntingAv.jpg|thumb|Eric Hunting]]
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| '''[http://blog.erikdebruijn.nl/ Erik de Bruijn]''', ose at erikdebruijn.nl
We've heard about, or even experienced, the collaborative power of passionate individuals around the world. When they join hands, contributing their energy, freely sharing their ideas and building on them, this mode of production can be highly productive. It may well outperform the traditionally closed 'institutional' mode of production, like Wikipedia is giving us an abundance of knowledge at no cost. OSE attempts, and is actually very successful at extending this notion of knowledge sharing into a way of living.
They codify and freely reveal their knowledge into design files and rich instructional material such as video tutorials. Those serve to inspire, but also to practically make this concept replicable and effective.
|[[Image:erikdebruijn.jpg|thumb|Erik de Bruijn]]
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| '''A. N. Alias''', anon23bf at nyx dot net
I support OSE because we need viable alternatives to the military-industrial complex as a foundation for survival in the near future, particularly if predictions about the coming hyperinflationary depression turn out to be well founded.
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| '''[http://ollehost.dk/blog/ Olle Jonsson]''', olle.jonsson at gmail dot com
I had seen the impressive LifeTrac project on the web, but when I heard about the [http://openfarmtech.org/weblog/?p=1254 RepLab] initiative, I was hooked. I'm just a random web developer, but I want to help push toward a generalized, open digital fabrication toolkit. When each hackerspace, lab, and interested individual has access to equipment like that, things get really interesting.
|[[Image:olleolleolle.jpg|thumb|Olle Jonsson]]
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| '''Maureen''', baubo at dishmail.net
I support factor E open source farm because when the cheap industrial food machine breaks down for lack of diesel fuel and capital, people are going to be shocked, angry and then desperate to learn a new way of living. OSE is not just a theory, a book or a blue print. It’s an open source physical model of a DIY food, energy and shelter producing system. Large-scale industrialization was largely a wrong turn for humanity. By shrinking the scale, localizing throughputs, working smarter and sharing information globally we can create a bright new future – a true renaissance. Factor E farm is breaking trail for us all. I can’t think of a better investment.
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| '''[http://bit.ly/elifarley-buzz Elifarley]''', elifarley # gmail.com

I found out about Open Source Ecology after watching the Zeitgeist Addendum movie. That movie sparkled my curiosity and I started a quest to understand the problems and possible solutions to our society's needs.

In this quest, I found out some very exciting ideas, groups and people, like the Transition Towns movement (concerned with peak oil), The Venus Project and RBE Foundation (moneyless, cybernated society), Common Good Bank (alternative currency system), RepRap (self-replicating, open source 3D printer), the P2P Foundation, and the OSE site, to name a few.

You may have noticed that all these projects and movements seem to have a common goal, they all seem to propose that we forget all artificial limitations (and scarcity) and we all seek union to improve our lives and sustainability. Without artificial limitations, we all can have much much better lives. That's the message I can hear all these people and movements resounding.

I'd say that The Venus Project champions ideas, whereas OSE materializes them, performing concrete actions that will move our world forward.

I'm confident that our small contributions to this cause will add up and have a tremendous positive result for everybody.

''(In Portuguese)''

Descobri o site da Open Source Ecology depois de assistir ao filme Zeitgeist Addendum. Esse filme despertou minha curiosidade e então comecei uma busca para entender os problemas e as possíveis soluções para a nossa sociedade.

Nessa busca, descobri algumas ideias, grupos e pessoas muito interessantes, como o movimento Transition Towns (preocupado com a dependência ao petróleo), o Venus Project e a RBE Foundation (sociedade sem uso do dinheiro, automatizada), Banco do Bem Comum (sistema de moeda alternativa), RepRap (impressora 3D de desenho aberto, auto-replicante), a Fundação P2P, e o site OSE, dentro vários outros.

Vocês podem ter notado que todos esses projetos e movimentos parecem ter um objetivo comum, eles parecem propor que esqueçamos todas as limitações artificiais (e escassez) e que todos busquemos união para melhorar nossas vidas e sustentabilidade. Sem limitações artificiais, todos nós podemos viver muito melhor. Essa é a mensagem que eu posso escutar todas essas pessoas e movimentos ressoando.

Eu diria que o Venus Project dissemina ideias, enquanto que a OSE as materializa, realizando ações concretas que irão avançar o nosso mundo.

Estou confiante que nossas pequenas contribuições a essa causa irão se juntar e terão um resultado tremendamente positivo para todo o mundo.
|[[Image:Ecruz.jpg|thumb|Elifarley Cruz]]
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| '''Shaun Warkentin'''
What money buys is technology, luxury. What technology and luxury buy are pleasure, physical health, and free time for the intellectual, spiritual, relational, creative pursuits that are the constitutive properties of real wealth (a widening of awareness and knowledge) unavailable within a purely subsistence economy. The equation linking money to wealth must be broken (along with the power structures that encroach upon the agency and freedom of most of humanity and the biosphere). OSE appears to be demonstrating how this might be achieved.
|[[Image:Shaun_jump.jpg|thumb|Shaun Warkentin]]
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| '''Aigars Brūvelis''', abruvelis at gmail dot com
This is it. Linux will fully replace windows and in 50 years Open Source Harware will replace most of the commerce. Get on with it.
|[[Image:aigarsbruvelis.jpg|thumb|Aigars Bruvelis from Latvia/UK]]
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| '''Lucas''',
I contribute to OSE because I got tired of all the organizations that claim to be "promoting" sustainability through advocacy and lobbying, which usually merely contributes to the inertia and complexity of our current patently unsustainable society without producing any truly meaningful effect on regular peoples' relation to the economy and planet. We need tangible means and methods to take our lives into our own hands and reduce our reliance on global industrial market structures, not rhetoric and posturing. OSE is one of the few operations that has taken up the task of rebuilding and redesigning material existence to cope with the inevitability of a resource-scarce future. The advancements made at this important project are setting precedents that simply are not being set anywhere else, and I hope to personally be using some of the methods and technologies being developed; from that standpoint, I view my financial contribution as an investment, not a gift. At some point in time those of us who philosophically stand opposed to the dominant paradigms of mass consumerism and ecological exceptionalism must stop talking and starting acting, and OSE is doing just that.
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| '''Peter Koeleman'''
I would love to see the Factor e Farm evolve into a self-sufficient, renewable and socially superior society.

The technological steps towards freedom that the Factor e Farm project take are very interesting to me because I am an IT specialist. I had a taste of gcode a long while back and work with Linux every day as my primairy OS. The modular hardware design makes this technology easy to comprehend and use, even for non-engineers like myself.

The freedom part of this project is what I think will be the most important part of the near future in escaping a corporate ruled society of ever more money spending (=debt building) consumers. The need for economic growth simply isn't sustainable. Those who manufacture and manage their own resources are the only ones who know the real cost of things.
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| '''Daniel Slate''', danieldavidslate + gmail and the rest
This is the real thing, and what you're doing is absolutely necessary. The numerous possibilities that can grow from this...general resilience, a reboot/revision of kibbutzim/moshavim in America or elsewhere, so many other possibilities...building the platform is worth doing. Ideas become real through action. What I see coming out of this work is a way to test out applied philosophies of responsible liberty.
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| '''Andrew Cook''', apcook816@gmail.com
Technology applied with wisdom is like creating a new dance partner in the celebration of life.
|[[Image:apcook.jpg|thumb|Andrew Cook]]
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| '''Adam Mitchell''', mitch dot ad at gmail dot com
If organizations were measured in terms of ''relevancy'' of work, ''loftiness'' of their goals and their ability to ''inspire'' others, Open Source Ecology --''no doubt''-- would be at the top of anyone's list. I am proud to support their endeavor, however small, in hopes that together we can build a better world and encourage others to become more [[Integrated Humans]].
|[[Image:Fiji.jpg|thumb|Adam Mitchell]]
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| '''Anna Przychodzki'''
I was very excited to discover the work of Open Source Ecology; I had no idea people were doing this. I stopped taking science class in my second year of high school so the technical stuff goes way over my head... what I do understand is the intent of the work and the implications of success. The life I want is out of reach for now... but if I support OSE, maybe I can have it in the future. OSE seems to bring us closer to what I believe are our birth-rights: sustainability, economic freedom and quality of life by way of human ingenuity and cooperation, not competition.
|[[Image:annaprzychodzki.jpg|thumb|Anna Przychodzki]]
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| '''Nathan Luedtke'''

I think I found out about Factor E Farm through John Robb's blog Global Guerillas, or at least through that general section of the net, which I am interested in and have been following for some time. I have been tracking your project for a little over a year, and was inspired to contribute when i saw that recently you seem to have hit a tipping point and have been making quick progress which probably will require a little more cashflow.

In terms of what I would like to see come out of it- exactly what you are doing. All of the positive movements that I see out there- Permaculture, Open Source, Transition, etc etc- all of them are integrated in your program. With OSE/FEF, you have a very scientific/rational approach that I appreciate. Long term, I would love to see OSE ideas spread and populate worldwide, and see the technology package implemented and developed further at other sites, both in the USA and as a more successful "technology transfer" to the third world.
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'''Devin Balkind'''
An abundant future is dependent on open technologies that fulfill people's most basic needs: food, water and shelter. The fact that this type of work isn't widely recognized as the foundation of a more efficient, equitable and enlightened civilization is a testament to the confusion of our times. Consider me at your service.
|[[Image:DevinProfile.jpg|thumb|Devin Balkind, Since August 2010]]
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| '''Ivan Garcia''', ivan at movimientozeitgeist dot org
I've been a OSS programmer for like 8 years now and I love the idea of OS Hardware and the great suistaniblity revolution that the OSE guys are doing. I'm also a supporter of the Zeitgeist Movement in Spain and they both share very similar goals. What you are doing is absolutelly necessary and meaningful for our future!
|[[Image:ivangarcia.jpg|thumb|Ivan Garcia]]
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| [http://permakent.com/ '''J. Kent Hastings'''], USA
The OSE (Open Source Ecology) "True Fan" program is a grass roots way to crowdsource funding for the goal to develop the essential 40 pieces required to make up the complete "Resilient Community Construction Set," an advanced industrial economy in a box that can be deployed inexpensively anywhere in the world.

The cost is reduced to one tenth normal thanks to the savings from using open source software and hardware designs. The components are essential to life and work in the system rather than just decorative knick knacks or toys that Makers like to dabble with and are "designed for disassembly" so each component, like the Life Trac tractor for example, is easy to repair with bolts and simple tools such as wrenches, and easy to modify and improve.
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| '''Søren Poulsen''', Denmark
Words like ''empowerment'' or ''freedom'' get a whole new meaning when you talk about
having the skill set, to create everything you need from nothing.

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| '''Dario Figueira''', Portugal, wurmdario at gmail dot com
I became a true fan simply because I was already monetarily supporting a NGO. And for me, you seem to be doing better work, or more important work than they were. So please continue XD.
[[User:WurmD|WurmD]] 23 August 2010 (UTC)
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| '''Matthias''', neodynos-at-googlemail-dot-com
Thinking about what's wrong with the world, I found that huge aggregations of power and of money are the main tools we as humans use to oppress and exploit. That led me to support Open Source Ecology as a decentralized alternative.

And while I am convinced that the ultimate solution (one that transcends even death) is not to be found through technology but rather through sound theology -- I am also convinced that the work of OSE can provide all of us with a better world ''until'' death.
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