Projects SI 28/The Metathinking Metamachine - Revision history

Tommi: Add reference to Zettelkasten

2026-03-29T19:12:13Z

Add reference to Zettelkasten

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:12, 29 March 2026
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	[[File:Niklas Luhmann.jpg\|thumb\|alt=A photo of Niklas Luhmann in front of his Zettelkasten-sorted library.]]		[[File:Niklas Luhmann.jpg\|thumb\|alt=A photo of Niklas Luhmann in front of his Zettelkasten-sorted library.]]

	I genuinely had no idea about what that meant. In my head, I could not picture anything beyond the face of Niklas Luhmann, the inventor of the prodigious Zettelkasten system.		I genuinely had no idea about what that meant. In my head, I could not picture anything beyond the face of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niklas_Luhmann Niklas Luhmann], the inventor of the prodigious Zettelkasten system<ref>Zettelkasten on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zettelkasten</ref>.

	The intention was to address the theme of the 28<sup>th</sup> special issue in relation to my own obsessions:		The intention was to address the theme of the 28<sup>th</sup> special issue in relation to my own obsessions:

Tommi: Add more context, pasted from T2 Assessment reflections

2026-03-29T19:09:07Z

Add more context, pasted from T2 Assessment reflections

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:09, 29 March 2026
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	[[File:Metathinking Matamachine – Lighting candles.jpg\|thumb\|alt=Tommi lighting up candles during the performance “The Metathinking Metamachine”, during the SI28 event at Ubik.\|I was kindly allowed to light some tiny candles during the performance, to enhance the ironic spiritual factor.]]		[[File:Metathinking Matamachine – Lighting candles.jpg\|thumb\|alt=Tommi lighting up candles during the performance “The Metathinking Metamachine”, during the SI28 event at Ubik.\|I was kindly allowed to light some tiny candles during the performance, to enhance the ironic spiritual factor.]]

	The one thing I was sure of was that I intended on focusing on a pseudo-spiritual and grotesque setting. I based all the performance on '''a spiritual ''seance'' to connect with the ''Gods of Tooling'''''. Furthermore, while sharing my anxiety and my doubts about the performance with [[User:Martina\|Martina]] and [[User:C3\|Claudio]], I got to the conclusion that the whole performance should have been '''fun''': I got very excited of performing some sort of '''nerd stand-up comedy'''.</onlyinclude>		The one thing I was sure of was that I intended on focusing on a pseudo-spiritual and grotesque setting. I based all the performance on '''a spiritual ''seance'' to connect with the ''Gods of Tooling'''''. Furthermore, while sharing my anxiety and my doubts about the performance with [[User:Martina\|Martina]] and [[User:C3\|Claudio]], I got to the conclusion that the whole performance should have been '''fun''': I got very excited of performing some sort of '''nerd stand-up comedy'''.

			Albeit the path leading to the performance has been extremely stressful because I was terribly confused and overwhelmed by the novelty of my first Special Issue and its many inputs, I am incredibly proud of it, for a series of reasons.

			* It was my first <q>performance</q>. I never realised that I would actually define myself as an <q>artist</q> and this performance marked a watershed moment in my self-identification as one. Actually, the way I comfortably call myself is '''<q>pseudo-artist</q>'''.
			* Even though I learned it the hard way, I deeply understood the '''collaborative nature''' of XPUB. I have been doing many projects with others, but I did not commit to any collective project to develop with others. I found out that I must actively pursue an intertwining of practices with my fellow students.</onlyinclude>

	== Preparation ==		== Preparation ==

Tommi: Prepage page to be transcluded in T2 Assessment

2026-03-29T19:06:05Z

Prepage page to be transcluded in T2 Assessment

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:06, 29 March 2026
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	== Context and Background ==		== Context and Background ==

	Since the very moment I started XPUB, I have been (over)thinking, possibly obsessing, about the making of [https://git.xpub.nl/tommi/poouli Pöuli], and of the (currently very incomplete) [https://git.xpub.nl/XPUB/SI28 website] for the [https://issue.xpub.nl Special Issue 28]. Wholly absorbed by my [[User:Tommi/PaJamas/Tooling Hyperfocus\|tooling hyperfocus]], I lost track of time. All collective conversations passed through me. Before I could realize it, people were forming groups and started working on their project for the main event at Ubik.		<onlyinclude>Since the very moment I started XPUB, I have been (over)thinking, possibly obsessing, about the making of [https://git.xpub.nl/tommi/poouli Pöuli], and of the (currently very incomplete) [https://git.xpub.nl/XPUB/SI28 website] for the [https://issue.xpub.nl Special Issue 28]. Wholly absorbed by my [[User:Tommi/PaJamas/Tooling Hyperfocus\|tooling hyperfocus]], I lost track of time. All collective conversations passed through me. Before I could realize it, people were forming groups and started working on their project for the main event at Ubik.

	<q>So Tommi, what are you going to do?</q><br>		<q>So Tommi, what are you going to do?</q><br>
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	[[File:Metathinking Matamachine – Lighting candles.jpg\|thumb\|alt=Tommi lighting up candles during the performance “The Metathinking Metamachine”, during the SI28 event at Ubik.\|I was kindly allowed to light some tiny candles during the performance, to enhance the ironic spiritual factor.]]		[[File:Metathinking Matamachine – Lighting candles.jpg\|thumb\|alt=Tommi lighting up candles during the performance “The Metathinking Metamachine”, during the SI28 event at Ubik.\|I was kindly allowed to light some tiny candles during the performance, to enhance the ironic spiritual factor.]]

	The one thing I was sure of was that I intended on focusing on a pseudo-spiritual and grotesque setting. I based all the performance on '''a spiritual ''seance'' to connect with the ''Gods of Tooling'''''. Furthermore, while sharing my anxiety and my doubts about the performance with [[User:Martina\|Martina]] and [[User:C3\|Claudio]], I got to the conclusion that the whole performance should have been '''fun''': I got very excited of performing some sort of '''nerd stand-up comedy'''.		The one thing I was sure of was that I intended on focusing on a pseudo-spiritual and grotesque setting. I based all the performance on '''a spiritual ''seance'' to connect with the ''Gods of Tooling'''''. Furthermore, while sharing my anxiety and my doubts about the performance with [[User:Martina\|Martina]] and [[User:C3\|Claudio]], I got to the conclusion that the whole performance should have been '''fun''': I got very excited of performing some sort of '''nerd stand-up comedy'''.</onlyinclude>

	== Preparation ==		== Preparation ==

Tommi: Remove useless h1

2026-02-21T08:09:19Z

Remove useless h1

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:09, 21 February 2026
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	~~[[Category: SI28/Projects]]~~

	~~= Public-Event/The-Metathinking-Metamachine =~~

	''The Metathinking Metamachine'' is [[User:Tommi\|Tommi]]’s project for <cite>A_Mazing Machines – Wordscapes to Liberate Language</cite>, the main event of [[SI28\|Special Issue 28]].		''The Metathinking Metamachine'' is [[User:Tommi\|Tommi]]’s project for <cite>A_Mazing Machines – Wordscapes to Liberate Language</cite>, the main event of [[SI28\|Special Issue 28]].

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	</div>		</div>

			[[Category: SI28/Projects]]

Tommi: Resize big pics to thumbs, now that the publication is printed!

2025-12-12T10:34:46Z

Resize big pics to thumbs, now that the publication is printed!

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:34, 12 December 2025
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	&emsp;…I will build <strong style='text-transform: uppercase'>The Metathinking Metamachine</strong>!</q>		&emsp;…I will build <strong style='text-transform: uppercase'>The Metathinking Metamachine</strong>!</q>

	[[File:Niklas Luhmann.jpg\|alt=A photo of Niklas Luhmann in front of his Zettelkasten-sorted library.]]		[[File:Niklas Luhmann.jpg\|thumb\|alt=A photo of Niklas Luhmann in front of his Zettelkasten-sorted library.]]

	I genuinely had no idea about what that meant. In my head, I could not picture anything beyond the face of Niklas Luhmann, the inventor of the prodigious Zettelkasten system.		I genuinely had no idea about what that meant. In my head, I could not picture anything beyond the face of Niklas Luhmann, the inventor of the prodigious Zettelkasten system.
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	Thanks to [[User:Manetta\|Manetta]]’s and [[User:Marloes\|Marloes]]’ guidance and suggestions, I decided to base everything on irony and satire.		Thanks to [[User:Manetta\|Manetta]]’s and [[User:Marloes\|Marloes]]’ guidance and suggestions, I decided to base everything on irony and satire.

	[[File:Metathinking Matamachine – Lighting candles.jpg\|alt=Tommi lighting up candles during the performance “The Metathinking Metamachine”, during the SI28 event at Ubik.\|I was kindly allowed to light some tiny candles during the performance, to enhance the ironic spiritual factor.]]		[[File:Metathinking Matamachine – Lighting candles.jpg\|thumb\|alt=Tommi lighting up candles during the performance “The Metathinking Metamachine”, during the SI28 event at Ubik.\|I was kindly allowed to light some tiny candles during the performance, to enhance the ironic spiritual factor.]]

	The one thing I was sure of was that I intended on focusing on a pseudo-spiritual and grotesque setting. I based all the performance on '''a spiritual ''seance'' to connect with the ''Gods of Tooling'''''. Furthermore, while sharing my anxiety and my doubts about the performance with [[User:Martina\|Martina]] and [[User:C3\|Claudio]], I got to the conclusion that the whole performance should have been '''fun''': I got very excited of performing some sort of '''nerd stand-up comedy'''.		The one thing I was sure of was that I intended on focusing on a pseudo-spiritual and grotesque setting. I based all the performance on '''a spiritual ''seance'' to connect with the ''Gods of Tooling'''''. Furthermore, while sharing my anxiety and my doubts about the performance with [[User:Martina\|Martina]] and [[User:C3\|Claudio]], I got to the conclusion that the whole performance should have been '''fun''': I got very excited of performing some sort of '''nerd stand-up comedy'''.
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	I wanted to plot something that could be highly visible from the audience, so I decided to use xpub-plotter-4 because it’s the working plotter we have that uses the biggest paper. I couldn’t find A0 (841×1189mm) paper sheets, therefore I bought a roll of 1×10m of size and I cut it in multiple sections of 841×1000mm paper.		I wanted to plot something that could be highly visible from the audience, so I decided to use xpub-plotter-4 because it’s the working plotter we have that uses the biggest paper. I couldn’t find A0 (841×1189mm) paper sheets, therefore I bought a roll of 1×10m of size and I cut it in multiple sections of 841×1000mm paper.

	[[File:The Metathinking Metamachine – Inkscape “Borrel” preparation.jpg\|alt=Photo of Tommi’s desk while preparing the SVG file with the text “Borrel” to export in HP-GL via Inkscape.]]		[[File:The Metathinking Metamachine – Inkscape “Borrel” preparation.jpg\|thumb\|alt=Photo of Tommi’s desk while preparing the SVG file with the text “Borrel” to export in HP-GL via Inkscape.]]

	[https://git.xpub.nl/tommi/The_Metathinking_Metamachine The source code] is a very basic Python script that receives an input for each question and uses [https://pypi.org/project/Chiplotle3 Chiplotle] to plot it on the paper, along with HP-GL files, one for each letter of the final answer. I printed the whole script and the HP-GL, and I hung it on the wall in Ubik.		[https://git.xpub.nl/tommi/The_Metathinking_Metamachine The source code] is a very basic Python script that receives an input for each question and uses [https://pypi.org/project/Chiplotle3 Chiplotle] to plot it on the paper, along with HP-GL files, one for each letter of the final answer. I printed the whole script and the HP-GL, and I hung it on the wall in Ubik.
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	== Performance ==		== Performance ==

	[[File:Tommi’s Metathinking Metamachine.jpg\|alt=Photo of Tommi next to the pen plotter, performing The Metathinking Metamachine]]		[[File:Tommi’s Metathinking Metamachine.jpg\|thumb\|alt=Photo of Tommi next to the pen plotter, performing The Metathinking Metamachine]]

	<div class=noprint>		<div class=noprint>
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	I ask the following questions:		I ask the following questions:

	[[File:Metathinking Metamachine – Questions.png\|left]]		[[File:Metathinking Metamachine – Questions.png\|thumb\|left]]

	* <q>How can I save my personal notes and keep them private and encrypted while still being able to collaborate with others?</q>		* <q>How can I save my personal notes and keep them private and encrypted while still being able to collaborate with others?</q>
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	=== The final answer ===		=== The final answer ===

	[[File:Godsoftoolsnoexist.png]]		[[File:Godsoftoolsnoexist.png\|thumb]]

	Putting together all the letters plotted after each question I ask the Gods, the resulting word is <q lang=nl><strong>Borrel</strong></q>. Below, a tiny writing tells me:		Putting together all the letters plotted after each question I ask the Gods, the resulting word is <q lang=nl><strong>Borrel</strong></q>. Below, a tiny writing tells me:

Tommi: Update h1

2025-12-09T13:00:05Z

Update h1

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:00, 9 December 2025
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	[[Category: SI28/Projects]]		[[Category: SI28/Projects]]

	= The Metathinking Metamachine =		= Public-Event/The-Metathinking-Metamachine =

	''The Metathinking Metamachine'' is [[User:Tommi\|Tommi]]’s project for <cite>A_Mazing Machines – Wordscapes to Liberate Language</cite>, the main event of [[SI28\|Special Issue 28]].		''The Metathinking Metamachine'' is [[User:Tommi\|Tommi]]’s project for <cite>A_Mazing Machines – Wordscapes to Liberate Language</cite>, the main event of [[SI28\|Special Issue 28]].

Barbs: /* HP-GL */

2025-12-09T11:46:28Z

HP-GL

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:46, 9 December 2025
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	=== HP-GL ===		=== HP-GL ===

	While unveiling the contents of the letter, I also show the many pages of code, and I explain that I imagined it to be [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP-GL HP-GL], and ~~I explain~~ what it stands for:		While unveiling the contents of the letter, I also show the many pages of code, and I explain that I imagined it to be [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP-GL HP-GL], and what it stands for:

	* Help Plotters Get Love		* Help Plotters Get Love

Barbs: /* Preparation */

2025-12-09T11:45:27Z

Preparation

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:45, 9 December 2025
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	Please, don’t tell anyone, but the “answer” from the gods was actually conceptualized and prepared by me 😱		Please, don’t tell anyone, but the “answer” from the gods was actually conceptualized and prepared by me 😱

	<div style='padding:.5rem;border: 1.2px solid #000;background: #FFF4;'>To make sense of the preparation and my choices, ~~probably~~ it is better to read [[#Performance\|the section about the performance itself]], first.</div>		<div style='padding:.5rem;border: 1.2px solid #000;background: #FFF4;'>To make sense of the preparation and my choices, it is probably better to read [[#Performance\|the section about the performance itself]], first.</div>

	I wanted to plot something that could be highly visible from the audience, so I decided to use xpub-plotter-4 because it’s the working plotter we have that uses the biggest paper. I couldn’t find A0 (841×1189mm) paper sheets, therefore I bought a roll of 1×10m of size and I cut it in multiple sections of 841×1000mm paper.		I wanted to plot something that could be highly visible from the audience, so I decided to use xpub-plotter-4 because it’s the working plotter we have that uses the biggest paper. I couldn’t find A0 (841×1189mm) paper sheets, therefore I bought a roll of 1×10m of size and I cut it in multiple sections of 841×1000mm paper.
Line 62:		Line 62:
	[[File:The Metathinking Metamachine – Inkscape “Borrel” preparation.jpg\|alt=Photo of Tommi’s desk while preparing the SVG file with the text “Borrel” to export in HP-GL via Inkscape.]]		[[File:The Metathinking Metamachine – Inkscape “Borrel” preparation.jpg\|alt=Photo of Tommi’s desk while preparing the SVG file with the text “Borrel” to export in HP-GL via Inkscape.]]

	[https://git.xpub.nl/tommi/The_Metathinking_Metamachine The source code] is a very basic Python script that receives an input for each question and uses [https://pypi.org/project/Chiplotle3 Chiplotle] to plot it on the paper, along with HP-GL files, one for each letter of the final answer. I printed the whole script and the HP-GL, and I hung it in Ubik.		[https://git.xpub.nl/tommi/The_Metathinking_Metamachine The source code] is a very basic Python script that receives an input for each question and uses [https://pypi.org/project/Chiplotle3 Chiplotle] to plot it on the paper, along with HP-GL files, one for each letter of the final answer. I printed the whole script and the HP-GL, and I hung it on the wall in Ubik.

	[[Pen plotters/Plotting in Inkscape\|I used Inkscape to generate the HP-GL code]] of <q>Borrel</q>. My trials showed that pattern fillings in Inkscape are not translated in HP-GL, therefore I had to create a pattern of lines myself, then cut the paths at the intersection with the border of the text, and finally manually delete the comments outside the letters.		[[Pen plotters/Plotting in Inkscape\|I used Inkscape to generate the HP-GL code]] of <q>Borrel</q>. My trials showed that pattern fillings in Inkscape are not translated in HP-GL, therefore I had to create a pattern of lines myself, then cut the paths at the intersection with the border of the text, and finally manually delete the comments outside the letters.

Barbs: /* Context and Background */

2025-12-09T11:43:46Z

Context and Background

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:43, 9 December 2025
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	* ''[[Metathinking]]'': the process of thinking about thinking, better explained in the linked article.		* ''[[Metathinking]]'': the process of thinking about thinking, better explained in the linked article.

	At that point, conceptualizing, preparing, and enacting anything that would ''actually'' do something useful, or produce a meaningful outcome was unfeasible and idealistic. So what?		At that point, conceptualizing, preparing, and enacting anything that would ''actually'' do something useful, or produce a meaningful outcome was unfeasible and idealistic. So what then?

	Thanks to [[User:Manetta\|Manetta]]’s and [[User:Marloes\|Marloes]]’ guidance and suggestions, I decided to base everything on irony and satire.		Thanks to [[User:Manetta\|Manetta]]’s and [[User:Marloes\|Marloes]]’ guidance and suggestions, I decided to base everything on irony and satire.

Barbs: /* Context and Background */

2025-12-09T11:43:00Z

Context and Background

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:43, 9 December 2025
Line 39:		Line 39:
	I genuinely had no idea about what that meant. In my head, I could not picture anything beyond the face of Niklas Luhmann, the inventor of the prodigious Zettelkasten system.		I genuinely had no idea about what that meant. In my head, I could not picture anything beyond the face of Niklas Luhmann, the inventor of the prodigious Zettelkasten system.

	The intention was to address the theme of the 28<sup>th</sup> special issue in relation ~~with~~ my own obsessions:		The intention was to address the theme of the 28<sup>th</sup> special issue in relation to my own obsessions:

	* A ''Metamachine'': a machine about machines, a software made to solve problems, and interact with, other software.		* A ''Metamachine'': a machine about machines, a software made to solve problems, and interact with, other software.