User:Natasa Siencnik/notes/schaefer/

Abstract

Mirko Tobias Schäfer: Made by Users. How Users Improve Things, Provide Innovation and Change our Idea of Culture, Problems and Perspectives 2004.[1]

"Software based products are able to get copied, modified or developed further. Competent users have the necessary skills, tools and networks to develop modified products which are originally invented by corporate companies. The collaborative work of competent users is providing innovation and this could create an interactive market, where product definitions are possible only for a moment before these artefacts become modified or reshaped and that this raises questions concerning copyrights and democracy. Modifying and redesigning of products is a cultural practice in digital age. In conclusion I argue that an interdisciplinary action between social sciences and computer sciences will be necessary to understand the cultural practices in the digital age. Further more a society wide discourse on copyright, software patents, access to information and the distribution of information will help to formulate terms, models and a theoretical framework for transferring a valuable concept of cultural freedom into the 21st century."

1. Redesigning and Reusing
   • software-based products can be copied, modified, developed
   • competent users have the skills, tolls and networkes to modify products
   • those products might originally be invented by corporate companies
   • in return companies will use the ideas of competent users
   • using technology means defining culture
2. Article describes
   • how collaborative work of competent users is providing innovation
   • an interactive market, where products are likely modified or reshpaed
   • this raises questions concerning copyrights and democracy
   • interdisciplinary action between social sciences and computer sciences will be necessary to understand the cultural practices in the digital age and to formulate terms, models and a theoretical framwork for transferring a valuable concept of cultural freedom into the 21st century
3. Technology changes Culture
   • computer technology, information and communication technology (ICT)
   • ICT became a common tool in our daily life
   • 1980s introduced new cultural values and ways of cultural production
   • computers are able to do anything that can be formulated as algorithm
   • programming enabled people exxtend the function of their computers
   • today access to ICT seems to be common
   • cultural practice of sharing and districution is spreading with the technology
   • profoundly affecting the organization of our democratic societies
4. Discourse on Technology and Users
   • users are now able to develop media content by themselves
   • former mere monolithic dispositif becomes an interactive, complex system
5. User Activity and Production based on:
   • ability to program the computer
   • broad access of common people to computer technology
   • possibility to connect with other users, join communities
6. New Communication Systems
   • netowrks of developers, users, fans and active citizens
7. Innovation through Modification
   • consumers try to find other users for solving problems
   • every product using computer technology is open to modification
   • once published software-based products enter a second stage of development
8. Technological and Social Innovation