Introductory text Feminist Datacenter

Results from task from Methods class 6th of March

During the Methods class we were discussing what a feminist data center would entail. In the extension of working with this, we were prompted to make an introductory text for a visitor at the datacenter. After som discussion the team first took some time to make drafts individually, and then at the end we recombined them to one text. This is just a draft, but entails some of the key aspects that we would like to higlight in suc an introductory text.

Recombination:

Hi! Welcome to our feminist data center. Make yourself at home! The "Feminist datacenter (maybe a cooler name is cooler)" is a place for connections and comfort and although it often remains invisible, it's part of the infrastructure that underlies our online interactions: Just like any data center, it is a physical location containing all things related to computing, such as servers, data storage drives (and the data these include), and network equipment.

Drawing attention to materiality and real socio-economic implications, we would like to welcome you in our corners. Our feminist data center transcends the division between human and tool, emphasizes social relations and reimagines the datacenter as a space where people and technologies come together in empathetic symbiosis -- a community. As a feminist data center, we redefine what it means to be a good host and challenge the relation between server and client. We are aware of our surrounding environment, while our practices are sustainable, transparent and community- instead of profit-driven: The community is served by the sharing of knowledge, and the well-being of our (wo)manpower is prioritized over efficiency. This relationship is based on trust, kindness and active work to make this space more inclusive. Situated in the heart of Charlois, it acknowledges it's context by making itself visible (and) it's intentions clear(with a temper), (and it's footprint minimal).

So please come and engage in the maintenance and building of this community, we trust you! So do you trust us?

Initial drafts:

draft 1: Hi! Welcome to our feminist data center. Just like any data center, it is a physical location containing infrastructure related to computing, such as servers, data storage drives (and the data these include), and network equipment.

In contrast to the usual data center, our feminist data center emphasizes social relations, is aware of its surrounding environment and actively tries to support instead of destroy it. Our practices are sustainable, transparent and community- instead of profit-driven. The community around it is served by the sharing of knowledge, and the well-being of its (wo)manpower is prioritized over the data-center's efficiency.

draft 2: The "Feminist datacenter (maybe a cooler name is cooler)" is a place for connections and comfort. It transcends the division between human and tool, and reimagines the datacenter as a space where people and technologies come together in empathetic symbiosis, a community. Situated in the heart of Charlois, it acknowledges it's context by making itself visible (and) it's intentions clear(with a temper), (and it's footprint minimal).

So please come and engage in the maintenance and building of this community, we trust you! So do you trust us?

draft 3:

Make yourself comfortable! You are in a feminist data center, this place that often remains invisible is part of the infrastructure that underlies our online interactions. Drawing attention to materiality and real socio-economic implications, we would like to welcome you in our corners. As a feminist data center, we redefine what it means to be a good host and we challenge the relation between the server and a client. This relationship is based on trust, kindness and active work to make this space more inclusive. Make yourself at home

draft 4: