by Karel Kulhavy
Intent
The intent of User Controlled Technology is to provide the end-user unrestricted access to intellectual property (IP) including the tools used to create it, in perpetuity.
Detailed meaning
UCT intends to give the user control over the technology and providing opportunity to learn, create and profit. For example:
* The user may study and learn from UCT.
* The user may manufacture a product based upon UCT.
* The user may participate in development of UCT.
* The user may enhance or correct UCT.
* The user may integrate UCT into any system.
What can be done with UCT?
* Technology can be developed from scratch
* Products can be used for individual needs
* Technology or product can be exploited economically
* Servicing the product can be exploited economically
Why UCT and not free, open etc.?
There is a proliferation of "free" and "open" licenses that provide various degrees of freedoms. UCT is unrestricted access to "Intellectual Property" including all of the tools used to create it.
Why is UCT important?
Technology is an important part of our daily life.
UCT gives the user control over the technology.
Therefore UCT allows the user to be more in control of their life.
* UCT tools cannot be discontinued
* There are no usage fees that can change over time
* User has the ability to fix things that break (by learning to fix things themselves, or by hiring someone who knows).
Examples
* http://www.gnu.org/software/ [1] GNU software
* http://ronja.twibright.com [2] Ronja
* http://sbc.twibright.com [3] SBC
* DIY recipes that are conceived as production/stable or mature
How to exploit UCT economically?
* Manufacture Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) in large quantity and sell them
* Manufacture modules for UCT and sell them
* Manufacture UCT devices as a DIY-kit
* Manufacture UCT devices and sell them as complete
* Operate a public workshop (example: http://www.dynamo.ch [4]) and encourage people to take the opportunity to make their own UCT device there.
How to make technology be UCT?
* Publish all sources, guides and development documentation under a licence permitting redistribution in modified or unmodified form
* Use only free software tools during development
* Do not use tools that require the user to pay for licenses indirectly
(like a free software program written for a proprietary operating system)
How can we define the practises of UCT?
Portability
Not only the device, but also its interface and *the manufacturing process and technology itself* must be portable.
The device must be usable without unnecessary third-party proprietary gadgets. It must be possible to build at home with rudimentary tools. When enough public interest comes about, it is appropriate to take additional measures to facilitate manufacture on a bigger scale.
Also the development must be possible to carry out portably. It means no proprietary tools should be used. The sources should be published under a licence like the GNU Public License (GPL) or GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL). Any user should be able to edit the technology sources without investing any money for any licences.
Scalability
To bring maximum benefit to the user, the user isn't expected to spend half their life determining what to do with the design. The usage of the design must be scalable, the design must be routinely usable as a part in whole systems of much higher complexity.
A comprehensible and comprehensive guide with instructions written in human language code is therefore necessary. This way the design can be quickly deployed and treated as a module in higher-level constructions.
For example you can take couple machines, install the UCT operating system GNU/Linux, build a couple of UCT optical datalinks and deploy a free network without becoming an expert either on Linux or on Ronja.
If the design isn't scalable in this sense, the user is deprived of his freedom to use the device as part of a more complex system.
Scalability of development
Not only the use of a User Controlled Technology, but also the development of it, must be scalable. Therefore it must not be a problem for large number of people to be involved in the development. It is not possible for everyone to reverse-engineer the source of a technology, because this would be ineffective and such development unscalable. The development couldn't exceed the capability of the single developer that created it.
A development documentation must be created and released. As free software requires, the source must be provided in a form most fit for development. If source code with development documentation is more fit than one without, it must be provided. This requirement is consistent with the free software paradigm.
Support
User Controlled Technology exploits developer-user interaction for achieving improvement. A support mechanism should be set up that allows users to quickly and easily report bugs in the design and ambiguities in the building guide; at least a discussion list and bug tracker system.
Reliability
When complex systems are built from individual components, the reliability of the system goes down exponentially with number of layers. Therefore it is necessary that the individual components be as reliable as possible, not only in their usage, but also in their manufacture. Therefore, BugFree(TM) must be a holy grail of any UCT developer. Cutting corners will lead the design to be treated as a toy and not as a mature technology capable of "production deployment".
Also environmental issues should be taken into account.
Examples:
* Instead of using custom specialized proprietary chips, whose manufacturer can exert control over the user, orientation towards general purpose or
programmable chips is better
* Instead of using machined cast aluminium housing which can't be made at home and requires a large workshop and foundry, a smoke pipe can be used
* Instead of solvent-based paints which raise environmental questions, water -soluble equivalents are used
* Instead of relying on fast hardware, the operating system (e. g. Linux) is
written so that it will also run on an old 486.
Licensing
* The license should not forbid immediate manufacture in uncontrolled quantity.
I don't consider licenses like "maximum 3 pieces for personal use" or "commercial exploitation prohibited" free technology. Like GPL and GFDL: licenses like this don't prohibit commercial use of free software.
Free Software
I consider free software to be UCT instantiated in the field of software.