[Open Design] [OpenDesign] Questions about the Open Design Definition

[Massimo Menichinelli]

Hi all,
I've also finally had time to look at the repository, I've fixed a 
couple of definitions that were not complete and added a new one (the 
Self-Repair Manifesto). So we have more complete material for thinking 
about our definition.

In the previous mail and posts I've asked some questions, to foster the 
discussion I will tell you what I think about them, please let us know 
what you would reply!

On 2/26/13 4:38 PM, Massimo Menichinelli wrote:
>
> In the post I've highlighted few questions regarding the Open Design
> Definition, it would be great to have your comments about them here in
> the mailing list or on the blogs. Let's start the discussion about the
> definition again!
> Here are the questions:
>
> 1. Are we focusing only on Product Design (i.e. something physical, and
> that may be 3D printed) or are we talking about any kind of design?
> Personally I’m trying to having a discussion on all the fields of
> design, since there are already many different cases of Open Source in
> Design in many fields (see the presentation above), but of course this
> means that we have to describe a generic enough definition of Design, or
> a definition that makes references to the different Design fields.

Yes, this would be critical. Probably just one paragraph should be ok 
for this, explaining that this definition applies to all the fields of 
endeavor of the Design discipline and profession. But if you think that 
we could / should elaborate it more, let's discuss it!

> 2. Shall we start from what Intellectual Property (IP) laws consider
> Design, or from what designers consider Design? This choice would lead
> to two very different definitions, so we have to decide this together:
> starting from the IP laws viewpoint, it will be easier to define
> licenses and IP strategies; starting from designers’ viewpoint will make
> the definition easier to be understood by the Design community at large
>

I would start from the designer's viewpoint for two reasons: it would be 
less restricted to the IP laws of each country (they are a bit different 
everywhere) and I know them very little, since I am a designer and not a 
law expert. There could be a paragraph about the IP law, but we need 
somebody with deep knowledge about this topic to write it. Tom? Anybody?

> 3. And, related to this, shall we leave the discussion about licenses
> out, or shall we include something in the definition?
>

I would leave them out, since the topic is too complicated (many 
different IP laws in each country). That would mark a distinction from 
many existing Open Source Definitions, that explicitly talks about licenses.

> 4. What about the “source files” of a design project? Shall we consider,
> in the definition, to ask about publishing also the source files (i.e.
> vector drawing and not only the exported picture, CAD files and not only
> the rendering pictures)
>

Yes, I would say that we should talk about 3 kinds of design: design as 
a practice and process, design as blueprint, design as the outcome.

> 5. Shall we clarify and distinguish about the definition being about
> Openness and/or Freedom? Or shall we include both in the definition?
>

I think that we can reflect a bit about which philosophical/political 
issues we want to address. Personally, for example, I would include 
sustainability issues, but it may be left out of the definition.


> 6. Shall start preparing a draft of a definition, in order to start the
> discussion to be more focused? From which existing definition should we
> start?
>

Yes, I would proceed in writing a draft asap, so that we can discuss on 
some existing source code in the repository. I've already taken notes, 
so soon I will upload it.

> What do you think about these issues?
>
> Br,
> Massimo
>


-- 
______________________________________________________________________________
Massimo Menichinelli
mobile: (ITA) +39 3402971655 (FIN) +358 505981442
Skype: openp2pdesign.org
http://it.linkedin.com/in/massimomenichinelli
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Aalto University
Aalto Media Factory - Aalto FabLab (Producer for the FabLab activities)
http://mediafactory.aalto.fi/
http://fablab.aalto.fi/
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openp2pdesign.org
Metadesign for Open Systems, Processes, Projects
http://www.openp2pdesign.org/
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