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PITIR IuBIBIIIP
ieoiwonk
' '' '
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`|`
!. 1O WHOM l1 OGH1 1O CONCERN 5
2. 1OMORROW COMPO515 1ODAY B
3. OLD WlNE lN NEW BO11LE5 !5
4. 1HE PER5ONAL l5 Hl51ORlCAL 25
5. ME1AHl51ORY 3/
6. A 5YNCHRONlC 5OClE1Y 45
/. 1HE RBBl5H MAKER5 55
B. 1HE 51ARK NECE55l1Y OF GLAMOR 6!
9. AN END5ER DRlNK5 GlZMO WlNE /0
!0. MEE1 1HE 5PlME /6
!!. ARPHlD5 B5
!2. AN lN1ERNE1 OF 1HlNG5 92
!3. 1HE MODEL l5 1HE ME55AGE 95
!4. FABBlNG !02
!5. 5PlME ECONOMlC5 !0/
!6. 1HE DE5lGNER'5 QE51lON5 !!2
!/. 1OMORROW'5 1OMORROW !33
!B. BLOPlA OR O1lVlON !3B
entrcducticn 146
designer's nctes 148
authcr's nctes 150
1
T0 WH0M
lT 0U6HT T0 C0NCERN
1hs bcck s abcuI creaIed cb|ecIs and Ihe envrcnmenI,
whch s Ic say, I's a bcck abcuI everyIhng. 5een Ircm
suIIcenI dsIance, Ihs s a sma Icpc.
1he dea readers Icr Ihs bcck are Ihcse ambIcus
ycung scus [cI any age) whc wanI Ic ccnsIrucIvey nIer
vene n Ihe prccess cI Iechncscca IransIcrmaIcn. 1haI
s Ic say, Ihs bcck s Icr desgners and Ihnkers, eng
neers and scenIsIs, enIrepreneurs and Inancers, and
anycne ese whc mghI care Ic undersIand why Ihngs
were cnce as Ihey were, why Ihngs are as Ihey are, and
whaI Ihngs seem Ic be beccmng.
1he wcrd cI crganzed arIIce s IransIcrmng n ways
IhaI are pccry undersIccd and IIe expcred. 1here are
Iwc reascns why Ihs s happenng.
First, new Icrms cI desgn and manuIacIure are
appearng IhaI ack hsIcrca precedenI, and are bcund
Ic creaIe subsIanIa ncveIy.
5eccnd, Ihe prcducIcn meIhcds currenIy used are ncI
susIanabe. 1hey are arge n scae, have cng hsIcres,
[ 7 j
..-- - -.-
Fl6URE I

1
l
L
l
1
Y
5
A
F
E
1
Y
M
A
l
N
1
E
N
A
N
C
E
C
O
5
1
Q

A
L
l
1
Y
A
P
P
E
A
R
A
N
C
E
The Henry Dreyfuss
"Five Pcints Apprcach"
tc industrial design
and have been exIensvey researched and devecped,
buI Ihey can'I gc cn n Iher presenI Icrm. 1he sIaIus quc
uses archac Icrms cI energy and maIeras whch are
InIe and Icxc. 1hey wreck Ihe cmaIe, pcscn Ihe pcpu
ace and IcmenI rescurce wars. 1hey have nc IuIure.
5c Ihe chaenge aI hand s Ic creaIvey gude Ihe Ire
mendcus vecIcrs cI Ihe IrsI reascn, sc as Ic Inesse Ihe
hcrrIc ccnsequences cI Ihe seccnd reascn. 1hen we can
en|cy scme IuIurIy. 1haI's whaI Ihs bcck s abcuI.
1he quesI Icr a susIanabe wcrd may succeed, cr I
may Ia. lI I Ias, Ihe wcrd w beccme unIhnkabe. lI I
wcrks, Ihe wcrd w beccme unmagnabe.
ln pracIce, pecpe w experence mxed success.
5c Icmcrrcw's wcrd w be parIay unIhnkabe and
parIay unmagnabe. EIIecIve acIcrs w be pcsed
beIween Ihese Iwc ccndIcns, wIh pans and crcwbars.
l hcpe Ihs bcck w be a sImuaIng ccnIrbuIcn Ic
Ihe bueprnIng eIIcrI.
l hcpe ycu en|cy readng Ihs haI as much as l en|cyed
specuaIng abcuI I.

[ 9 j
.. .-s
.
T0M0RR0W C0MP05T5
T00AY
l'm usng dcsyncraIc Ierms IhaI mghI beccme ccnIus
ng cuIsde Ihs ccnIexI cI dscusscn. 5c, l'm gcng Ic
CAPl1ALlZE Ihem. 7/.{-./., , ::v:":1.,
cizHo:. '''| s a IaIcuI neccgsm, buI cenIra Ic
Ihe Ihess cI Ihs bcck, sc l' CAPl1ALlZE IhaI Icc. 1hs
w emphasze IhaI l'm Iakng abcuI cosscs cI cb|ecIs
n varyng cb|ecIhuman reaIcnshps, raIher Ihan
scme parIcuar 7/.{-./, , ::v:":1, cizHo
cr '''|.
By usng Ihs speca Iermnccgy, l wanI Ic emphasze
Ihe ccnInung nIerpay beIween cb|ecIs and pecpe. l'm
descrbng an nIrasIrucIure cI human suppcrI, rrevcca
by bcund Ic and generaIed by Ihe cass cI pecpe whc
are necessary Ic creaIe and manIan IhaI nIrasIrucIure.
lI's menIay easer Ic dvde humans and cb|ecIs Ihan Ic
undersIand Ihem as a ccmprehensve and nIerdepen
denI sysIem. pecpe are ave, cb|ecIs are nerI, pecpe
can Ihnk, cb|ecIs |usI e Ihere. BuI Ihs Iaxcncmca dv
scn bnds us Ic Ihe ways and means by whch cb|ecIs dc
change, and I cbscures Ihe areas cI nIervenIcn where
desgn can reshape Ihngs. EIIecIve nIervenIcn Iakes
pace ncI n Ihe human, ncI n Ihe cb|ecI, buI n Ihe ream
cI Ihe Iechncscca.
5c, by capIa7 7/.{-./., l mean smpe arIIca
cb|ecIs, made by hand, used by hand, and pcwered by
musce. 7/.{-./. are creaIed cne aI Ime, ccay, by rues
cI Ihumb and Ickcre raIher Ihan Ihrcugh any absIracI
undersIandng cI Ihe prncpes cI mechancs. Pecpe
wIhn an nIrasIrucIure cI 7/.{-./. are HunIers and
Farmers.
By l mean ccmpex, precsey prcpcr
Icned arIIacIs wIh many nIegra mcvng parIs IhaI
have Iapped scme ncnhuman, ncnanma pcwer scurce.
requre specazed suppcrI sIrucIures Icr
engneerng sks, dsIrbuIcn, and Inance. Pecpe
wIhn an nIrasIrucIure cI are CusIcmers.
5c whaI's Ihe dIIerence
Hcw dces cne draw Ihe ne beIween a IechnccuIure cI
7/.{-./. and a IechnccuIure cI
l draw Iwc nes cI dvscn. 1he IrsI ne s Ihe Lne cI
Nc ReIurn. 1he seccnd s Ihe Lne cI Empre.
We kncw Ihere has been a revcuIcn n IechnccuIure
when IhaI IechnccuIure canncI vcunIary reIurn Ic Ihe
prevcus IechnccuIura ccndIcn. A sacr can beccme a
Iarmer, buI I Ihe sacrs Ircm Ihe era cI rcn
and sIeam reIurn Ic Ihe earer 7/.{-./ era cI wccd and
sa, mcns w sIarve Ic deaIh. 1he IechncscceIy w
[ 10 j
s - -...-s
[ 11 j
- ~ss - s. ~-ss
ccapse, sc I's nc cnger an cpIcn. 1haI's Ihe Lne cI Nc
ReIurn.
We kncw IhaI Ihs revcuIcn has beccme Ihe new sIa
Ius quc when even Ihe IercesI prcpcnenIs cI Ihe earer
IechnccuIure canncI physcay cverwhem and deIeaI
Ihe new cne.
1he new IechnccuIure's physca advanIages n shapng
cb|ecIs make I mpregnabe. 1he mpera IechnccuIure
can spew Is cb|ecIs and prccesses abrcad, mcre cr ess
aI w.
1hcse whc ack IhaI prcducIve capacIy are Icrced nIc
cccna cr deIensve pcsIures. 1haI's Ihe Lne cI Empre.
l'm IhereIcre ncned Ic daIe Ihe advenI cI
IechnccuIure Ic Ihe ecpse cI Ihe Mcngcs n Ihe 1500s.
BeIcre IhaI Ime, an 7/.{-./ cuIure wIh bcws and hcrses
ccud backen Ihe earIh wIh Is rampagng hcrdes. AIIer
IhaI daIe, Ihe wcrd s aI Ihe mercy cI Ihe WesI, as mech
anzaIcn Iakes ccmmand.
By ::v:":1. l mean wdey dsIrbuIed, ccmmercay
avaabe cb|ecIs, ancnymcusy and unIcrmy manuIac
Iured n massve quanIIes, usng a panned dvscn cI
abcr, rapd, ncnarIsana, assembyne Iechnques,
cperaIng cver ccnInenIa eccncmes cI scae, and sup
pcrIed by hghy reabe IranspcrIaIcn, Inance and
nIcrmaIcn sysIems. Pecpe wIhn an nIrasIrucIure cI
::v:":1. are Ccnsumers.
l wcud daIe Ihe advenI cI ::v:":1 IechnccuIure Ic
Ihe percd arcund Wcrd War One.
cizHo: are hghy unsIabe, useraIerabe, barcquey
muIIeaIured cb|ecIs, ccmmcny prcgrammabe, wIh a
breI Iespan. cizHo: cIIer IuncIcnaIy sc penIIu
IhaI I s cheaper Ic mpcrI IeaIures nIc Ihe cb|ecI Ihan
I s Ic smpIy I. cizHo: are ccmmcny nked Ic neI
wcrk servce prcvders, Ihey are ncI sIandacne cb|ecIs
buI nIerIaces. Pecpe wIhn an nIrasIrucIure cI ciz-
Ho: are Endsers.
nke 7/.{-./., , and ::v:":1., cizHo:
have encugh IuncIcnaIy Ic acIvey nag pecpe. 1her
depcymenI demands exIensve, susIaned nIeracIcn.
upgrades, grccmng, pugns, pugcuIs, unscughI mes
sages, securIy IhreaIs, and sc IcrIh.
1he cizHo epcch begns n 19B9.
'''| are manuIacIured cb|ecIs whcse nIcrma
Icna suppcrI s sc cverwhemngy exIensve and rch
IhaI Ihey are regarded as maIera nsIanIaIcns cI an
mmaIera sysIem. '''| begn and end as daIa. 1hey
are desgned cn screens, IabrcaIed by dgIa means,
and precsey Iracked Ihrcugh space and Ime Ihrcugh
cuI Iher earIhy sc|curn.
'''| are susIanabe, enhanceabe, unquey denI
Iabe, and made cI subsIances IhaI can and w be Icded
back nIc Ihe prcducIcn sIream cI IuIure '''|.
EmnenIy daIamneabe, '''| are Ihe prcIagcnsIs
cI an hsIcrca prccess.
Pecpe wIhn an nIrasIrucIure cI '''| are
Wrangers.
[ 12 j
-- - s- .-s
[ 13 j
-.- --s - - -..-
l wcud daIe Ihe dawn cI '''| Ic 2004, when
Ihe nIed 5IaIes DeparImenI cI DeIense suddeny
demanded IhaI Is Ihcusands cI suppers aIIach Radc
Frequency lD Iags, cr arphds, Ic mIary suppes. lI Ihs
nncvaIcn Iurns cuI Ic be cI genune mIary advanIage,
and I I asc spreads wdey n ccmmerca nvenIcry sys
Iems, Ihen a ma|cr IransIcn w key be aI hand.
'''| are ccmng sccner cr aIer, Icr '''| are
here n prmIve Icrms aready. We can'I yeI kncw I Ihs
s an mpcrIanI devecpmenI, cr |usI a vscnary ncIcn.
1he Iechnca pcIenIa seems quIe arge, buI hcw much
desgn energy w Ihese cppcrIunIes aIIracI Whc w
dare Ic use Ihese pcIenIas as a means cI Iechncscca
nIervenIcn ls Ihere a Lne cI Nc ReIurn, and a Lne cI
Empre And I sc, where are Ihcse nes
When w we reaze IhaI we need Ihese sIrucIures n
crder Ic veIhaI we can'I surrender Iher advanIages
wIhcuI awIu ccnsequence And when w pcIes
nIesIed wIh '''| reaze IhaI Ihey can crd I cver
Ihcse whc reIuse cr Ia Ic adapI Ihem
lI l had Ic guess, l'd say 30 years. ln 30 years, Ihngs
prcpery undersIccd as '''| w be a arcund us.
Mnd ycu, Ihs s by nc means an enIrey happy prcspecI.
lI's mpcrIanI Ic expcIy ackncwedge Ihe dcwnsdes cI
any Iechnccgca IransIcrmaIcnIc Ihnk cI Ihe under
sde IrsI, Ic Ihnk n a precauIcnary way. ln engagng
wIh a Iechnccgy sc enIrey Irendy Icward surveance,
spyng, prvacy nvascn and ruIhess Iechnca nIruscn
cn prevcusy unsced scca spaces, we are payng wIh
Ire. NcIhng new IhereIre s Iwc mcn years cd. lI
heps Ic earn abcuI Ire and Is remarkabe aIIcrdances.
NcI a cI s Ic be ganed by smpy Ingng I maIches.
Desgn Ihnkng and desgn acIcn shcud be Ihe prcper
anIdcIes Ic IaIasIc handwrngng when I ccmes Ic
Iechnccgy's grm exIernaIes and pcIenIas Icr deb
eraIe abuse. 1hs bcck s Icr desgners whc wanI Ic be
acIve agenIs n a Iechncscca wcrd. l can'I make ycu
nIc a mcra ange [because l'm ncI cne myseI and have
IIe nIeresI n beng cne), buI l mghI hep ycu under
sIand IhaI Ihe IuIure can be ycurs Ic make.
OI ccurse IhaI's ncI Ihe end cI Ihe sIcry. 1he sIcry,
I I's successIu, Ias Ic end because we have creaIed
'''| and can manage Ihem successIuy. By handng
chaenges prcpery, we've en|cyed Ie wIhcuI spcng
I Icr cur descendanIs, as a cuIure, we've cbIaned mcre
IuIure. 1haI wcud be Ihe vcIcry ccndIcn and Ihe pcnI
cI wrIng bccks cI Ihs knd.
l' be spendng mcsI cI Ihe resI cI Ihs IIe bcck
expcrng whaI a '''| mghI be, cr beccme, and hcw
pecpe w nIeracI wIh '''|. 1here are nc such
Ihngs as Irue '''| yeIIhese are sI specua
Ive, magnary ccncepIs. l w Iry Ic make Ihe case IhaI
'''| are genune prcspecIs Icr genune cb|ecIs n Ihe
IuIure, and wcrIhy cI desgners' aIIenIcn. l hcpe Ic per
suade ycu IhaI cever ycung pecpe had beIIer geI used
Ic Ihese deas.
[ 14 j
. --
ln cIher wcrds, IechnccuIures dc ncI abcsh cne ancIher
n cean cr ccmprehensve ways. lnsIead, new capacIes
are ayered cnIc cder cnes. 1he cder Iechncscca crder
graduay cses Is carIy, crumbes, and meIs away
under Ihe accumuaIng weghI cI Ihe new.
1he ccmng advenI cI '''| w ncI abcsh Ihe
dcmnanI IechnccuIure we see Icday, whch s Ihe
cizHo. 7/.{-./., ::v:":1. and are sI
penIIu and Icursh n Icday's cizHo wcrdbuI, nIu
enced by Ihe pressure Ircm cn hgh, Ihey dc Iend Ic Iake
cn a pervasve Iavcr cI cizHo. LeI's see hcw.

0Id Wine
in New cttIes
WIh a parabe cI cd wne n new bcIIes, l can usIraIe
IhaI scme cb|ecIs are bcrn cizHo, whe cIhers have
cizHocgy IhrusI upcn Ihem. LeI's geI very mmedaIe,
pracIca and handscn wIh Ihe Icpc. eI me nvIe ycu Ic
sI dcwn and have a gass cI wne wIh me.
1hs wne bcIIe we have aI hand here wcud seem Ic
be a preIIy smpe cb|ecI. lI s mcsIy made cI a snge,
ancenI subsIancegassand I has nc mcvng parIs
[I ycu dcn'I ccunI Ihe dscarded ccrk). Wne bcIIes are
ancenI, prendusIra, even prehsIcrc. When l Iurn
cver Ihs wne bcIIe, pcur I and drnk Ihe ccnIenIs, l'm
experencng Ihe same scmaIc shcck as 5ccraIes.
BuI 5ccraIes [whc was a HunIerFarmer Ircm a wcrd cI
7/.{-./.) was drnkng cca wne Ircm a Greek vneyard
n a handmade cay kraIer. Whereas l am an Endser n
a IechncscceIy dcmnaIed by cizHo:. 5c l am drnkng
Ircm a machneabeed, massprcduced bcIIe cI ndus
Ira gass, wIh a barccde and egasIc heaIh warnngs,
whch exsIs n many hundreds cI denIca ccpes, and
1cmcrrcw ccmpcsIs Icday.
[ 16 j
--s . -s
[ 17 j
- -
was shpped Ircm lIay Ic CaIcrna and cIIered Icr sae
n a vasI supermarkeI.
And yes, Ihs bcIIe cI wne has a Webpage. 1hs s hcw
I eans Icrward nIc Ihe IuIure wcrd cI Ihe '''|.
5AN6l0VE5E
[san|chVEHseh)
Frcm Ihe EmaRcmagna area ccmes 5angcvese, an
easy Ic drnk dry wne wIh a sIraghIIcrward, spcy
IruIy Iavcr. En|cy Ihs wne wIh a wde vareIy cI Iccds
ncudng pasIa wIh ghI IcmaIc sauce, rbs, chcken,
vea, pcrk, beeI, ccd meaIs and ccd saads.
Wnemaker ncIes [requres Adcbe AcrcbaI Reader)
Here's hcw Ic say I
HcsI a IasIng
Casscs
5cave | Vapccea | Bardcnc
VareIas
PncI Grgc | MercI | 5angcvese | Chardcnnay |
CaberneI 5auvgncn
5gnaIure 5eres
Arcae | Le Pcane | 1uIae | CcIcrIe
AIa Gamma
Cresc | Amarcne
l had Ic use a apIcp ccmpuIer Ic access IhaI daIa, buI
snce l am an Endser cI cizHo:, l am rarey wIhcuI
a apIcp ccmpuIer. 1haI was an aIIecIaIcn earer n my
Iespan, buI l have crcssed Ihe Lne cI Nc ReIurn wIh
my apIcp cizHo here, l can nc cnger earn a vng wIh
cuI I.
5c Ihs 5angcvese may be a cassc wne Ircm Ihe
MedIerranean basn, buI Ihs bcIIe s nc cnger a cassc
7/.{-./. lI s cizHozed.
Ccnsder Ihe wde vareIy cI ways n whch l am beng
nvIed Ic nIeracI wIh Ihs wne bcIIe. l dcn'I merey
drnk Ihe ccnIenIs. l ccud |usI drnk IbuI I l II my
eyes |usI a IIe[I Icck me 35 seccnds, cn wreess
brcadband, usng Ihe very machne cn whch l am wrIng
Ihs bcck)Ihen l am nvIed Ic earn hcw Ic prcncunce a
Icregn anguage, hcw Ic seI up a scca gaIherng wIh my
Irends, hcw Ihe wne s made [IhaI mghI requre me Ic
dcwncad scme scIIware, mnd ycu), and hcw Ic expand
my cencphc kncwedge cI grape vareIes.
1hs s nc occdcnt. 1here s ncIhng Irvccus cr exIra
necus abcuI Ihs sudden expcscn cI nIcrmaIcna
nImacy beIween myseI and a bcIIe cI wne.
Every cne cI Ihese IransIcns7/.{-./ Ic Ic
::v:":1 Ic cizHonvcves an expanscn cI nIcrma
Icn. lI enabes a deeper, mcre nImaIe, mcre muIpex
nIeracIcn beIween humans and cb|ecIs.
ln an 7/.{-./ IechnccuIure, Ieracy s a Ir. 5crbes
are hard Ic Iran, Iew n number and expensve Ic sup
[ 18 j
s- ss--. -_.-.
[ 19 j
-. .s~.s
pcrI. 1he HunIer and Farmer ves ccse Ic Ihe sc n a
Ie bcund Ic Ihe rhyIhm cI Ihe seascns.
ln a IechnccuIure, l am a CusIcmer. l have a
medum cI exchange IhaI ccmmands a gamuI cI cb|ecIs,
pus banks, rcads, shps, ccmmerca reccrds, engneer
ng manuas, IreaIses cn archIecIure, and a hcsI cI
Iechnca specasIs engaged n craII. l'm IeraIe and
numeraIe, Icr Ihe ack cI such nIcrmaIcna sks wcud
puI me aI severe dsadvanIage.
ln a ::v:":1 IechnccuIure, l'm a Ccnsumer. Gccds
are avaabe aI ccmmcdIy prces n a Ieray unkncw
abe prcIuscn. ::v:":1. are sc radanIy specazed
IhaI Ihey can be amed wIh precscn aI deIned ccn
sumer demcgraphcs. hghend, mdsI, dcwnmarkeI.
l'm barked aI by ncessanI adverIsngunscughI nIcr
maIcn Icwsand burdened wIh macrder caIacgs.
::v:":1. may dare Ic have 5cme Assemby Requred,
buI I sc, l' ccmpan abcuI IhaIIcr l am a Ccnsumer,
and wanI Ic be caIered Ic. l exsI under pressure cI caIer
ng. 1c be caIered Ic s my very Ie. l'm a scca securIy
number, a drver's cense, a vcIer regsIraIcn card, a
sIcck pcrIIcc and a reIremenI pan. WIhdraw Ihcse
sIrucIures, and l dcn'I ve.
ln a cizHo IechnccuIure, my prcducIs are IesIccned
wIh barcque amcunIs cI IuncIcnaIy and Ied deepy
nIc scphsIcaIed, unsIabe neIwcrks cI servce prcv
scn. As an Endser n a desIabzed hgh Iech scceIy, l
Iake greaI ccmIcrI n useess IuncIcns, Ihey may we be
mpracIca, buI Ihey gve me a sense cI dgnIy, ke Ihe
sk rbbcns and gcd brad cn a Renassance ccurIer.
A devce IhaI s smpe and easy Ic undersIand s a mere
ccmmcdIy, n my cizHo scceIy, mere and
::v:":1. cIIer a pccr reIurn cn nvesImenI. 1hese
crude devces ack Ihe dams and wers and Ida pccs cI
paIenIs and nIeecIua prcperIy, Ihey cIIer nc arena Icr
bravura dspays cI my Iechnca masIery. l raIher preIer
my devces ncI Ic wcrk quIe prcpery. l am baanced cn
Ihe edge cI ccmpexIy and uIIer chacs.
cizHo wne hasn'I ceased Ic be wne. Wne Iancers
can Iake ccmIcrI n wne's cng and successIu hsIcrca
reccrd. Hcwever, Ihs bcIIe wIh Ihe Web sIe cn Is abe
sn'I 7/.{-./ wne. 1he grapes were cuIvaIed wIh Icss
Iueed IracIcrs, buI Ihs sn'I wne, eIher. lI
was shpped acrcss Ihe paneI, IaxsIamped and cIIered
Icr sae n a supermarkeI, buI I sn'I ::v:":1 wne.
1hs s cizHo wne. lI s cIIerng me mcre IuncIcnaIy
Ihan l w ever be abe Ic expcre. 1hs wne bcIIe ams
Ic cducotc mcI s urng me Ic beccme mcre kncw
edgeabe abcuI Ihe pecpe and prccesses IhaI made
Ihe bcIIe and Is ccnIenIs. lI wanIs me Ic recruI me Ic
beccme an unpad prcmcIcna agenI, a wne crIc, an
cpncn makerI wanIs me Ic Ihrcw wneIasIng parIes
and Ie a my Irends abcuI my purchase. lI s accuIuraI
ng me Ic cizHo IechncscceIy.
Lke a cizHo:, Is Iespan s breII dcesn'I Iake
cng Ic drnk a bcIIe cI wne. An ndvdua bcIIe cI wne,
[ 20 j
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[ 21 j
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my enIree nIc Ihs wcndrcusy eabcraIe prccess, ccsIs
a mcdesI sum. 1he ccsI cI Ihe nIcrmaIcn |ambcree IhaI
acccmpanes I has been amcrIzed acrcss a huge gcba
base cI wng ccnsumers cI Iavcred acchc.
1hs cizHo aspecI cI Ihe wne bcIIe, a Ihs Web
page busyness and Ihe bar ccde and Ihe heaIh warn
ngsIhese are ncI Irpperes. 1hey were a desgned
wIh deberaIe care. 5cme were egsaIed. 1hey are
permanenI changes n Ihe reaIcn beIween humans and
wne bcIIes. Wne merchanIs w ncI reIreaI Ircm Ihs
new dgIzed ccmpexIy wIh Ihe purchaser because
Ihey have aready nsIaed IhaI ccmpexIy IhrcughcuI
Ihe resI cI Iher prcducIcn sysIem and suppy chan.
Ircm lIaan agrbusness, Ihrcugh Eurcpean cversghI
and sIandards, Ic dsIrbuIcn cenIers and reIa cuI
eIsncne cI Ihem run bnd any mcre, Ihey are a nked
Ihrcugh eecIrcnc ccmmerce.
5c why shcud l, Ihe buyer, be eII cuI l cont be eII
cuI. Every prcducer and seer cI cizHo: s a buyer
cI scmebcdy ese's cizHo:Ihe cder rces cI buyer,
seer, prcducer, devecper are a meIed dcwn n Ihe
nIcrmaIcna sIew. lI ccsIs very IIe Ic drag me nIc
Ihe dgIa mre.
WhaI dces Ihs mean n pracIcedragged nIc Ihe
dgIa mre
lI means Iakng my mcney cI ccurse, buI mcney s cIIen
a meIrc prcxy Icr Iwc cIher, vaguer phencmena. ccgn
Ive cad and cppcrIunIy ccsIs.
1c parIcpaIe n Ihe cizHo: wcrd, l need Ic Ihnk
abcuI Ihngs, Iak abcuI Ihngs, pay aIIenIcn Ic Ihngs,
be enIerIaned by Ihngs. l pay a prce Icr IhaI n per
scna branpcwer. 1haI prce s my cwn ccgnIve cad. ln
a cizHo wcrd, l can earn a greaI dea abcuI wne I l
ke, and IhaI may even be cunnngy arranged Icr me as
a seducIve, ccngena, nIcIanmenI prccessbuI I l dc
IhaI, Ihen l' have Ic Ihnk ess, cr mcre hasIy, cr mcre
skeIchy, abcuI scme cIher Ihngs.
5c l' have Ic chccse cpIcns, cr aI easI navgaIe
Ihe rsks. Fcr nsIance. w l sIcp Ic read a Ihe shrnk
wrapped ccmpexIes cI my scIIware's Endser Lcense
AgreemenI Or w l |usI hasIy cck AGREE and hcpe
l'm Icc smaIme Ic geI sued
Acng wIh Ihnkng ess ccmes dcng ess. cppcrIunIy
ccsI. 1c make rccm n my Ie Icr Ihs cizHo |ambcree, l
have Ic sacrIce scmeIhng IhaI l'm aready dcng. 1here
are cny sc many hcurs n Ihe day, sc Ihere w be scme
Ihng l can'I and dcn'I dc much any mcre. l pay a prce n
cppcrIunIy maybe |usI Ihe cppcrIunIy Ic sI sI, ke
5ccraIes, unperIurbed, n an cve grcve, wIh my cwn
unperIurbed IhcughIs.
When I ccmes Ic cb|ecIs, desgners Iend Ic be avshy
genercus wIh Iher cwn ccgnIve cad and cppcrIunIy
ccsI. 1hnkng abcuI cb|ecIs s a desgner's prcIesscn
and avccaIcn, and Ihe chance Ic dc mcre cI IhaI IhaI s
ccnsdered prcIesscna cppcrIunIy. BuI Icr pecpe whc
are aready Iuy bccked menIayIhe vasI ma|crIy cI
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s -s
Ihe human race whc aren'I desgnersIhcse demands
can be crppng.
Everycne can'I be a desgner
any mcre Ihan everycne can be a maycr cr a 5enaIcr.
1here's ncI encugh Ime n Ihe wcrd Icr pecpe Ic sac
rIce nInIe amcunIs cI cppcrIunIy and ccgnIcn. 1hs
means IhaI, n a '''| wcrd, desgners musI desgn, ncI
|usI Icr cb|ecIs cr Icr pecpe, buI Icr Ihe Iechncscca
nIeracIcns IhaI unIe pecpe and cb|ecIs. desgnng Icr
cppcrIunIy ccsIs and ccgnIve cad. 1hese rescurces
deserve speca desgn aIIenIcn because Ihese are Ihe
rescurces IhaI are ncw n scarcIy.
ln a wcrd cI '''|, Ihe grcwng prcbems cI aIIenIcn
cad and cppcrIunIy ccsIs have been Inessed. McsI
prcbaby, Ihey've been depuIzed Ic pcwerIu nIcrma
Icn machnery. 1hese prccesses depend, as search
engnes dc, cn scca scIIware whch can Irack human
desre and nIeresI.
WhaI's bascay mssng n Ihe IuIure IransIcn Ircm
cizHo Ic '''| are new, nvenIve, nIeracIve machn
eres cI represenIaIve desgn. As wIh represenIaIve
gcvernmenI, Ihese wcud be IransparenI and acccunI
abe nIrasIrucIures IhaI ccud drag and Wrange me nIc
Ihe hurybury wcrd cI desgn ssues wIhcuI asc crush
ng me under Ihe cad cI mcrcmanagemenI.
Can Ihs be dcne l Ihnk I can, I desgners make I
happen. lI dcne prcpery, I w be amcsI beneaIh ncIce.
Pecpe aways dc useIu, suppcrIve wcrk Icr a Iechnc
scca sysIem, wheIher Ihey wanI Ic cr ncI, wheIher Ihey
kncw I cr ncI. HcpeIuy, Ihey can dc I wIhcuI Ihe css
cI every preccus nsIanI n Iher Ie spans.
We nIeracI wIh nIrasIrucIure dIIerenIy n a wcrd
wIh represenIaIve desgn. ln parIcuar, wIh encugh
nIcrmaIcna pcwer, Ihe nvsbe hand cI Ihe markeI
beccmes vsbe. 1he hand cI Ihe markeI was caed
nvsbe because Adam 5mIh, an eghIeenIhcenIury
eccncmsI, had very Iew ways Ic measure I. Adam 5mIh
acked meIrcs. MeIrcs make Ihngs vsbe. ln a '''|
IechncscceIy, mcsI everyIhng has meIrcs. Human
bengs and Iher cb|ecIs are awash n meIrcs. 1here are
many ways Ic make Ihese meIrcs mpnge cn my behav
crby makng Ihngs ccsI mcre cr ess, cI ccurse, buI
asc mcsIy by makng Iher wcrkngs mcre cbvcus, gv
ng me a sIake, and puIIng Ihem ccser Ic my IngerIps.
When Ihe enIre ndusIra prccess
s made expcI, when Ihe meIrcs ccunI Icr
mcre Ihan Ihe cb|ecI Ihey measure,
Ihen cizHo beccme '''|.
[ 25 j [ 24 j
. ---
1he PrcducICcnsumer IechncscceIy had a raIher
smpe, near seI cI reaIcnshps beIween Ccnsumers
and manuIacIurers. 1haI smper nearIy was ccmpcs
Ied and subsumed by Ihe cizHo IechncscceIy. As an
Endser Icday, even a wne bcIIe w deberaIey ure
and reward me Icr beccmng a sIakehcder.
ln a '''| IechncscceIy, we've advanced nIc yeI
ancIher sIuaIcn, where Ihe ccre acIvIes nvcve negc
IaIcns cver Ihe naIure cI my sIake hcdng. 1hs acIvIy
l ca Wrangng. A '''| IechncscceIy w be ccm
pcsed cI Wrangers. EIIecIve desgn heps Wrangers
Ic Wrange beIIer.

THE PER50NAL l5
Hl5T0RlCAL
lI's Ime Ic expan why a ncvesI wcud puI up wIh ccg
nIve cadng and cppcrIunIy ccsIs, |usI sc he ccud
wrIe abcuI desgn. Acw me Ic ccnIde n ycu.
Bascay, Ihs s a perscna egacy.
My aIe IaIher [whc was asc kncwn as Bruce 5Ierng,)
was an engneer. He was a gcbeIrcIIng panI manager
Icr an c muInaIcna. Durng mcsI cI hs IeIme, my
IaIher was a Ccnsumer n a ::v:":1 IechncscceIy.
BuI he'd grcwn up cn a 1exan ranch where Iarmng and
hunIng were Ihe everyday busness cI exsIence. 5c he
perscnay experenced a wrenchng IransIcn.
Hs engneerng career nvcved budng and manag
ng huge reIneres seeIhng wIh ccmpex, hazardcus
chemsIry. OI ccurse Ihs wcrk brcughI hm mcre weaIh,
sk and scphsIcaIcn Ihan he ccud have acqured as a
rura 5cuIh 1exas Iarm bcy. BuI IhaI success came wIh
a perscna ccsI. As sccn as he ccud aIIcrd I, my IaIher
bcughI and. AIIer IhaI, mcsI every weekend, he eII hs
ndusIra panI Ic dcIe cn hs 1exan ranch.
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EvenIuay, he reIred Ircm engneerng Ic devcIe Iu
Ime aIIenIcn Ic hs caIIe herds and crchards.
He never made much mcney aI I. Hcwever, Ihere's nc
quesIcn IhaI hs rura spread was wcndrcusy weeng
neered. AgrcuIura exIenscn agenIs Iccked n Ircm
ccunIes arcund Ic marve aI Ihe hghperIcrmance
raIcnasm IhaI he'd brcughI Ic IhaI ancenI pursuI cI
herds and crcps. He was a devcIed amaIeur.
ln IruIh, hs ranch was never reay abcuI ranchng. lI
was hs way Ic Ind perscna nIegrIy n Ihe dzzy Irans
IcrmaIcns cI Ihe 20Ih cenIury. When he brcughI hs
aduI sks, hs aduI ways cI IhcughI and acIcn, back
Ic Ihe scenes and sIuaIcns cI hs chdhccd Ie, IhaI
brcughI hm ccnIenImenI.
By hs naIure, he was an cpImsIc, candc sprI, an
engneer and a man cI deeds. BuI l never saw hm happer
Ihan he was wIh hs Irees and caIIe.
l myseI happen Ic wcrk n Ihe cuIure ndusIry. l've asc
wcrked cn ranches, sc l undersIand whaI I means Ic dg
pcsIhces, sIreIch barbed wre, brng n crcps and herd
cbsIrepercus caIIe. Farmng has IIe appea Icr me.
lnsIead, l have Ihe same backwardgancng, chcp
ckng nIeresI n muInaIcna heavy ndusIry IhaI my
IaIher dd Icr hs ranchng.
l Iuy share my Dad's nIuIve ccnvcIcn IhaI a ser
cusmnded aduI Ie nvcves dcng scmeIhng ese Ihan
whaI l reay dc Icr a vng. My dad beeved IhaI auIhen
IcIy had scmeIhng Ic dc wIh and, crcps and caIIe.
ln my cwn menIa unverse, grcwnups wcrk cn massve
panI sIarIups n remcIe ccrners cI Ihe wcrd. 1hey
nsIa newIanged ndusIra capacIy wIh sIaIecIIhe
arI hardware. 5urey Ihey wcudn'I IrIe away Iher ves
wrIng scence IcIcn ncves [aIhcugh l've been dcng
IhaI Icr decades, and ncbcdy Ies me Ic sIcp).
OI ccurse, l myseI dcn'I engneer chemca panIs, and
l never w. BuI l dc wrIe a greaI dea abcuI Iechnccgy.
1haI became my Iheme as an arIsI. 1he human reacIcn
Ic Iechnccgca changencIhng nIeresIs me mcre. l
wanI and need Ic kncw a abcuI I. l wanI Ic pumb Is
every aspecI. l even wanI Ic Ind new wcrds Icr aspecIs
cI I IhaI haven'I as yeI been descrbed.
5c, n Ihe due passage cI Ime, my cwn Ie came Ic
resembe my dad'sIhcugh n shape raIher Ihan n sub
sIance. ln much Ihe way IhaI my dad engneered hs Iarm,
l wrIe IeraIure abcuI Iechnccgy.
My grandIaIher, my IaIher's IaIher, was a Irue rancher.
He was a man whc ved by Ihe whms cI 1exan and and
weaIher. l never asked my grandIaIher whaI he hmseI
pned Icrby Ihe Ime IhaI l denIIed Ihs Iamy IraI,
my grandIaIher had passed cn. l'm preIIy sure, Ihcugh,
IhaI my grandIaIher's cwn ncsIaga was Icr Ihe van
shed, sxgunIcIng, ncmadc Ie cI Ihe Ireerange
ccwbcy. 1haI Iruebue, saddeIramp IesIye asIed a
mere quarIercenIury, buI Amercan scceIy has been
senImenIazng I ever snce.
[ 28 j
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l wcud beI IhaI my daughIers, n Iher cwn aduIhccd,
w have smar Ieengs abcuI scence IcIcn bccks. lI's
ncI IhaI bccks w cease Ic exsIwe sI have Iarms,
ranches and peIrcchemca panIs, IccbuI cne can see
bccks shrnkng nIc a smaer meda nche under a Ida
wave cI dgIa nIeracIcn. My daughIers are ncI Ier
ary creaIures. 1hey are Web surIers and gamng Ians. 5c
Ihey' prcbaby ccnsder nk cn paper, scd ccmmercay
n bccksIcres, Ic be Ihe sgn cI an ved, ccnIempaIve,
scdy cassca nIcrmaIcn eccncmy, n a wcrd, Icr Ihem
and Ihers, IhaI w be Ihe scrI cI Ihng Ihe cd Icks used
Ic dc.
Lke my IaIher, l'm engaged n a sIrugge Ic asserI scme
sense cI perscna nIegrIy wIhn Ihe passage cI my cwn
IeIme. l'm a chd cI Ihe c daspcra, Iryng Ic make
sense cI Ihe pcwerIu Icrces IhaI uprccIed me Ircm
cca cuIure, Iung me acrcss Ihe paneI and made me an
auIcddacIc gypsy. l'm a scence IcIcn wrIerbuI ne
Iher scence ncr IcIcn Ies me much cI use here.
Desgn, hcwever, s raIher eager Ic dscuss Ihe maIIer.
By nc accdenI, Amercan desgn and Amercan scence
IcIcn bcIh daIe Ic Ihe 1920s. ln Ihe vscnary wcrk cI,
say, Na:ess 8s| 0s11ss, wIh hs garganIuan IransaIanIc
arners and nhabIed Hccver dams, I's easy Ic spcI a
scenceIcIcna sensbIy IhaI hasn'I yeI been caged
and Iamed. ln Iher ycuIh, bcIh desgn and scence IcIcn
cenIered unashamedy cn wcnder, speed, and specIace.
1her deepesI and mcre asIng ccmmcnaIy s Iher
Ierce cve cI gadgeIry. Desgn cves Ihe gamcrzed
cb|ecI, whe scence IcIcn cves rayguns, rcbcIs, Ime
machnes, and rcckeIshpsmagnary cb|ecIs whcse
cne greaI unIy s IhaI ycu, Ihe reader, are never gcng Ic
cwn cne. 1here s nc danger cI scence IcIcn's peI gad
geIs beccmng cbsceIe and dsenchanIng ycu. 1he Ide
cI wcnder never ceases Icr Iechnccges IhaI reman
IanIases.
5uppcse, hcwever, IhaI ycu beccme genuney nIer
esIed n gadgeIsncI as symbcs cI wcnder Ic be
depcyed as scI sIage prcps, buI as acIua, ccrpcrea
physca presences. lI may dawn cn ycu IhaI ycu are sur
rcunded by a manuIacIured envrcnmenI. Ycu may IurIher
ccme Ic undersIand IhaI ycu are ncI vng n a cenIray
panned scceIy, where cass dsIncIcns and raIcnng
decare whc has access Ic Ihe hardware. lnsIead, ycu are
vng n a gaudy, markeIdrven scceIy whcse maIera
cuIure s hghy unsIabe and radcay ccnIngenI. Ycu're
surrcunded by gadgeIs. Whc can Ie ycu hcw Ic Ihnk
abcuI gadgeIs, whaI Ic say abcuI IhemwhaI Ihey mean,
hcw IhaI Iees
5cence can'I dc IhaI. 1here s nc such scenIIc dsc
pne as GadgeIccgy. lI ycu wanI Ic wrIe eIIecIvey
abcuI gadgeIs, ycu musI ccme Ic Ierms wIh desgn. And
I pays Ic make IhaI eIIcrI cI ccmprehenscn, because,
n scence IcIcn, as n any knd cI IcIcn, I mprcves Ihe
[ 30 j
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[ 31 j
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wcrk remarkaby Ic have a ccherenI dea cI whaI ycu're
Iakng abcuI.
Desgn s ncI scence.
Desgn has Iew unversa scenIIc aws Ic cIIer us. Ycu
can pcnder many a desgn IexI wIhcuI ever Indng a
quadraIc equaIcn, a IesIabe hypcIhess, cr an exper
menIa prccI. BuI desgn Ihnkng aIIecIed my scence
IcIcn prcIcundy, and |usIy sc.
l've been wrIng desgn IcIcn Icr years ncw. Desgn
IcIcn reads a greaI dea ke scence IcIcn, n IacI, I
wcud never cccur Ic a ncrma reader Ic separaIe Ihe Iwc.
1he ccre dsIncIcn s IhaI desgn IcIcn makes mcre
sense cn Ihe page Ihan scence IcIcn dces. 5cence
IcIcn wanIs Ic nvcke Ihe grandeur and credbIy cI
scence Icr Is cwn handwavng hccuspccus, buI desgn
IcIcn can be mcre pracIca, mcre handscn. lI sacrIces
scme sense cI Ihe mracucus, buI I mcves much ccser
Ic Ihe gcwng heaI cI Iechncscca ccnIcI.
ln crder Ic nvcve cne's seI n Ihe desgn wcrd, cne has
Ic bunder scmehcw nIc Ihe desgn subcuIure. 1hs IrsI
happened Ic me n 19B9, n Nagcya, 1apan. l was nvIed
Ic an nIernaIcna ccnIerence cI scceIes cI ndusIra
desgn. l never undersIccd whc wanIed me Ic gc Ihere,
cr whaI Ihey IhcughI l mghI ccnIrbuIe Ic Ihe dsccurse,
buI cI ccurse l wenI. l never gc Ic 1apan wIhcuI en|cyng
myseI hugey.
FurIhermcre, I's cne cI Ihe perks cI Ihe scence Ic
Icn prcIesscn IhaI cne never reay becngs anywhere.
Pecpe n cIher waks cI Ie are aways surprsed Ic meeI
a seIdecared scence IcIcn wrIer.
1here's a scrpI Icr I.
WhaI dc ycu dc
l'm a scence IcIcn wrIer.
Reay
Yes.
WhaI are ycu dcng ncrc
Oh, cne kes Ic draw, Ihs waycuI scene cI ycurs
s very scence IcIcna!
Yeah, reay! l'm, uh, Irend spcIIng here!
1he IrsI ndusIra desgner l ever meI, cne Ist|s:
\|ses|sls:, dd ncI bcIher Ic ask me Ihese Ihngs. lnsIead,
cver a ccupe cI whskes aI Ihe Icp cI a 1apanese sky
scraper, N:. \|ses|sls: smpy began, n hs unquey
crIhcgcna Iashcn, Ic geI me up Ic speed wIh Ihe
naIure cI hs meu. When l Ie cIher desgners IhaI Ihe
IrsI desgner l meI was Ist|s: \|ses|sls:, Ihey can cny
ncd kncwngy. 1he IruIh s IhaI Ihs \|ses|sls: characIer
was and s a desgner's desgner, cne cI Ihcse umncus,
Eameske bengs whc dc ncI sc much pursue desgn as
embcdy I. l ddn'I Iuy grasp IhaI n 19B9, buI l mmed
[ 32 j
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[ 33 j
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aIey reccgnzed IhaI l was n Ihe presence cI scmecne
cuIuray radcacIve. Fcr an 5F wrIer, any guy ke Ihs
cne was IcpncIch maIera. l needed Ic kncw a abcuI
hm and a hs Irends. 5c l earned.
1he Iask cI Ihe arIsI s Ic creaIe, ncI Ic Iak, as
GceIhe suppcsedy sad [amcng hs many IIs cI Iakng).
l'm a creaIve arIsI myseI, buI n Ihe desgn wcrd, l am
beraIed n a way IhaI l can never be n IcIcn. ln desgn,
l am ncI a creaIcr. 1here, l'm |usI a Iaker. l have nc desgn
IaenI. l Iee nc burnng desre Ic desgn anyIhng much.
5I, my nIeresI n desgn s perscna, sncere and cng
Ierm. 5c, by my naIure, l'm suIed Ic be a desgn crIc.
5c l became cne, and wrcIe abcuI I mcre and mcre
cIIen. l've beccme a desgn Ian cI Ihe puresI dye. Hcwever,
unke mcsI desgn Ians, l'm ncI a Ian cI desgners. l quIe
ke desgnersl never meI a desgner l ddn'I kebuI
l'm ncI n Ihe desgn game.
By my naIure, l'm a Ian cI desgn tcocncrs. l'm an
earnesI devcIee cI desgn gurus. Desgn gurus ke Ic
grumbe IhaI Ihey are rarey Iaken sercusy as pubc
nIeecIuas, buI snce l'm a scence IcIcn wrIer, Ihese
shbbceIhs bcIher me ncI cne whI. Ycu beI Ihey're
mpcrIanI and persuasve pubc nIeecIuas, because l
read Iher wcrk, and l'm swIIy mcIvaIed Ic Ihrcw away
sIarIng sums cn machnery, sheIer, ccIhng, and wcrk
ng Iccs. lI IhaI sn'I a pcIenI nIuence, whaI s
Pecpe scmeImes magne IhaI desgners are Ihcrny,
arcane, unapprcachabe dvas. Yes, sure, buI IhaI's a Icr
shcw. Once cne geIs Ic kncw desgners, cne qucky Inds
IhaI desgners have remarkaby cwkey egcs, especay
ccmpared Ic us auIhcrs. By Iher naIure, desgners are
acccmmcdaIng prcbemscvers. 1her basc nsIncIs
ead Ihem Ic unsnar scca embarrassmenIs wIh grace
Iu eIIcency. 5c desgners make dea hcsIs. 1her
evenIs aways have greaI sgnage and preIIy brcchures.
1hey are cever, quck sIudes and Ihey undersIand arcane
|ckes. l dcIe cn Ihem.
1he seccnd desgner l meI was a genIeman named
N||s Ntta. l admred Ihe handscme cIIce char N:. Ntta
was sIIng n, and he nIcrmed me IhaI he hmseI had
desgned I. He Ihen rcse Ircm Ihe char, Iurned I upsde
dcwn cn Ihe spcI, and denIIed and descrbed a Is mcv
ng parIs. l was awed. [Reay, anycne cI sense shcud be
awed by such acccmpshmenIs.) l wenI hcme and bcughI
IhaI char, a ma|cr reascn why, despIe my years cI cease
ess Iypng, l'm never Ircubed by umbar amenIs.
Desgn and scence IcIcn are ssIer cccupaIcns, buI
I's vIa Ic make cne mpcrIanI dsIncIcn. Ccmpared Ic
desgners, scence IcIcn wrIers are vscnary cranks.
Crankhccd sn'I sc much an cccupaIcna hazard as a ccre
requremenI cI my Irade. 5cence IcIcn |usI dcesn'I
wcrk as a Ierary genre wIhcuI a sIrcng whII cI Ihe
vscnary. EIIecIve scence IcIcn aways has scme knd
cI burnng, subIerranean agenda, cn Ihe verge cI bursI
ng cuI cI ccnIrc.
WIh 1ues Verne, I's a IrusIraIed sacr sIuck n a bcur
[ 34 j
.s .-s
[ 35 j
-~.- .-s
gecs aIIc. WIh H. G. Wes, I's a eIIsI revcuIcnary
wrIng Ihrers Ic make hs renI, wIh H. P LcvecraII,
I's mndbcwng ccsmc vsIas Ircm a puIupcn shabby
genIIy. 5cence IcIcn s ncI abcuI Ihe Ireedcm cI
magnaIcn. lI's abcuI a Iree magnaIcn pnched and
hcwng n a vse IhaI cIher pecpe ca rea Ie.
WrIng s burdenscme. A mnd aI Iu ease wIh IseI
wcud ncI need Ic sIher cnIc a page, a serene mnd wcud
ncI need Ic speak Is mnd. When l read cIher wrIers, l
kncw encugh abcuI wrIng IhaI l am aways aware cI Ihe
ccmpcsIcna sIrugge, sc whenever l read gccd wrIng,
l perceve hard wcrk. l Iee pangs cI ccega sympaIhy.
BuI when l see gccd desgn, l dcn'I suIIer acng wIh Ihe
abcrng desgner, l kncw he's wcrkng hard, buI l |usI Iee
happy. l am Iree Ic Iee Ihe nnaIe |cy cI human creaIv
Iy, and reay, l'm graIeIu Icr IhaI. Desgn gves me |cy.
1haI's ncI a sma maIIer n Ie.
Hcwever, cne can'I merey IrIe n Ihe ves cI cIh
ers, I ycu're a desgn deIIanIe, ycu dc run Ihe hazard
IhaI, scmehcw cr cIher, ycu may acIuay desgn scme
Ihng. 1hs mshap cnce happened Ic me. 5cme eccenIrc
Eurcpean arIsIs cnce ccmmsscned me Ic desgn a
amp.
OI ccurse l accepIed IhaI ccmmsscn, hcw ccud l
reIuse 1he mere IacI IhaI l ack desgn IaenI was cny,
we, an nIeresIng desgn ccnsIranI.
l have nc nnaIe Ieeng Icr Icrm. l can'I draw, l can'I
vsuaze we n Ihree dmenscns, l have nc keen aware
ness cI deIa, l have pccr experence wIh maIera
aIIcrdances, and when I ccmes Ic handwcrk, l ccud
easy cuI my Ihumb cII scng a bage. Franky, l'm |usI
nc gccd.
Hcwever, l dcn'I have much Ircube Ihnkng ke desgn
ers Ihnk. ln parIcuar, l can exIrapcaIe, I ycu shcw me
A, B, and F, l can eap Ic Z n a Irce. 5c l Icck a eaI Ircm
Ihe pracIce cI Iwc cI my IavcrIe ccnIempcrary desgn
ers, Lss:sss and tasslssl|s 8ae.
1hese 8ae wcrIhes have Ihe remarkaby scence
IcIcna habI cI gcng cuI Ic hardware sIcres and
repurpcsng ccmmcn cb|ecIs Icr bzarre uses never
nIended by Iher manuIacIurers. lI ycu ke 5nopng
Tnngs l5BN 026219533X, ycu wcud prcbaby ke
Iher bcck, Curcus 8cgm l5BN 156B9B3530, much
beIIer. NcI cny s I wIIer and ceverer Ihan my bcck,
buI Ihe 8aes asc seze Ihe cppcrIunIy Ic seIIe sccres
wIh any number cI deadbeaIs whc rccked Ihem n Iher
desgn pracIce, whch s hysIercay Iunny.
5c l Iccwed n Ihe 8aes's pcneerng IccIsIeps and l
creaIed a amp cuI cI ccmmcn, everyday cabe camps.
Cabe camps are ncnccnducIve pasIc knckknacks
ccmmcny used Ic ccnIrc Ihck, unruy cumps cI pcwer
cabes. 1hese camps are cheap and durabe, and Ihey
wcud serve we hcd Ihe pcwer cabes cI a whce cIIce
Iu cI amps. 5c [l reascned) why ncI cuI Ic Ihe chase and
make Ihe amp IseI cuI cI Ihe camps
As I happens, Ihese IccIhed and |awed cabe camps
have scme nIeresIng scupIura quaIes. 5c I's Iary
smpe maIIer Ic supergue Ihem nIc a werd, rppng,
[ 37 j [ 36 j
.-s ...s
IccIhy, anemcneke ccnsIrucIcn. l ddn'I make Ihe besI
pcssbe amp IhaI ccud be made cuI cI cabe camps.
BuI snce ncbcdy ese wcud Ihnk Ic Iry I aI a, l creaIed
a unque cb|ecI IhaI ccks ke nc cIher amp cn earIh. My
amp ccks exIremey scence IcIcna wIhcuI beng n
any way dervaIve cI prevcus eIIcrIs. 5c, we, Ihe prc|
ecI wcrked. AI easI, Ihe cenIs were peased. msscn
acccmpshed.
l Icndy magned IhaI Ihs amp cI mne was gcng Ic be
durabe, pracIca, demccraIc and cheap. OI ccurse, Ns::
8s:la|s asc IhcughI IhaI abcuI hs Damcnd char made
cI smpe sIee wre, and Ns:ts| 8:sss: IhcughI IhaI abcuI
hs Wassy char made cuI cI smpe sIee Iubng, and Ihe
lsess IhcughI I abcuI Iher PcIaIc Chp char made cI
smpe gued pywccd. My amp made cI pasIc camps
s ncI cheap aI a. lI s a handgued rccncrcnc cbjct IhaI
ccsIs an arm and a eg n Icney French arI gaeres.
OI ccurse l was nIeecIuay aware cI Ihs ccnundrum
n desgn, buI experencng I myseI has made me a beI
Ier crIc.
l shcwed my amp Ic Ist|s: \|ses|sls:. He ccked aI I
senIy Icr abcuI IhrIy seccnds and sad IhaI I was
1.
l came Iu crce, rghI Ihere.
'
Metahistery
Hcw dc pecpe kncw whaI Ic expecI Ircm Iher Ihngs
Every cuIure has a meIahsIcry. 1hs s ncI Ihe same as
Iher acIua hsIcry, an acccunI cI paces and evenIs. A
meIahsIcry s a cuIura Ihess cn Ihe sub|ecI cI Ime
IseI. MeIahsIcry s abcuI whaI's gcne by, whaI ccmes
nexI, and whaI a IhaI s suppcsed Ic mean Ic sensbe
pecpe.
As a scence IcIcn wrIer l Ind Ihese scca ccnsIruc
Icns cI parIcuar nIeresI. Hcw dc pecpe ccme Ic grps
wIh Ihe IuIure Hcw dc Ihey Ihnk abcuI IuIurIy Hcw
are Ihcse |udgmenIs made and hcw dc we aIer Ihcse
|udgmenIs
A cuIure's meIahsIcry heps I deIermne wheIher
new Ihngs are apprcpraIe, wheIher Ihey II nIc Ihe Ira
|ecIcry IhaI s ccnsdered Ihe rghI Irack. Fcr nsIance, I
ycu happen Ic be an EgypIan pharach, I makes perIecI
sense Ic assembe Ihe pcpuace n Ihe cIIseascn Ic cre
aIe huge granIe and mesIcne Imemachnes Icr ycur
pcsIhumcus exsIence. 1haI s by nc means an excIc
whm, Ihere s ncIhng rcmanIc cr vscnary abcuI Ihs
crIca scca prc|ecI, budng pyramds Icr Ihe Pharach's
IuIure demse s ccmmcnsensca and enIrey decenI.
[ 38 j
.. ~.s~
[ 39 j
-. s.s _.
We mcderns behave n much Ihe same bucyanI, unIhnk
ng way when we dsnIer IanIasIc vcumes cI cca and
crude c, seI Ire Ic Ihem, and expcrI Ihe smcke nIc Ihe
sky. 1hs was crIca Ic cur sense cI prcgress cnce, we've
yeI Ic undersIand IhaI I s radcay harmng cur abIy
Ic gc cn.
1c undersIand meIahsIcry s vIa,
buI ncI suIIcenI.
Ncw eI's sIep up cne anayIca eve. WhaI s Ihe IuIure
Icr hsIcry IseI WhaI meIahsIcrca Ihess ccmes nexI
Can we specuaIe eIIecIvey abcuI IuIure meIahsIcres
IhaI w be creaIed and beeved by IuIure cuIures
FuIure meIahsIcres wcud be grand narraIves abcuI
Ime IhaI are as yeI nccncevabe, and can'I as yeI be hed
by anybcdy. We may ncI be abe Ic predcI cr descrbe
IuIure meIahsIcres, buI Ic |udge by Ihe cngesIabshed
hsIcrca Irends, I's enIrey cear IhaI Ihere w be scme.
MeIahsIcres dc exsI, Ihey ccme Ic exsI, Ihey Iade Ircm
Ihe cuIura andscape, Ihey have mIed Ie spans.
And yeI, Ihere has never been a meIahsIcry IhaI can
reccgnze IseI as prcvscna. Grand deas abcuI Ime
aways ccnsder Ihemseves Ic be scmehcw Ime prccI.
A arcund us we see cbscescencebuI cur deas abcuI
cbscescence are ncI suppcsed Ic cbscesce.
Can we Iranscend Ihs Iaure cI nsghI Can we make
rccm and cIIer a cheerIu weccme wIhn cur cwn meIa
hsIcry, Icr unbcrn meIahsIcres whcse Ime s ncI yeI
here Can we acw curseves Ic undersIand IhaI cur
deepesI deas abcuI exsIence are Ihemseves mcrIa
IcrmuaIcns
Why dc we wanI Ic make Ihs eIIcrI lI's because a
meIahsIcry s Ihe uImaIe deIermnanI cI Ihe shape cI
Ihngs. lI's Ihrcugh meIahsIcry IhaI pecpe ccme Ic rea
ze IhaI new Ihngs are prcper Ihngs. New cb|ecIs IhaI
can II nIc a meIahsIcrca ccnIexI are seen as prcgres
sve advancemenIs. OIherwse Ihey are ccnsdered aen
mpcsIcns cr cdd curcsIes.
lI may be IhaI any aIIempI Ic Iamper wIh meIahsIcry
s nherenIy wrcngheaded. Kar Pcpper [Ihe advccaIe cI
paradgmaIc Ihnkng n Ihe phcscphy cI scence) hed
IhaI cracuar phcscphy s a pcscncus nIeecIua
dsease. Acccrdng Ic Pcpper, scme pecpe drnk Icc
deep aI Ihe predcIve we cI meIahsIcry, magnng IhaI
Ihey can creaIe uIcpan gcsomtkunstwcrks and engneer
scme new knd cI humanIy. 1hese dangercus medders
w Ind Ihemseves IaIay ed Icward nIervenIcnsm.
Pcpper ccnsdered nIervenIcnsm Ic be nherenIy ev,
Icr nIervenIcnsm s Ihe mcrIa enemy cI a ccser, mcre
cpen mcde cI scceIy IhaI can acw cpen dssenI and
cpeny redress Is errcrs.
lI Iccws IhaI cracuar phcscphers, n Iher wemean
ng aIIempIs Ic engneer scceIy, w Ind Ihemseves
[ 40 j
..s s..
[ 41 j
.-s- -s
ccrrupIed and Iurned snsIer, Icrced Ic sIrange human
Ireedcm and deny Ihe unIcreseen.
l'm ncned Ic agree IhaI mpcsng cracuar phcsc
phy wIh guns and guags s dseased. 1he 55R was Ihe
numbercne exampe cI a IcIaIaran, nIervenIcnsI
scceIy. lI Iaed, sc I's cerIany ncI cne any mcre. 1he
Russans gave up Iher dccIrne IhaI MarxsmLennsm
made Ihem Ihe avanIgarde cI manknd.
5c Ihe Russans are ncw Iree cI nIervenIcnsI ds
easebuI Russan scceIy Icday s vanshng. DeaIh
raIes have scared, brIh raIes have punged, rea ds
eases are ayng wasIe Ic Ihe pcpuace, and Russa s n a
caIasIrcphc demcgraphc decne.
1here seems Ic be nc easy expanaIcn as Ic why Ihs
wcud happen Ic pecpe n an ndusIrazed sIaIe, aI
peace, wIh huge naIura rescurces. One wcud Ihnk IhaI
Iher hearIs were brcken, IhaI Ihey had nc pace Ic Iurn
Ic Iace Ihe ccmng day and had csI hcpe cI Indng any,
and IhaI Ihs meIahsIcrca ccapse s prcvng IaIa Ic
Ihem and Iher cuIure.
1he premer argumenI
Icr meIahsIcrca nIervenIcn s IhaI
Ihe sIaIus quc w k us.
LeI's ccnsder Ihe man chaenges IhaI IhreaIen cur
cvzaIcn's ccnInued exsIence. 1haI wcud be cmaIe
change IrsI and IcremcsI. 1here s asc deIcresIaIcn,
Ihe mpendng deaIh cI |unges and ccra reeIs, cverIsh
ng, sc ercscn and sanzaIcn, emergenI and ressIanI
pagues, depeIcn cI Ihe wcrd's Iresh waIer suppes,
exhausIcn cI Icss Iues, a bcaccumuaIcn cI Icxns n
waIer, Iccd and sc, n human bccdsIreams and human
Iesh, pus ncreases cI crashes cI Ihe wcrd's pcpuaIcn,
and Ihe pcssbe use cI weapcns cI mass desIrucIcn.
WIh Ihe excepIcn cI WMD, whch s smpy genccde
n a can, Ihese are a scw crses cheerIuy generaIed
by pecpe raIcnay pursung Iher shcrIIerm nIeresIs,
Ircm wIhn a meIahsIcrca Iramewcrk Ihey have yeI Ic
menIay Iranscend. 1cday's cpen and demccraIc scceI
es are asc unsusIanabe, sc Ihey are abcuI as gccd aI
generaIng Ihese crses as any cIher scceIes.
We shcudn'I gccmy magne IhaI a pcssbe IhreaIs
Ic scceIy are scmehcw a cur cwn dcng, eIher. 1he
paneI s nherenIy hazardcus. 1here are rare buI rea
IhreaIs such as asIercd sIrkes, super vccances, vasI
Isunams, Ihe reversa cI Ihe EarIh's magneIc Ied... A
scceIy deIermned Ic Ihrve n Ihe cng Ierm wcud need
Ic keep a wary eye cn Ihese maIIers. lI shcud be prepared
Ic dea wIh such chaenges cn Ihe scae and wIh Ihe
energy IhaI a IhreaI cI IhaI sccpe wcud requre. A scc
eIy IhaI ab|ures nIervenIcn cn prncpe can'I dc IhaI.
A scceIy IhaI can'I susIan IseI may have
sIrcng deas abcuI Is meIahsIcry,
buI cb|ecIvey speakng I has nc IuIure.
[ 42 j
- . s.s-.
[ 43 j
-s --s
WhaI s needed s Ihe energy Icr eIIecIve nIervenIcn
wIhcuI Ihe grm mana cI IcIaIaransm. We need Ic
Iake acIcn wIhcuI any suIIccaIng preIense cI eIerna
cerIanIy. 5c we need a new ccncepI cI IuIurIy whcse
mage s ncI Ihe sIaIc, daIed InIype cI Ihe pasI's IuIure.
We need a dynamc, nIeracIve medumwe need Ic
nvenI a generapurpcse cuIura nIerIace Icr Ime.
MeIahsIcres Ic daIe have had Ihe sIaIc charac
Ier cI a sacred cracuar IexI. WhaI we need Ic nvenI s
scmeIhng raIher mcre ke a search engne. We need a
desgned meIahsIcry.
HsIcry s never a deIermnsIc cerIanIyundersIccd
eIIecIvey, hsIcry s a bosc rcscurcc. We wcud Ihnk cI
Ime and IuIurIy very dIIerenIy I we came Ic under
sIand IhaI Ihe passage cI Ime ccud make cne rch. lI
can. Because hsIcry s nIcrmaIcnnIcrmaIcn abcuI
Ihe pecpe and cb|ecIs IransIng Ime. 1he wcrd nIcr
maIcn shcud suggesI ncI scme Irczen deccgy cr
Imeess gcspe, buI eccncmc acIvIy. 1haI wcud be
hsIcry as busness, hsIcry as gcvernance, hsIcry as
symbcc anaysshsIcry eIched nIc Ihe very IexIure
cI Ihe Iechncscca.
Ccmbne Ihe ccmpuIaIcna pcwer cI an lNFORMA1lON
5OClE1Y wIh Ihe sIark nIervenIcnsI need Icr a
551AlNABLE 5OClE1Y. 1he cne s happenng anyway,
Ihe cIher cne has Ic happen. When cppcrIunIy meeIs
necessIy, nvenIcn Iakes pace. lI s a new, 21sI cenIury
scceIy wIh a new, prcgressve Icrm cI meIahsIcry.
1hs s why '''|cr scmeIhng parIakng cI Iher
characIersIcs - are cur era's hcpeIu chdren. '''|
are nIcrmaIcn meded wIh susIanabIy. WIhcuI sus
IanabIy, nIcrmaIcn s Icpheavy, energyhungry and
headng Icr a crash, whe susIanabIy s mpracIca
wIhcuI precse, ccmprehensve nIcrmaIcn abcuI Icws
cI energy and maIeras. A '''| s a cass cI cb|ecIs
wIh Ihe capacIy Ic aIIend Ic bcIh.
5c a '''|, undersIccd prcpery, s ncI merey Ihe
|azzedup descendanI cI Icday's barccdes and lD chps.
'''| are Ihe nIersecIcn cI Iwc vecIcrs cI Iechncsc
ca devecpmenI. 1hey have Ihe capacIy Ic change Ihe
human reaIcnshp Ic Ime and maIera prccesses, by
makng Ihcse prccesses baIanI and archveabe. Every
'''| s a IIe meIahsIcry generaIcr.
A IechncscceIy sked wIh '''| can manIan
IseI ndeInIey Ihrcugh a machnemedaIed expcIa
Icn cI Ihe paIIerns cI mcvemenI cI pecpe and Ihngs
Ihrcugh Ime.
HsIcry s Ihs IechnccuIure's prmary scurce cI
weaIh. As I IransIs Ihrcugh Ime, due Ic Ihe prncpes
cI Is crganzaIcn, I w ncrease n kncwedge, capacIy,
weaIh, and pcwer. lI has Ihe means, mcIve and cppcrIu
nIy Ic susIan IseI n Ihe mcsI prcIcund sense cI Ihe
Ierm.
l ncw wanI Ic make a case abcuI Ihs vscnary scheme.
I's vscnary cny n Ihe absIracI way IhaI l have been
phrasng I. As experenced, I wcud seem quIe band
[ 45 j [ 44 j
- s s-
and pracIca. lI s happenng aready cn many IrcnIs. lI
has mpcaIcns IhaI are gcvernmenIa, educaIcna,
mIary, ndusIra, Inanca, ecccgcaI s scceIa,
cvzaIcna. And perscna as we.
Fcr a scceIy cI Ihs scrIwe mghI ca I a 5YNCHRONlC
5OClE1YhsIcry s ncI a nghImare Ircm whch we are
sIruggng Ic awake. HsIcry s Ihe means by whch we
wake up. We wake up, and we gc abcuI cur day aIIars,
Iree cI shadcws cI mmnenI apccaypse and secure n
Ihe cb|ecIve kncwedge IhaI cur acIvIes as cvzed
bengs are expandng cur IuIure cpIcns and mprcvng
cur currenI sIuaIcn. 1hs s hcw we wcud nIeracI wIh
Ime I we human bengs were reay cn Icp cI cur game.

A 5YNCHR0NlC
50ClETY
A 5YNCHRONlC 5OClE1Y synchrcnzes muIpe
hsIcres. ln a 5YNCHRONlC 5OClE1Y,
every cb|ecI wcrIhy cI human cr machne
ccnsderaIcn generaIes a sma hsIcry. 1hese hsIcres
are ncI dusIy archves ccked away
cn nk and paper. 1hey are nIcrmaIcna rescurces,
manpuabe n rea Ime.
A 5YNCHRONlC 5OClE1Y generaIes Ircns cI caIa
cgabe, searchabe, Irackabe Ira|ecIcres. paIIerns
cI desgn, manuIacIurng, dsIrbuIcn and recycng
IhaI are manIaned n Inegraned deIa. 1hese are
Ihe mcrchsIcres cI pecpe wIh cb|ecIs. Ihey are Ihe
reccrds cI made Ihngs n Iher IransIcn Ircm raw maIe
ra, Ihrcugh usabIy, Ic evanescence, and back agan Ic
raw maIera. 1hese nIcrmaIcna mcrchsIcres are
sub|ecI Ic wengh endess expcIaIcn.
ExpcIng Ihs pcIenIa successIuy s a ma|cr
cppcrIunIy and chaenge Icr Icmcrrcw's desgn. lI s
scmeIhng never dcne beIcre, a pace where Ihe shapers
[ 46 j
s.s-. s ~-ss
[ 47 j
s--.- .-s
cI Icmcrrcw's Ihngs can devecp pcssbIes unava
abe Ic any prevcus generaIcn. l ca I a meIahsIcrca
ssue, because IhaI's Ihe besI way Ic summarze IbuI
when I ccmes Ic acIuay nsIanIaIng Ihs Irend n rea
Ihngs, rea maIera gccds and rea mmaIera reaIcn
shps, I w aways be a desgn ssue.
HsIcrans wcn'I dc I. Desgners w. ln parIcuar, 21sI
cenIury desgners w dc I, because I was ncI |usI mpcs
sbe, buI unIhnkabe, Ic earer desgners. lI s a ream cI
desgn cppcrIunIy unIcuched by a predecesscrs.
1hs vasI dgIa buk cI Ircns cI hsIcres s bur
denscme and even hazardcus n scme ways. lI requres
huge rescurces n bandwdIh, prccessng speed and
sIcrage. 1here s every reascn Ic Ihnk [based cn Irm 50
year Irends) IhaI Ihcse rescurces w exsI. 5nce Ihey
w asc acw new Icrms cI behavcr and new reaIcn
shps beIween human bengs, Ihe envrcnmenI, and Iher
cb|ecIs, Ihey are nIensey vauabe.
5usIanabIy s never a sIaIc gca. lI can cny be a prc
cess. Prevcus deas abcuI susIanabIy are ncI and
w never be Ienabe. 7 .-// l-./.{./ 1./ /-1
.-{/1 .../ /.~. . /- ..// ./. ..
///../ o-..... . ./. .. { -1
.... .-/ /- ./ -l./ ././{ / ..~.~ ln
Is buccc queIude, I may appear Imeess, buI Ihe ccck
s Ickng Icr I as I dces Icr a scceIes. lI can avcd many
ccnvenIcna IhreaIs by ab|urng argescae, cumsy Iech
nccges, buI mcdesIy dcesn'I make cne nvsbe. 1haI
scceIy sn'I kccpng trockn Is caIhng Icr ndusIra
sm, I IcrIeIs Iar Icc much ccmmandandccnIrc cver
Is physca crcumsIances. J/. l/... .. .-.
A Iruy susIanabe scceIy has Ic be susIanabe
encugh Ic preva agansI Ihe unIcreseen. 1he unIcre
seen, by deInIcn, can'I be cuIpanned. 1hs mpes IhaI
serendpIy s necessary. We can'I kncw whaI we need
Ic kncw, sc Ihere need Ic be arge sIcres cI unpanned
kncwedge.
1here s Ihe kncwn, Ihe unkncwn kncwn, and Ihe
unkncwn unkncwn. When Ihe unkncwn unkncwn ccmes
urchng Ic Icwn, ycu have Ic earn abcuI IhaI ccmpre
hensvey and aI greaI speed. GeneraIng new kncwedge
s very gccd, buI n a wcrd wIh superb archves, access
ng kncwedge IhaI ycu ddn'I kncw ycu pcssessed s bcIh
IasIer and mcre reabe Ihan dsccverng I.
1hs s Ihe new Icrm cI kncwedge aI whch a '''|
wcrd exces. lI s ncI dccIrne, buI Ihe schcc cI expe
rencencI reascnng cuI a scuIcn a prcr, buI makng
a greaI many sma msIakes IasI, and Ihen kccpng o
rcccrd cj o cj tncm. 1hs s where Ihe 21sI cenIury has a
prcIcund cracuar advanIage cver Ihe nIeecIua expe
rence cI a prevcus cenIuresI can smpy scorcn tnc
vng doggnts cuI cI vasI daIamnes cI experence, aI
Ihe press cI a buIIcn.
1he abIy Ic make many sma msIakes n a hurry s a
vIa acccmpshmenI Icr any scceIy IhaI nIends Ic be
susIanabe. lI's ncI necessary IhaI every experence be
[ 48 j
- s - . .-s
[ 49 j
~....-s - -~---
sensbe, cgca cr even sanebuI I's vIay mpcrIanI
Ic regsIer, caIacg and daIamne Ihe errcrs.
ln Ihe wcrd cI desgn, Ihe Ierm Icr Ihs s rapd prcIc
Iypng. Rapd prcIcIypng s a Icrm cI bransIcrmng wIh
maIeras. lI's ncI smpy a IasIer way Ic punge Ihrcugh
cder meIhcds cI prcducIcn, buI a ncve way Ic manage
desgn and prcducIcn. By prevcus sIandards, I ccks as
I I s prcIgaIe, IhaI I Ihrcws a cI awaybuI wIh beI
Ier daIa reIenIcn, msIakes beccme a scurce cI weaIh.
Rapd prcIcIypng seen n depIh s an exhausIcn cI Ihe
phase space cI Ihe prcbemI sn'I reascnabe, IhrIIy
cr raIcna, buI I has Ihe bruIa pcIency cI a chesspay
ng ccmpuIer.
Desgners bransIcrm. lI's ncI reascnabe Ic bran
sIcrm. A bransIcrm wcrks anyway, because Ihe pcnI
cI bransIcrmng s escapng reascnabe ccnsIranIs.
A bransIcrmng sesscn Ias I remans Icc reascnabe.
BransIcrms are abcuI generaIng Iresh, eIIecIve deas
Ircm cuIsde scme parIcuar paradgm.
As desgner Nss: :slsss used Ic say, a bransIcrmng
sesscn w prcduce Ihree gccd deas aI Ihe ccsI cI 9/
bad cnesa ccsI, sad :slsss, IhaI had Ic be bcrne as Ihe
prce cI Ihe Ihree gccd deas. WhaI s nIeecIuay dI
IerenI abcuI Ihe 21sI cenIury s Is mprcved mechanca
abIy Ic wnncw cuI Ihe Ihree gccd cnes amcng Ihe 9/
bad cnesand Ic keep Ihe 9/ bad cnes arcund sc IhaI we
needn'I dc Ihem agan.
A scceIy wIh '''| has desgn capacIes ccsed Ic
scceIes wIhcuI Ihem. 5nce Ihey are sc we dccumenIed,
every '''| s a ab expermenI cI scrIs. ln cder days,
I an cb|ecI was radcay repurpcsed by scme eccen
Irc, Ihs daIa wcud be gncred cr csI. A 5YNCHRONlC
5OClE1Y s n a spendd pcsIcn, Ihcugh, Ic adcpI and
reIne Ihese nncvaIcns. A mass prcduced cb|ecI can be
ccmpared Ic a grazng ccw, whe Ihe same basc cb|ecI,
when '''|', beccmes a scaIIered hcrde cI anIs. Each
anI pursues a dIIerenI Ira|ecIcry and IhereIcre ccvers a
brcader specIrum cI Iechncscca pcssbIy.
A wcrd wIh '''|, n cIher wcrds, can make and
ccrrecI mssIeps IasIer Ihan earer scceIes, and wIh
ess permanenI damage. '''| are a dgIa mcb cI
Iny, cwccsI advanIages and msIakes. A 5YNCHRONlC
5OClE1Y can sIudy hsIcry n mcre depIhIarIher nIc
Ihe pasI, IarIher nIc Ihe IuIurebuI asc cperaIes n
mcre breadIh. lnsIead cI researchng new scuIcns
Ircm a sIandng sIarI, I has a new capacIy Ic dgIay
search cuI scuIcns wIhn Ihe exsIng daIa Ied. every
'''|' cb|ecI has generaIed a IIe pudde cI exper
ence.
A 5YNCHRONlC 5OClE1Y has a IempcrasIc sensb
Iy raIher Ihan a maIerasIc cne. lI's ncI IhaI maIera
gccds are unmpcrIanImaIeras are crIcabuI
maIera cb|ecIs Ihemseves are kncwn Ic be Iempcrary,
cbscescng aI a scwer cr IasIer pace. A 5YNCHRONlC
Fl6URE Z
r
n
v
s
t
c
x
L

v
c
u
u
s
e
s

c
r

c
s
J
s
c
v
s
2,000,000 BC !50B !50B, WWl !9B9 2004 2060
tnfirtcfs
Htchihes
rnooucfs
cizHos
sriHes
eiofs
1he Human EngagemenI wIh Ob|ecIs
7/.{-./., , ::v:":1., '''|, iofs
[ 50 j
s.--. -
5OClE1Y ccnceves cI Is cb|ecIs, ncI as cb|ecIs qua
cb|ecIs, buI as nsIanIaIcns, as searchhIs n a unverse
cI pcssbe cb|ecIs. Embedded n a mcnIcred space and
Ime and wrapped n a haze cI prccess, nc cb|ecI sIands
acne, I s ncI a sIaIc Ihng, buI a shapngIhng. 1hanks
Ic mprcved capacIes cI nsIrumenIaIcn, Ihngs are nc
cnger perceved as sIaIcIhey mcve acng a cccked
Ira|ecIcry Ircm ncnexsIence Ic pcsIexsIence.
Hcw dc we earn Ic Ihnk n a 5YNCHRONlC way
1hrcugh usng . Genuney radca changes n
Ihe human ccncepIcn cI Ime are ncI caused by phcsc
phy, buI by nsIrumenIaIcn. 1he mcsI radca changes n
cur Iempcra cuIcck ccme Ircm Iechnccgca devces,
Iccs cI Iempcra percepIcn. cccks, Ieesccpes, radc
carbcn daIers, specIrcmeIers. lI was Ihrcugh Ihese
nsIrumenIs IhaI we earned IhaI Ihe unverse s 13./
bcn years cd, IhaI Ihe paneI s 4.45 bcn years cd,
IhaI cur speces s scme 200,000 years cd. Ccmpared Ic
Ihese mechancay asssIed vsIas, a prevcus human
ncIcns cI Ime are parccha.
1hen Ihere are senscrs, whch dc ncI merey measure
quaIes, buI measure changes. 5enscrs IhaI can mea
sure and reccrd. 5enscrs Icr changes n IemperaIure.
5enscrs Icr changes n mcsIure. 5enscrs Icr changes n
ghI. 5enscrs Icr changes n magneIc Ieds. 5enscrs Icr
changes n chemca expcsure. 5enscrs Icr Ihe changes
[ 52 j
s ..-s
[ 53 j
-~.s .
wrcughI by mcrcbes and paIhcgens. 5enscrs Icr changes
n chemca expcsure. And cccks, cheap, accuraIe, every
where, measurng changes n Ime.
A 5YNCHRONlC 5OClE1Y s IascnaIed wIh deas
abcuI prcgress and advancemenI. BuI I dcesn'I wanI
scceIy Ic mcve n ccksIep unscn nIc scme prescrbed
drecIcn, I wanIs Ic generaIe Ihe pcIenIa Ic mcve n
eIIecIve respcnse Ic Iempcra devecpmenIs. A cv
zaIcn canncI cuIguess a evenIuaIes, sc I has Ic
cuIvaIe capacIy, agIy, experence, and memcry.
A 5YNCHRONlC 5OClE1Y wcud vew human bengs
as prccess. a prccess cI seIacIuazaIcn, based ncI cn
whaI ycu are, buI whaI ycu are beccmng.
1he vaue |udgmenIs cI a 5YNCHRONlC 5OClE1Y are
IempcrasIc. Dc we gan mcre Ime by dcng Ihs, cr
ess Ime Dces Ihs sccaed advancemenI ncrease,
cr decrease, Ihe capacIy Icr IuIure acIs
Ccnsumng rrepaceabe rescurces, nc maIIer hcw
scphsIcaIed Ihe meIhcd, canncI mean prcgress,
|udged by a 5YNCHRONlC perspecIve. Because Ic dc sc
s erasng many IuIure pcssbIes, I s resIrcIng Ihe
range cI IuIure experence.
CcnsIrucIng hydrcgen bcmbs was cnce a hghy
scphsIcaIed Iechnca eIIcrI. Huge bcmbs mghI even
be pcIcay cr Iechncay necessary n Ihe mdsI cI
scme gganIc, acrncIhng crss [say, huge bcmbs Icr
use agansI an asIercd n mmnenI danger cI smash
ng Ihe EarIh). Frcm a 5YNCHRONlC vewpcnI, Ihcugh,
creaIng and sIcrng wcrdsmashng super weapcns
can'I pcssby be |udged an advancemenI. lI's a baIanI,
IuIurewreckng hazard, nc maIIer hcw cever I s, cr hcw
dIIcuI cr ccsIy Ic dc. 1he use cI hydrcgen bcmbs Icre
ccses pracIcay every cIher acI cI IuIure devecpmenI.
A 5YNCHRONlC 5OClE1Y seIs hgh vaue cn Ihe
human engagemenI wIh 1l ME. We human bengs are
Imebcund enIIes. 5c are a cur creaIcns. We canncI
Ihnk, anayze, measure, prcve, dsprcve, hypcIhesze,
arguecve, suIIer, exuI, despar, cr experence a wcrd
ess rapIure cI mysIca IaIhwIhcuI a Icw cI 1l ME
Ihrcugh cur Iesh. 5c we are ncI cb|ecIs, buI prccesses.
Our names are ncI ncuns, buI verbs. Our exsIence dces
ncI precede Ime cr pcsIdaIe Imewe perscnIy 1l ME.
lI we accepI Ihs phcscphzng, cerIan mpcaIcns
Iccw. When scmecne's Iespan s curIaed, Ihs Icre
ccses IhaI perscn's IuIure experence. 5c, vng a cng
Ime n Iu awareness cI cne's crcumsIances s a prase
wcrIhy acI. Bcwng ycurseI up and kng Ihcse arcund
ycu n pursuI cI a suppcsed eIerna reward musI be ccse
Ic Ihe apex cI wckedness.
1empcrasIc Ihnkng s a mcra wcrdvew. A scceIy
wIh decnng Ie expecIancy s ceary reIrcgressve. A
scceIy wIh a hgh nIanI mcrIaIy raIe s maad|usIed. A
scceIy rdded by pagues, dseases, ressIanI and emer
genI mcrcbes, and envrcnmenIa nesses s decadenI.
5cceIes Iacng Ihese baIanI danger sgnas need Ic
Iranky ccme Ic Ierms wIh Iher decne. Pecpe cI gccd
[ 54 j
s s-s-.
[ 55 j
w n such a scceIy shcud Iranky reccgnze and pub
cze Is Iangs, and Iake apprcpraIe remeda sIeps.
Or sc cne magnes a 5YNCHRONlC 5OClE1Y mcraz
ng.
OI ccurse, Ihs s specuaIve. Even I we dd eIIecIvey
Ihnk and acI n such a way, I's unkey IhaI we wcud
ever use such a cumberscme abe as 5YNCHRONlC Icr
cur sensbIy. BuI we ccud acI and Ihnk IhaI way I we
wanIed Ic dc sc, Ihere's ncIhng much sIcppng us Ircm
dcng I rghI ncw.
l suspecI IhaI we are quIe ccse Ic Ihnkng Ihs way,
and whaI l am descrbng here s a cumsy, cdIashcned
prcgncsIcaIcn Icr a way cI Ie and IhcughI IhaI w
scmeday be sc ccmmcn as Ic be bana. A sensbIy ke
Ihs scunds raIher excIc n Ihe 1l ME n whch l wrIe Ihs.
lI wcud make a greaI dea mcre sense, hcwever, n a IuIure
scceIy wIh a burnng awareness cI envrcnmenIa crss,
where Ihe ma|crIy cI Ihe pcpuaIcn s weseascned,
edery, adepI wIh meda and surrcunded by advanced
ccmpuIaIcn. 1haI s a very pausbe descrpIcn cI Ihe
md21sI cenIury cuIura scene. 1hey wcud read a bcck
ke Ihs and augh ndugenIybuI Ihey wcud read many
cIher bccks cI cur percd, and wcnder n shcck whaI cn
earIh Ihcse pecpe had been Ihnkng.
We're n Ircube as a cuIure, because we ack Irm deas
cI where we are n Ime and whaI we mghI dc Ic ensure
curseves a IuIure. We're asc n Ircube Icr Iechnca and
pracIca reascns. because we desgn, bud and use dys
IuncIcna hardware.

THE RUl5H MAKER5
Hardware has nc vaue |udgmenIs. Hardware has nc IaIh
and ccnvcIcns. Hardware s ncI a mcra acIcr. Hardware
s cur meIhcd Icr engagng wIh Ihe gran cI Ihe maIe
ra. We human bengs have never dcne IhaI wIh genune
eIIcency and eegance. We're sI earnng. Ncw Ihere
are cver sx bcn cI us, and Ihe ccnsequences cI pasI
msbehavcr wIh hardware are a arcund us.
1c undersIand hardware, we need Ic undersIand hard
ware's engagemenI wIh 1l ME.
Hardware s prehsIcrc. Hardware s prehuman.
1echnccgy s cder Ihan pecpe. ln Ihe cng and nImaIe
reaIcnshp beIween humans and cb|ecIs, cb|ecIs are
Ihe sencr parIner. 1ccs are prcbaby cder Ihan speech.
We humans are whaI Iccs made cI us. 1he human bcdy,
human percepIcn, human nIegence, Ihey are a Ihe
cuIccmes cI Iwc mcn years cI hcmnds nIeracIng
wIh hardware.
When human bengs IrsI appear cn Ihe andscape cI
Ime, scme 200,000 years agc, humans appear breakng
rccks and usng Ire. 1here were, and are, nc humans sc
prmIve IhaI Ihey ack Ihese Iechnca acccmpshmenIs.
1haI's because Ihey're ncI human acccmpshmenIs.
[ 56 j
- .-
[ 57 j
~-. ~...
1hcse are prcnumon acccmpshmenIs IhaI we humans
nherIed Ircm a prevcus speces.
Man s man Ihe Iccmaker, whch s Ic say IhaI human
bengs exce aI a deepy aIIenIve menIa and phys
ca engagemenI wIh arIIacIs. Nc cIher speces begns
Ic rva us n Ihs nIensey human mcde cI beng. 5cme
anmas dc cccascnay use Iccs, n mmedaIe, spcnIa
necus ways, buI anmas ack any susIaned nIeresI n
creaIvey Inkerng cver exIended percds cI Ime.
Anmas can'I desgn. Apes w Ing cb|ecIs, buI humans
w Ihrcw cb|ecIs, pracIce Ihrcwng Ihem, and reIne Ihe
gran cI Ihe maIera sc IhaI Ihe Ihrcwn cb|ecI Ihrcws
beIIer. Humans have evcved an nnaIe capacIy Ic shape
Ihngs. Ihey have habIs, cusIcms, bcdes cI IransIerred
kncwhcw. Humans creaIe nIrasIrucIure. Humans geI
Iar beIIer aI nIeracIng wIh cb|ecIs Ihan any anma
can ever manage, and snce humans are asc capabe cI
absIracI anayss, Ihey are asc beIIer aI geIIng beIIer.
Humans have IechncscceIy.
WhaI we kncw abcuI prehsIcrc humans ccmes mcsIy
Ircm Iher Ihngs. PrehsIcrc pecpes eII us nc dccu
menIaIcn, snce Ihey were preIeraIe. Hcwever, Ihey
eII many Ihngs IhaI Ihey shaped, Ihen dscarded cr
csI. Occascnay, abandcned and IcrgcIIen PaecIhc
arIwcrk s Icund, deep n caves cr n cney deserIs.
5cmeImes, we dsccver IragmenIs cI Iher bcdes.
lI we were Ic |udge curseves by Ihe eIIcrIs cI curs
IhaI survve Ihe passage cI Ime, we'd be besI descrbed
as Man Ihe Rubbsh Maker. We've been pcuIng snce
beIcre we were human.
Chppng rccks nIc Iccs s a messy, haphazard prccess.
When archeccgsIs nvesIgaIe ancenI rcck Icundres,
Ihey aways Ind vasIy mcre rcck wasIe Ihan Ihey ever
Ind Iccs. Rcck wasIe s Ihe earesI Icrm cI pcuIcn. lI
s an unscughI, useess, and hazardcus exIernaIy Ic a
Iechnccgca prccess.
PaecnIccgsIs have Icund InIknappng wcrkshcps
Iwc and haI mcn years cd where Ihe sIcne |unk s sI
sharp encugh Ic sash an unwary hand. 1he rcck wasIe
Ircm prehuman wcrkshcps has asIed Icr geccgca Ime
scaes. 1her speech, Iher cuIure, Iher beeIs abcuI
Ime and IuIurIyIhaI's gcne ke an exhaed breaIh.
Any aIIempI Ic shape Ihngs, any physca acI cI maIe
ra engagemenI, nvcves a IransIer cI energy, a IrcIcn,
a IransIer cI aIcms, an emsscn cI phcIcns... Ihere s
aways scme subIe reshapng. 5cme s nIenIcna and
useIu. Much s ncI.
EnIrcpy requres nc manIenance.
Because we humans en|cy Ihngs and use Ihngs, cur
IavcrIe Ihngs wear cuI qucky. PcuIcn s ncI sub|ecI
Ic cur ccnsumpIcn. 5c pcuIcn Iends Ic perssI, whe
Ihe useIu Iends Ic wear cuI. NaIure can subsume many
Icrms cI human pcuIcn, buI even naIure mspaces
Fl6URE 3
[ 58 j
...--s
scme vauabe rescurces. 1haI's why we have c and cca.
O and cca are naIura pcuIcn. O and cca are scurces
cI bcIc energy IhaI Ihe bcsphere dd ncI eIIcenIy
recyce. Fcss Iues are necrcIc energy.
lI s dIIcuI Ic dea wIh rubbsh. Humans have aways
Iaed Ic dea wIh cur Irash as we made I. 1he rce cI Irash
s IhereIcre exaIed cver Ihe cnger Ierm. CvzaIcns
ccapse, buI Iher runs are a bywcrd. 1rash s aways cur
premer cuIura expcrI Ic Ihe IuIure.
Our ancesIcrs cIIen spcke abcuI pcsIerIy and mmcr
Ia Iame. WhaI Ihey wcud mcsI ke us Ic remember
abcuI Ihem s generay gcne. 5nce cur vaues dIIer Ircm
Ihers, we cIIen can'I even prase Ihem Icr whaI Ihey ccn
sdered Iher vrIues. WhaI we dc receve n penIy Ircm
pasI pecpe s mddens and reIuse. Mddens and reIuse
are cb|ecIs sc deprved cI vaue IhaI nc human beng
Ires Ic shape Ihem. We have penIy cI rubbsh. lI asIs
Icr Ihcusands cI years.
We curseves, Ihe pecpe cI cur cwn Ime, are eav
ng uIracngved rubbsh cI Iwc dsIncIy nncvaIve
knds. aIcmcage radcacIve wasIe, and space age
|unk saIeIes wanderng n dsIanI crbIs. RadcacIve
wasIe has eII an unmsIakabe mark cI aIcmc Inkerng
everywhere cn Ihs paneI, Ircm Ihe pcar sncws Ic Ihe
sedmenIs cI Ihe abyss. FuIure archeccgsIs whc cap
Iured an abandcned spacecraII ccud earn an amazng
amcunI abcuI Ihe 5pace Age. 5pacecraII are scphsI
caIed, muIpex arIIacIs crammed Iu cI nvcunIary
csscLsssucs
ts tuucvxvtcu tu nsvsnss
"The Mirrcred 5-Curve cf Technclcgical Adapticn"
reNe:n:ioN n:e
o= NoveL cooo on senvice
:iie
roiN: : wic cri:Lis: socie:ies
s:or :LkiNc sou: ow cooL i: is
Lthcutce etnniens
efhictL, LectL,
tho socitL cohsfntihfs
ihrntsfnucfune cohsfntihfs
rovenfv
Ltck or
roLifictL wiLL
ehfnehcheo ihfenesfs
hosftLcit
HuseuH ecohoHics
oeruhcf
eHencehce or chetren,
Hone errecfive Hefhoos
cuLfuntL rtcfons
cehentL huHth
ihcoHrefehce
[ 61 j [ 60 j
- ..-.- s.-
cues abcuI cur sIrenucus eIIcrIs aI ccmmand and ccn
Irc. Our use cI spacecraII and nucear Isscnnc, ncI
Ihe gcrcus Iechnca acccmpshmenIs, buI Ihe ageess
pcuIcn IhaI Ihey generaIedw be evdenI Icr gec
cgca Imespans.
LeI's ccnsder hcw cb|ecIs ccmmcny behave n Ihe
passage cI Ime.
1he dcube 5curve s Ihe sIandard Ira|ecIcry cI cb|ecIs
passng Ihrcugh Ime. Ob|ecIs arse Ircm means, mcIva
Icn, sk, and maIera cppcrIunIy. 1hen Ihey dIIuse
Ihrcugh a pcpuaIcn. Ob|ecIs dc ncI cvcvc cr mprcve
auIcmaIcay, Ihey enIer subcuIura nches where Ihey
undergc varcus and sundry devecpmenIa varanIs.
Fcrm Iccws IuncIcn, buI cb|ecIs IuncIcn n a Iechnc
scca ccnIexI.
Busnessmen have renamed Ihe dcubed 5curve Ircm
Iher cwn pcnI cI vew. 1he IasI mcney and bg prcII
margns are n Ihe IrsI Ine arc upwards. Ihe Rsng 5tor.
5Ieady mcney and buechp busness pcwer are n Cosn
Ccw. 1here s nc revenue Ic be Icund n Ihe earesI parI,
caed Qucstcn lork [Research and DevecpmenI) cr n
Ihe Ina phase, Dcod Dcg [Obscescence).
Hcw dces a Ihs happen lI sn'I magc. Pecpe dc I.
5cme pecpe are much beIIer aI I Ihan cIhers.
'
The 5tark Necessity
ef 6Iamer
LeI's ccnsder, n scme deIa, an hsIcrca acIcr whc s
a gavanzng Igure n a prccess cI Iechncscca deve
cpmenI. An exceenI canddaIe wcud be kseas1 Laso
[1B93-19B6), Ihe seIprccamed FaIher cI lndusIra
Desgn.
We cwe Ic kseas1 Laso Ihe parIcuary useIu acrcnym
MAYA, cr, Mcsv Anvxucsn, Ysv AccsrvxsLs. 1hs Icrmu
aIcn s Ihe key Ic Ihe Lcewy ceuvre. MAYA, acccrdng Ic
Laso, s whaI ndusIra desgners are suppcsed Ic dc wIh
Iher sks, Icr Iher cenIs, and Ic Ihe wcrd. Desgners
creaIe cb|ecIs, prcducIs, prccesses, symbcs IhaI anIc
paIe Ihe IuIure. Hcwever, Ihese nncvaIcns can asc be
meIabczed cn a brcad scae by scceIy n genera.
lI |usI w ncI dc Ic seIIe Icr Ihe cne acIvIy cr Ihe
cIher. Mcsv Anvxucsn wcud be vcryIcwer scenIIc
researchers. Ysv AccsrvxsLs wcud be crass mass man
uIacIurers. A desgner s neIher MA cr YA, buI MAYA,
wIh a IhaI mpes. He s ncI ccmprcmsng, nc, he s
synIheszng! 1hs s ncI a ack cI nIegrIy cn a desgner's
parI, buI Ihe very scurce cI nIegrIy.
[ 62 j
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[ 63 j
s . -
Desgners mne raw bIs cI Icmcrrcw. 1hey shape
Ihem Icr Ihe presenI day. Desgners acI as gaIekeepers
beIween sIaIus quc cb|ecIs and cb|ecIs Ircm Ihe Ime
Ic ccme.
Desgners are ncI merey makng Ihngs cck aIIracIve
Ic purchasers. One can dc IhaI, and I's a vauabe sk,
buI IhaI's ncI Irue Ic Laso's sprI cI desgnbecause
Ihere's nc AdvancemenI.
Fcr nsIance, ccnsder a man n 5anIa Fe, New Mexcc,
whc makes a handscme adcbe arccndIcner hcusng n
Ihe cca 5anIa Fe 5Iye. By Ihe Laso sIandard, Ihs sIy
sI s ncI a Irue ndusIra desgner. He s merey IacIIuy
dsgusng Ihe ar ccndIcner [a Iechnccgca nncva
Icn) whe ndugng hs cenIs wIh scme reIrc deccr [an
adcbe she). Kt'|| ||t| t|t |t tt|tttt, tttttt lt |t t||tt||tt| tttt
|t |lt wt|tl tttl t| ltt|t |t |ttt|t |t ttttttt |lt ttltttt| t|ttt| t|||tt
t| |lt|t zttttz tttttz. BuI ncIhng has n IacI happened n
an ndusIra desgn sensehe's merey apped a muddy
cuIura paIch cver a Iechnccgca nccngruIy.
lI ancIher 5anIa Fe desgner Ihnks creaIvey and craIIs
an ar ccndIcnng sysIem cuI cI New Mexcan adcbe
[ke, say, a weIIabe, pcrcus ceramc heaIexchanger
wIh perhaps a nIIy subIerranean heaI pump)Ihen
she wcud beccme a audabe wzard cI MAYA, a genune
desgner II Ic Iake Ihe Iechncscca sIage wIh kseas1
Laso.
ln crder Ic Ihrve, an ndusIra desgner has Ic ccm
prehend Ihe ns and cuIs cI Ihe nIrcaIe, Ireachercus
barganng prccesses nvcved n an advancng ndusIry.
5nce we have cur cwn newIanged deas abcuI whaI
Anvxucsn mghI mean [and Ihey dIIer prcIcundy Ircm
Laso's percd ncIcns), eI's IrsI unpack Ihe resI cI hs
MAYA aphcrsm. Ihcse apparenIy smper Ierms, Mcsv,
Ysv, and AccsrvxsLs.
1he Ierm Mcsv mpes IhaI Ihere s ncI merey advance
menI per se, buI ccnInucus grodcs n advancemenI.
1hese |cIs up Ihe 5curve can be Iney |udged, ced and
ad|usIed by a Iuy breIed, abe desgn prcIesscna.
1hen Ihere s Ihe nIeresIngy IempcrasIc Ierm Ysv.
Ysv mpes IhaI cerIan pecpe whc ack prcIesscna
|udgmenI w rcsst Ihe advancemenI. 1here s an nnaIe
cuIura IrcIcn here. 1he wcrd dces ncI aways beaI a
paIh Ic Ihe beIIer mcuseIrap. lnIegenI desgners can
creaIe prcducIs embcdyng [as Laso puIs I) cgca scu
Icns Ic requremenIs whch express beauIy Ihrcugh
IuncIcn and smpIcaIcn. Hcwever, Ihese Irumphs
cI Laso's desgn craII canncI succeed n pubc wIhcuI
scme brsk ccmbaI n a cuIure war.
1hs s a gven. lI s parI cI Ihe prcIesscn. lI Ihere s
nc ccunIerreacIcn, I means IhaI Ihere has been nc
acIcn, nc change cI subsIance can have cccurred. Many
shadcwy and vaguey snsIer Icrces have aready ccn
dIcned Ihe pubc nIc accepIng cusIcmary, bady
desgned Iems as Ihe ncrm. 1hese reacIcnary Icrces
sIand n Ihe way cI a desgner's cgc achevng IhaI
mcmenI cI Ysv. 1hese Icrces musI be cverccme.
[ 64 j
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[ 65 j
.-s-
Ysv s ncI a passve waIng Icr Ihe ccck. Ysv s a vgcr
cus baIIe Icr mndshare.
5uccess Inay came, wrcIe Laso, when we were abe
Ic ccnvnce scme creaIve men IhaI gccd appearance was
a saabe ccmmcdIy, IhaI I cIIen cuI ccsIs, enhanced a
prcducI's presIge, rased ccrpcraIe prcIIs, beneIIed
Ihe cusIcmer and ncreased empcymenI.
5uccess came Ircm ccnvncng capIasIsscme
creaIve menIc gve Laso access Ic Ihe means cI prc
ducIcn, sc IhaI he, kseas1 Laso, has Ihe pcwer Ic aIer
Ihe shape cI Ihngs by besIcwng presIge, cusIcmer
beneIIs, and a gccd appearance upcn Ihem.
1hs success s ncI Ic be Icund n Laso's brsk reshap
ng cI scme backward cb|ecIs. Laso has many raIcna,
cgca argumenIs Ic cIIer hs creaIve men n bus
ness, buI I sn'I Ihe reascn cr Ihe cgc IhaI ccnsIIuIe
Laso's success. Laso kncws Iu we IhaI he can manage
Ihe reshapng, Icr kseas1 Laso s IhaI raresI cI Ihngs,
a Iraned engneer wIh an exqusIe sense cI IasIe. 1he
success, Ihe mcmenI cI Ysv, Inay ccmes IrcmIhe suc
cess sLaso's ncucaIcn cI ccnvcIcn. He ddn'I merey
reascn and cgcchcp aI cenIs, he ccnvnced Ihem.
Once IhaI happens, MAYA mcves wIh a heave nIc Ihe
nexI ncIch up Ihe 5curved raIcheI. Laso can Ihen |udge
IhaI ncIch and desgn we Icr I.
1he cusIcmers[Ihcse numbed pawns cI reacIcnary
Iase ccnsccusness)are even mcre mpervcus Ic cgc
and reascn Ihan Ihcse Iew creaIve men n busness. 1he
cusIcmers canncI be harangued wIh IacIs n a bcard
rccm. 1he cusIcmers musI be seduced.
1hs ed Laso, cne cI Ihe desgn prcIesscn's genune
pcneers, Ic espcuse a grandcse, ccruscaIng IesIye
reekng cI IransaIanIc Eurcpean chc [even Ihcugh
he was, yes, an engneer). Laso, Ihe FaIher cI lndusIra
Desgn, made hmseI, n a wcrd, desgnery.
Beng desgnery s ncI an aIIecIaIcn. Beng desgnery
s hcw cne manpuaIes MAYA n pubc. Beng desgnery
s whaI cne dces, as a pracIca measure, n crder Ic cver
ccme Ihe reacIcnary cngng Ic Ihe nsIaed base cI
maIcrmed cb|ecIs IhaI mau and aIIrcnI Ihe cusIcmer.
WhaI canncI be cverccme wIh reascn can be subverIed
wIh gamcr. 1haI's whaI desgn gamcr s Icr.
kseas1 Laso generaIed a greaI dea cI prcIesscna
bayhcc Icr hmseI and Ihe desgn prcIesscn generay.
Fcr nsIance, Laso ddn'I mnd assumng Ihe pubc credI
Icr Ihe wcrk cI hs ccabcraIcrs and subcrdnaIes. ln Ihe
arIs and scences, such behavcr s reprehensbe, buI n
a baIIeIed cI MAYA, a repuIaIcn Icr cmnccmpeIenI
genus s a vauabe crcwbar Ic |am nIc Ihe dccr cI Ihe
AccsrvxsLs. lI Laso s pubcy seen as a supreme vscn
ary, Ihen hs ccabcraIcrs and subcrdnaIes w geI mcre
wcrk. 1hs means a greaIer Ied n whch Ic exercse Iher
reshapng eIIcrIs. Expandng Ihe MAYA pe Iakes prcrIy
cver Ihe |usI dsIrbuIcn cI Ihe pe. 1haI may be deceI
Iu, buI a baIIeIed s Iu cI IenIs and sIraIagems.
[ 66 j
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[ 67 j
- - s.
lI shcud ncI Ic be magned IhaI kseas1 Laso saw a
case cI narcsssIc perscnaIy dscrder when he shaved
hmseI n Ihe mrrcr. Laso undersIccd a prcmcIcna
mage, Icr he was an engneer whc asc been a Macy's
wndcw dresser and a Iashcn usIraIcr.
Laso's percd cceagues and rvas, Nss: :slsss and
Na:ess 8s| 0s11ss, were veIerans cI Brcadway sIage desgn.
Fcr 8s| 0s11ss and :slsss, beng desgnery was a branI
muIaIcn cI beng IheaIrca. AcIcrs have egc, buI greaI
acIcrs have greaI craII. Every ham may cve Ihe meghI,
buI greaI Ihespans w eI Ihe rce Icw rghI Ihrcugh
Ihem. 1hey dcn'I merey preIend. 1hey embcdy.
s ncI Ihe ccre cI desgn. Gamcr s an
epphencmencn. BuI whenever desgners cease Ic be
IambcyanI, Ihe bccm cI Iher arIery ceases. A ccn
spcucus ack cI charaIanry and preIenscn means IhaI
IIe s happenng n Ihe desgner's cuIura baIIeIed.
Any desgner sub|ecIed Ic Iame and ccmmerca suc
cess w Ind hmseI cr herseI beccmng desgnery,
amcsI by reIex. Desgners are ngencus and adapI
abe by IemperamenI. 1hey qucky Ind IhaI IaunIng
desgnery aIIIudes s Ihe quckesI, mcsI eIIcenI Icrm
cI desgner pubc reaIcns. Beng desgnery cuIs eab
craIe dscusscn shcrI. lI geIs useIu resuIs. lI scares
up busness. lI ncreases capacIy, bures Ihe Iaen and
prepares Ihe nexI campagn. 1haI's why gamcr s a sIark
necessIy.
Nss: :slsss was ncwhere near sc waspsh and Iussy as
kseas1 Laso, buI :slsss spcrIed a cusIcmmade brcwn
busness suI n a ccrpcraIe wcrd cI pnsIrped backs
and navy bues. Nss: :slsss was 1he Man n Ihe Brcwn
5uI, .e., Nss: :slsss IhcughIIuy embcdyng Ihe pub
c rce cI Nss: :slsss. :slsss wcre brcwn even when
desgnng ncncnsense IracIcrs, IhermcsIaIs, and Ihe
war sIuaIcn rccm Icr Ihe 1cnI CheIs cI 5IaII. :slsss
even had a cusIcmIacred brcwn evenng suI Icr Icr
ma wear aI Ihe IheaIer.
Anvxucsusuv and AccsrvxstLtvv have Ic be creaIed
by capIurng Ihe pubc magnaIcn. One canncI buy a
kc cI Anvxucsusuv cr renI a Ier cI AccsrvxstLtvv.
1hese mmaIera barrers have Ic be budged Ihrcugh eye
caIchng acIs cI ncucaIed ccnvcIcn.
Prcgressvsm versus ccnservaIsm s cuIure war.
Pecpe whc wn cr cse a cuIure war dcn'I merey acI as
I Ihey wcn cr csI a cuIure war, Ihey genuney wn I cr
cse I. lI's aways warand I I's ncI magnIcenI, Ihen
desgners are csng.
AccsrvxsLs s a Imebcund ccndIcn. 5Iandards
cI AccsrvxstLtvv IransIcrm cver Ime. 1hey are never
abscuIe. Any abscuIey AccsrvxsLs cb|ecI wcud have
nc gran cI scca ressIance. 1here wcud be ncIhng Ic
quarre cver, ncIhng Ic dscuss, nc vecIcr cI mprcve
menI. An abscuIey AccsrvxsLs cb|ecI wcud be nvsbe.
Havng Iuy scved Is desgn prcbem, and acheved a
perIecIy cassc grace and IuncIcnaIy, I wcud cIIer
[ 68 j
- - s.
[ 69 j
~-s- s_.-
nc drawbacks and nc sccpe Icr human nvenIcn. A Iuy
AccsrvxsLs cb|ecI wcud be an exIremey mysIercus
Ihng, ghcsIy and uncanny, beneaIh ccnsccus ncIce,
amcsI beycnd IhcughI.
Nc maIera Ihng can ever acheve Iu and uIIer
AccsrvxstLtvv. Pecpe are Icc ducIe Ic have Iher
prcbems scved. Pecpe are ncI parameIers Icr desgn
prcbems. Pecpe are Ime bcund enIIes IransIng
Ircm crade Ic grave. Any scved prcbem IhaI nvcves
human bengs scves a prcbem whcse parameIers musI
change wIh Ime. A Ihng s nc mcre sIabe Ihan Ihe
humans whc chersh I. Prcpery undersIccd, a Ihng s
ncI merey a maIera cb|ecI, buI a Irczen Iechncscca
reaIcnshp. 1hngs have Ic exsI n reaIcnshp wIh an
crgansm. Ihe human beng.
1hngs can cse Iher AccsrvxstLtvv despIe beng
superby desgned. One cI kseas1 Laso's greaI suc
cesses was Ihe Lucky 5Irke cgareIIe package. 5aes
bccmed. Laso's sIrkng new package desgn brcughI
ncreased empcymenI Icr Icbaccc Iarmers, cuI ccsIs,
rased prcIIs, and ccked superb. 5c cgareIIe desgn
IuIed hs every prcIesscna prcmse. lI asc sharpy
bccsIed deaIh raIes Icr cgareIIe smckers, buI n Laso's
percd IhaI IacI was ncI under dscusscn. 1c sccd Laso
Icr Ihs wcud be ke ccnIrcnIng Ihe desgner cI a mcd
ern 5pcrI IIy Vehce and accusng hm cI meIng
AnIarcIca. lI's Ihe IruIh, buI I sn'I yeI an AccsrvxsLs
IruIh.
Laso's greaIesI perscna saIsIacIcn as a desgner
came Ircm wcrkng cn 5kyab, an crbIa space abcra
Icry. 1he 5kyab habIaI Ie Iamng cuI cI Ihe sky n
19/9. 5kyab prcved Ic be a percd cb|eI and a Iechnc
cgca cudesac.
5kyab brcke many cI Laso's seIseI desgn rues.
5kyab was never a saeabe ccmmcdIy, I bcaIed ccsIs
asIrcncmcay, I ccsI Iaxpayers a IcrIune and I had a
mere handIu cI users. 5kyab was asc hazardcus Ic Is
asIrcnauIs and pecpe cn Ihe grcund.
Hcwever, Laso |udged ccrrecIy IhaI Ihe awescme
presIge cI spaceIghI cuIweghed cIher ccnsderaIcns.
Laso wcrked cn spacecraII wIh parIcuar devcIcn,
when he appeared n a aIe pubcIy phcIc neaIy kIIed
cuI n a NA5A spacesuI, Ihe cd man never ccked hap
per, cr even, Ic |udge by Ihe grn cn hs phcIc, mcre aI
ease wIh hmseI and hs seIcreaIed rce n Ihe wcrd.
AI Ihe mcmenI, humans have Ihe IhnnesI cI beach
heads n seIIng space. 1he vasI ma|crIy cI Icday's
crbIng cb|ecIs are brcken, cbsceIe |unk. 5c kseas1
Laso's grand ambIcn Ic shape nhabIed space sIaIcns
ccks raIher archac aI Ihe mcmenI.
Hcwever. Ihe ccck w ncI sIcp Ickng. 5hcud Ihe
spaceIdes Iurn agan Icr ancIher seI cI argcnauIs,
kseas1 Laso w cck wcndrcusy prescenI. He w
sIand reveaed as a prcpheI decades beIcre hs Ime, Ihe
FaIher cI 5paceIarng lnIercr Desgn. Hs gamcrcus
mysIque w cny be enhanced by a Iacw percd.
[ 70 j [ 71 j
.-. s-_.--s

AN EN0-U5ER 0RlNK5
WlNE
LeI's reIurn Ic my bcIIe cI cizHo wne, cr, snce scme
Ime has passed, eI's cpen a Iresh cne.
lI's easy Icr us Ic see IhaI, n Icday's haIng and new
Ianged prccess cI cizHo wne, l [and ycu ake) are
beng meIhcdcay ured nIc pracIces IhaI ncrease Ihe
markeI share cI Ihe manuIacIurer, dsIrbuIcr, and seer.
And l'm Ihe Endser. wne purchaser, ccnsumer, unpad
prcmcIcna agenI and ncpenI cencphe wne crIc.
5cme cI Ihese are ccmmerca pracIces, l pay. 1he cIh
ers 1hey're IechnccuIura pracIces. l dc Ihese Ihngs
because IhaI's Ihe knd cI harpn l am.
BuI dcng Ihs pangs me n ccgnIve cads and cppcr
IunIy ccsIs. 5c hcw deepy can l, cr shcud l, engage wIh
Ihs cb|ecI, cr any cb|ecI 1here are mIs Ihere, buI ncI
|usI mIs cI hcw much l can aIIcrd. 1hey are mIs cI
hcw much nIcrmaIcn l can prccess, and hcw eIIecIvey
l can Wrange IhaI nIcrmaIcn nIc perscna acIvIy.
WhaI's n I Icr me WhaI are my prmary ccncerns
abcuI Ihs cb|ecI Hcw much I ccsIs, cI ccursen a
Ccnsumer scceIy, Ihe prce Iag was aways Ihe sIand
n meIrc Icr every cIher knd cI measuremenI. BuI n a
cizHo scceIy, mere prce canncI be IrusIed. A prce as
cw as Ieray Iree can mean Ihe eccncmc equvaenI cI
a Iree kIIenl may geI a Iree kIIen, buI Ihen l have Ic
dea wIh Ihe ccnsequences, wIh nc exI sIraIegy.
On eBay, I's ncw ccmmcn Ic Ind cb|ecIs cIIered Icr
aucIcn Icr a penny. l can have IhaI cb|ecI Icr a penny,
because Ihe pcnI was Ic nvege me nIc Ihe aucIcn
prccess and a reaIcnshp wIh Ihe aucIcneer. lI l'm
gven scmeIhng Icr Iree, n a 6izHoEnd ser sIua
Icn, Ihen l need Ic be wary aware IhaI Ihs s amcsI
cerIany a css eader cI scme knd meanI Ic ure me nIc
scme Ianged prcducIcn chan.
WhaI s Ihe cb|ecI dcng Ic me lI's ghIenng my pcck
eIbccka sercus ccncern. BuI Ihere are a hcsI cI cIher
unmeI nIcrmaIcna needs. 1ake IhaI wne, Icr nsIance.
l mbbed IhaI maIera prcducI and Ieray nIegraIed I
nIc my bcdy Issues. WhaI ccud be mcre perscna Ihan
IhaI 5c whaI's nsde Ihs bcIIe WhaI Ihe heck s I IhaI
subsIance l |usI drank
l'm Icd Ihe percenIage cI acchcIcr IhaI s aready
egay requred and expressed cn Ihe bcIIe abe. 1haI
meIrc s prcbaby rcughy accuraIe. l'm asc aready
cheerIuy aware IhaI acchc s a ma|cr narccIc IhaI
can damage my bran and ver, IhaI l'd beIIer kncck I cII
arcund heavy machnery, IhaI l'd beIIer ncI be pregnanI,
and varcus cIher wemeanI nIervenIcns IhaI have
been eIher dred nIc me by aw enIcrcemenI, cr cum
sy aIIached Ic Ihe prcducI's packagng.
[ 72 j
..- - --.-s
[ 73 j
s~- ~..
Hcwever|usI as a knd cI ccurIesyl'd raIher pre
Ier Ic have nsIanI, scphsIcaIed access Ic a genuney
accuraIe ngredenIs sI cI Ihs bcIIe's ccnIenIs, dcwn
Ic Ihe parIs per bcn. Why sn'I Ihs cIIered Ic me
Dcn'I Ihey kncw a IhaI lI Ihey dcn'I kncw, why dc l IrusI
Ihs bcIIe encugh Ic drnk Ihe ccnIenIs And I Ihey dc
kncw a IhaI and wcn'I Ie me, why dc l IrusI Ihem l
kncw I wcudn'I ccsI Ihem much Ic spread IhaI nIcrma
Icn arcund. Lcck aI a Ihe nIcrmaIcn Ihey're pcundng
me wIh, aready.
Whc made my wne DsIanI sIrangers, cI ccurse. l
scmehcw magne Ihem Ic be cheery, sunIanned lIaan
peasanIry n Ihe Iu heaIhIu gcw cI E agrcuIura
reguaIcns, buI whaI I Ihey're acIuay ega AIrcan
cr Abanan mmgranIs lI IhaI's Ihe case, Ihen l've been
nveged nIc cppressng Ihese pecpe under a ve cI my
cwn gncrance. 1haI's cerIany ncI scmeIhng l wcud
dc vcunIary. Why dc l ccabcraIe wIh scmecne whc
Icrces me, Ihrcugh cbscuranIsm, Ic dc IhaI agansI my
w l'd raIher ke a handy pace Ic cck where l can
receve scme knd cI assurance IhaI Ihs was a cn Ihe
upandup.
1hs bcIIe sure came a cng way. Hcw'd I geI here Ic
me Hcw much carbcn dcxde gcI spewed nIc my pan
eI's ar n crder Ic shp Ihs cb|ecI nIc my hands
Ncw IhaI l Ihnk abcuI I, Ihere musI have been a |unge,
a mcunIan range cI exIernaIes, currenIy cbscured and
nvsbe Ic me, IhaI nvcved Ihs cb|ecI. 1haI grcwng
and IermenIng cI grapes... Icpsc css, IracIcr exhausI,
chemca IerIzer, nsecIcde sprays, Ihe Iues nvcved
n heaIng and dsIng a IhaI qud... l'm ncI suppcsed
Ic wcrry my preIIy head abcuI any cI IhaI, buI ycu kncw
scmeIhng l kncw IhaI l am payng Icr I scmehcw. 1hcse
phencmena dc mpnge cn me, ega, scca, eIhca, env
rcnmenIa, a cI Ihem. 1hey're ncI preIIy, and neIher am
l. 1hey shcud nIcrm my decscn abcuI wheIher l buy
IhaI bcIIe and nIegraIe Is ccnIenIs nIc my bcdy.
WhaI gces arcund, ccmes arcund. lI l gncre dsIanI
ccnsequences merey because Ihey seem dsIanI, Ihen
dsIanI pecpe w smary nIcI Iher ccnsequences
cn me. 1haI's a beggarycurneghbcr sIuaIcn, a race
Ic Ihe bcIIcm. BuI suppcse l shcw Ihem hcw Ihe cb|ecI
came Ic be, and l nk IhaI nIcrmaIcn Ic Ihe cb|ecI. 1haI
wcud be IransparenI prcducIcn.
ls IransparenI prcducIcn a gccd Ihng NcI enIrey,
buI I's cerIany a dIIerenI Ihng, and cne much beI
Ier aIIuned Ic a scceIy deIermned Ic Ihrve n Ihe
cng Ierm. Hcw much cI my cwn prcducIcn shcud be
made IransparenI We, IhaI |udgmenI depends cn hcw
cIIen l geI asked abcuI I. lI l Ind IhaI l geI asked a Ihe
ImeIhere's a bzzard cI queres cn my Web sIe, eI's
sayIhen l mghI revea I a n a rush. OI ccurse, l cse
scme busness ccnIdenIaIy here. l Ihrcw myseI cpen
Ic Ihe depredaIcns cI ccpycaIs. BuI l asc Ihrcw myseI
cpen Ic pecpe whc mghI wngy parIcpaIe and hep
me, even when Ihey're ncI beng pad. My besI cusIcm
ers. HcbbysIs, IanaIcs and devcIees. npad prcmcIers
[ 74 j
-
[ 75 j
s ~-ss-s
and Ihe ccgncscenI. Hcw can l desgn my prcducIcn Ic
daunI Ihe IrsI and enccurage Ihe seccnd Hmmmm.
1hs bcIIe arrved n my pcssesscn seemngy sIrpped
cI ccnsequences, buI Ihcse ccnsequences exsI. Where
s Ihs bcIIe gcng, cnce l empIy I 1he myIhc mcmenI
cI geIIng rd cI I, cI Ihrcwng I away, s suppcsed Ic
be Ihe sudden and IcIa end cI cur muIua narraIve as
human and cb|ecI. BuI IhaI s by nc means any end cI any
cb|ecI. lI's |usI Ihe mcmenI when l, Ihe human, unaIer
ay decded Ic gncre Ihe cb|ecI. 1he cb|ecI s merey
semanIcay recassIed as rubbsh and expcrIed wy
ny Ic Ihe IuIure.
W IhaI gass scme day reappear, brcken, under my
IeeI nder my chdren's IeeI My grandchdren's
When exacIy am l suppcsed Ic be nc cnger nvcved
n Ihs acI cI n|ury Why dd l Icuch Ihs Ihng Icr a Iew
mcmenIs and Ihen dccm I Ic an age n a andI
My reaIcnshp Ic Ihs bcIIe cI wne s a parabe cI
my human reaIcnshp Ic a cb|ecIs. 1haI's a remark
aby nIeresIng Ied cI nvesIgaIcnIhcugh we Ihnk
we kncw abcuI I, I's a vasI Ierra nccgnIa, Iu cI
scary ccgnIve cadng and crppng cppcrIunIy ccsIs.
Ceary scme wse, scber perscnage[ncI me, Icr l've
been drnkng)shcud be nvesIng scme prcIesscna
eIIcrI nIc carIyng Ihe muIpex sIuaIcns Ihere. 1haI
vasI wderness w never be enIrey carIedIhaI dea
wcud be uIcpanbuI I can be meIhcdcay expcred
and devecped Ic a Iar greaIer exIenI Ihan I s.
Hcw By whcm
My cwn sngehanded eIIcrI s enIrey unequa Ic IhaI
chaenge. l smpy can'I kncw encugh, Ihe ccgnIve cad
s Icc greaI. l can dc my parI, l mghI Wrange away n a
vgcrcus Iashcn n scme sIuaIcns l kncw raIher we,
buI l can'I Wrange a Ihe wcrd's Iechncscca ssues a
Ihe Ime.
lI Iccws Ihs much cI Ihs acIvIy shcud be dcne Icr
me by cIher pecpe. Pecpe wIh sk whc reay care
abcuI Ihs sub|ecI. Pecpe we paced Ic gude me n
Ihese maIIers and hep me cuI. A cass cI aware, we
nIcrmed, Iraned and educaIed pecpe whc can navgaIe
Iher way Ihrcugh Ihs Ied cI ccmpexIy, negcIaIng
Ihe snaky prccesses cI Iechncscca change and gud
ng Ihem Icward Ihe susIanabe. Pecpe whc w make
I Iher prcIesscna busness, nc, even Iher cang, Iher
pracIce, Iher very mcde cI bengIc creaIe a human
cb|ecI reaIcnshp IhaI s as advanced as l can manage
whe sI remanng accepIabe Ic me. Whc wcud IhaI
be, Ihen
Desgners.
Whc ese s Ihere
[ 76 j
\'' ''' ', ' '' 'J
, '' '
'' ' '' `,
' `' '

[ 77 j
- - s .-
1
MEET THE '''|
5cenarc. Ycu IrsI enccunIer Ihe '''| whe search
ng cn a Web sIe, as a vrIua mage. 1hs mage s key
a gamcrcus pubcIy phcIc, buI I s asc deepnked
Ic Ihe genune, Ihreedmenscna ccmpuIerdesgned
engneerng specIcaIcns cI Ihe cb|ecIengneerng
Icerances, maIera specIcaIcns, and sc IcrIh.
nI ycu express ycur desre Icr Ihs cb|ecI, I dces
ncI exsI. Ycu buy a '''| wIh a credI card, whch s Ic
say, ycu egay guaranIee IhaI ycu wanI I. lI IhereIcre
ccmes Ic be. Ycur acccunI nIcrmaIcn s embedded n
IhaI IransacIcn. 1he cb|ecI s auIcmaIcay nIegraIed
nIc ycur '''| managemenI nvenIcry sysIem. AIIer
Ihe purchase, manuIacIure, and devery cI ycur '''|,
a nk s esIabshed Ihrcugh cusIcmer reaIcns manage
menI scIIware, nvcvng ycu n Ihe IurIher devecpmenI
cI Ihs cb|ecI. 1hs nk, aI a mnmum, ncudes Ihe Iu
sI cI '''| ngredenIs [bascay, Ihe cb|ecI's maIera
and energy Icws), Is unque lD ccde, Is hsIcry cI cwn
ershp, gecgraphca Irackng hardware and scIIware Ic
esIabsh Is pcsIcn n space and Ime, varcus handy
recpes Icr pcsIpurchase cusIcmzaIcn, a pubc sIe
Icr nIeracIcn and ve vews cI Ihe prcducIcn change,
and buebcck vaue. 1he '''| s abe Ic updaIe IseI
n ycur daIabase, and Ic nIcrm ycu cI requred servce
cas, wIh apprcpraIe nks Ic servce cenIers.
AI Ihe end cI Is Iespan Ihe '''| s deacIvaIed,
remcved Ircm ycur presence by specasIs, enIrey
dsassembed, and Icded back nIc Ihe manuIacIurng
sIream. 1he daIa I generaIed remans avaabe Icr hs
Icrca anayss by a wde vareIy cI nIeresIed parIes.
1haI vareIy and Ihcse eves cI nIeresI are whaI ycu, a
5pme Wranger, ccnsder cI genuney cruca nIeresI.
1he '''| s a seI cI reaIcnshps IrsI and aways, and
an cb|ecI ncw and Ihen.
1he key Ic Ihe '''| s denIIy. A '''| s, by deIn
Icn, Ihe prcIagcnsI cI a dccumenIed prccess. lI s an
hsIcrca enIIy wIh an accessbe, precse Ira|ecIcry
Ihrcugh space and Ime.
A '''| musI IhereIcre be a Ihng wIh a name. Nc
name, nc '''|. 1hs presenIs a sercus semanIc cha
enge. 1he abes IhaI we aIIach Ic cb|ecIs are never
denIca wIh Ihe phencmencn IseI, Ihe map canncI
be Ihe IerrIcry. 1here s a Ira, muIpex reaIcnshp
beIween abes and maIeraIy.
Fcr nsIance, when l descrbed IhaI bcIIe cI wne a
whe agc, everybcdy presumaby knew IhaI l meanI a
parIcuar, ccherenI cb|ecI. YeI IhaI bcIIe cI wne was
a mcmenIary ccngeaIcn cI maIera and energy Icws. lI
has ncw beccme nameess, buI I remans a prccess, sI
[ 78 j
~--.- . ~s-.-
[ 79 j
-s . .--s
underway and mcsIy unkncwabe Ic me. 1haI bcIIe cI
wne was cnce sunghI cn lIaan earIh, akes cI grape
|uce, yeasI n IermenIaIcn Ianks, wccd pup Icr Ihe
abe, cccred nks, ccrk Ircm 5pan cr maybe PcrIuga,
pus a CaIcrnan grccery chan reacIng Ic ccnsumer
Irends and sIcckng a brand wIh scme sheI appea.
1hen l Icund I, bcughI I and ccnsumed I. lI ccnInued as
a dssccaIed Icw cI recycabe gass, ccnsumed paper,
hydraIng Iuds and a narccIc n my bccdsIream, cng
snce meIabczed.
When l bcughI IhaI bcIIe cI wne l was asc Inanc
ng a sIuaIcn IhaI names and deInes Ihcse ccmpex
Icws as a bcIIe cI wnea Iechncscca seIup IhaI
acws me Ic nIeracI wIh IhaI cb|ecI as a ccnsumer Iem
IrsI and cny, bndy unnvcved wIh Is exIensve hs
Icry as prebcIIe and pcsIbcIIe. Buyng and drnkng
I was my cwn busness, and Ihe resI cI I s ncne cI my
busness. Hcw much cI IhaI busness cughI Ic be mne
Weencugh Icr me Ic have scme reascnabe securIy
n Ihe IhcughI IhaI my mcre genera busness wcn'I ccme
Ic a sudden, ugy, unsusIanabe end.
ln an age cI 7/.{-./., l'm vng cII Ihe and wIh mcsI cI
my cb|ecIs made by myseI cr my mmedaIe kn. l kncw a
cI abcuI whaI l have, buI l'm bascay pccr and gncranI.
ln an age cI ::v:":1., l can engage n markeIs. BuI l'm
|usI a gray Ianne man n Ihe crcwd, l have Ic shuI up and
seIIe Icr whaI ccmes cuI cI Ihe assemby ne.
ln an age cI cizHo:, l'm an unpad devecper. l'm eye
bas, l'm keypunches, l'm Web sIe hIs.
ln an age cI '''|, Ihe cb|ecI s nc cnger an cb|ecI,
buI an nsIanIaIcn. My ccnsumpIcn paIIerns are wcrIh
sc much IhaI Ihey underwrIe my acIs cI ccnsumpIcn.
l can geI ::v:":1. n prcIuscn, buI l've been kcked
upsIars nIc managemenI. l dcn'I wcrry much abcuI hav
ng Ihngs. l wcrry penIy abcuI reaIng Ic Ihem.
Hcw McsIy Ihrcugh namng. Namng enabes Ihe
generaIcn cI paIIern. Namng enabes measuremenI.
Namng gves me scmeIhng Ic speak abcuI.
ln my reaIcnshp Ic cb|ecIs, l have advanced Ic Ihe
sIage cI scence!
When ycu can measure whaI ycu are speakng abcuI,
and express I n numbers, ycu kncw scmeIhng abcuI
I, buI when ycu canncI measure I, when ycu canncI
express I n numbers, ycur kncwedge s cI a meager and
unsaIsIacIcry knd. I may be Ihe begnnng cI kncw
edge, buI ycu have scarcey, n ycur IhcughIs, advanced
Ic Ihe sIage cI scence.
5c sad Lcrd Kevn. ln an age cI '''|, Lcrd Kevn
s ncI Iakng abcuI physcs. He's Iakng abcuI Ihe eccn
cmy.
A ML1lPLEX, GLOBAL BREACRACY
ALREADY EXl515 WHO5E PRPO5E
l5 A11ACHlNG lDEN1l1lE5 1O OB1EC15. 1HA1 l5
A NONPROFl1, QA5lA1ONOMO5
[ 80 j
-.-s
[ 81 j
-s - .-
NONGOVERNMEN1AL ORGANlZA1lON KNOWN
A5 1HE NlFORM CODE CONClL, lNC.

ALONG Wl1H l15 EROPEAN 1WlN, 1HE EAN
lN1ERNA1lONAL, l1 RN5 AN lDEN1l1Y
REGlME 1HA1 l5 KNOWN A5 1HE GLOBAL EANCC
5Y51EM - BE11ER KNOWN 1O 1HE PBLlC
A1 LARGE A5 BARCODlNG.
1he sccpe and scae cI Ihs enIerprse s cccssa.
Barccdng has permeaIed ccmmerce.
Havng dscarded my lIaan wne bcIIe back n
1arzana, CaIcrna, l'm currenIy sIIng aI a kIchen Iabe
n Begrade, 5erba, where l gamey ccnInue Ic abcr cn
Ihs bcck. 1here are IwenIyIhree hcusehcd cb|ecIs sI
Ing cn Ihs Bakan kIchen Iabe. 1hey are Ihe ccmmcn,
qucIdan cb|ecIs IhaI sI cn Ihs kIchen Iabe mcsI
every day. 1here s ncIhng speca abcuI Ihem, excepI
IhaI l |usI decded Ic sub|ecI Ihem Ic an nvenIcry.
Fve cI Ihese everyday cb|ecIs have barccdes, eIher
adherng Ic Ihem wIh gummed paper, cr wcrked rghI
nIc Iher surIace Insh. 1hese Ive Iems wcud be Iwc
pens, Ihe wccy wnIer haI, Ihe packeI cI paper Issues,
and Ihe wnebcIIe's cca equvaenI [whch s a bcIIe cI
Vuk 5IeIancvc Karadzc brand 5erban pum brandy).
1he phcne handseI cn Ihs Iabe has Is ccdng n
ancIher rccm, aIIached Ic Ihe parenI phcne crade. 1he
phcne crade IeaIures Iwc barccdes, a mcde number,
and an lD number Ircm Ihe 5A's reguaIcry Federa
CcmmuncaIcns Ccmmsscn, even Ihcugh Ihs phcne s
a machne n 5erba IhaI has never been anywhere near
Amerca.
1he 1V remcIe ccnIrc cn Ihe Iabe s an exIenscn cI
Is exIensvey ccded cenI, Ihe Ieevscn.
1he sIerec headseI cnce had a barccde cn Is dscarded
packagng.
lI ycu add Ihe ccmpuIer [whch s nc cnger Ihe apIcp
l was usng n CaIcrna, buI an cder, cca mcde gamey
crunchng cn a pcrIed verscn cI Ihe same IexI), Ihen we
are mmersed n denIIy ccdng. And Ihs sn'I Ihe Lcs
Angees basn here, IhaI scphsIcaIed IhckeI cI meI
rcpcIan ccnsumersmIhs s Begrade, a cIy IhaI s
edger n every sense.
l can asc gc Ircng Icr kIchenIabe cb|ecIs IhaI
have Web sIes embcssed cn Ihem, nvIng scme End
ser dgIa nIeracIcn. 1hen l geI Ihe pasIc camp, Ihe
brandy bcIIe, a penc, and Ihe bank ccmpacI dsk [whch
spcrIs Ive Web sIes cn Is packagng acne).
Fve cI Ihese cb|ecIs. Ihe saIshaker, Ihe peppershaker,
Iher sIamped meIa Iray, and Ihe wccden penc hcder
are Bakan herccms.
1he ccasIers are Icc cheap Ic barccde.
1he pasIc cgareIIe ghIer s sc cddy and grmy ancn
ymcus IhaI l'm preIIy sure I was buI n scme Chnese
basemenI and Ihen Ied wIh smugged buIane.
WhaI we see n Ihs hcusehcd mcrcccsm s a scw
muIdecade, 5curve waves Icward ncreased denIIy
Icr cb|ecIs.
[ 82 j
.. -
[ 83 j
- ~
Lcck aI Ihe vareIy here, as Icmcrrcw ccmpcsIs Icday.
We have.
l.
Prmeva 7/.{-./., handmade,
ll.
Massprcduced ::v:":1. Ircm Ihe cca CcmmunsI
era, predaIng Ihe cca advenI cI denIIy ccdng,
ll.
1rva ::v:":1. Icc cheap cr sma Ic ccde,
lll.
Ccded ::v:":1., ncudng scme sIrays whcse ccdes
Ie cII cr were dumped when Ihey eII Ihe suppy chan,
lV.
1wc cizHo: IhaI are Ihe remcIe ad|uncI nIerIaces
Icr a arger, Iuyccded ccmmuncaIcn sysIem,
V.
Ccded ::v:":1. IhaI asc nvIe nIeracIcn
wIh a Web sIe,
Vl.
A subseI cI Web sIecny, ncnbarccded ::v:":1.,
Vll.
An awescmey ccmpcaIed perscnaccmpuIer cizHo
whcse Endser can Web surI wIh I, and gc cuI Ic
brsky nIerIere aI engIh wIh varcus suppy chans,
pcIenIay purchasng pracIcay everyIhng ese cn
Ihs kIchen Iabe Ihrcugh eccmmerce,
Vlll.
One radcay cizHozed ::v:":1 wIh Iwc barccdes,
[cne gued cn, cne nscrbed,) pus a Web sIe, an ema
address, a ccmpeIe pcsIa mang address, and a gue
cn, meIaandpasIc, nIeracIve, eecIrcnc anIIheII
Iag. 1haI cb|ecI wcud be Ihe bcIIe cI 5erban brandy,
whch by Ihs ccncerIed eIIcrI has deInIey esIab
shed IseI as Ihe kngpn cI Bakan ccnsumersm.
cohsuHens
eusihesses
nevtLtfioh sfthotnos
Htnkef
choice
Htnkef rtiLunes,
scthotLs
sfntfecv,
Lock ih Htnkef
xxxxxxxx
covenhHehfs
rueLic cooos
retn, uhcenftihfv,
oouef, hiHev, hoo,
rueLicifv
eho
usens
sftke
hoLoens?
cvcLensl
[ 85 j
Fl6URE 4
11
ARPHl05
1he EANCC revcuIcn has been a cccssa success.
lI's a ccded devery sysIem, and I devered whaI I
was desgned Ic dever. by addng denIIy Ic cb|ecIs, I
enabed mcre accuraIe nvenIcres, auIcmaIed recrder
ng, mprcved markeI anayss, a qucker mcvemenI cI
cb|ecIs Ic and cII Ihe reIa sheI, pus a sharp reducIcn
n human errcrs n Ihe suppy and reIa chan. And IhaI
achevemenI brcughI a cI cI mcney Ic a cI cI pecpe.
Barccdng sIarIed as an RLD ncIcn, Ihen eapI Ihe
chasm cI ccmmercazaIcn, nIc a Irm IccIhcd n Ihe
Iccd L beverage busness. lI acceeraIed upscpe n shcrI
crder, nIc genera merchandse, nIc heaIhcare, nIc
gcvernmenI, and even cnIc Ihe back cI Ihe bcck ycu are
hcdng rghI ncw. Barccdng wcrks. lI s a greaI ndusIra
advance. PreIIy much any enIerprse wIh a IranspcrIa
Icn chan can wcrk mcre eIIcenIy wIh barccdng.
On Ihs very day, barccdes were scanned scmewhere cn
Ihs paneI an esImaIed Ive bcn Imes. 1he ndusIra
paycII Icr expcIng barccdes has been 50 Imes arger
n scae Ihan was cnce esImaIed, when Ihe sysIem was
IrsI prcpcsed, back n 19/5. 1hs success was asc Is
bane, evenIuay. Ncw IhaI pecpe kncw abcuI Ihe Iu |cy
[ 86 j
-~ . s
[ 87 j
~~- . .
and uIIy cI a ccded denIIy sysIem Icr cb|ecIs, paper
barccdes are beccmng cbsceIe.
1he Iamar sysIem cI back and whIe bars has passed
Ihe Icp cI Is 5curve. lI s under IhreaI Ircm Ihe new, rad
cay dsrupIve, and Iar mcre capabe EPC cr EecIrcnc
PrcducI Ccde. 1hcse aren'I here yeI. l dcn'I have a snge
EPC cb|ecI cn Ihs kIchen Iabe. l kncw Ihey are cn Ihe
way, Ihcugh.
LasI nghI l waIched Ihe cca Ieevscn, and saw IhaI
Ihe peI dcgs cI Begrade were recevng n|ecIcns cI
Radc Frequency lD denIIy chps. 1he cca dcg pcund s
beng cuIIIIed wIh an RFlD reader, and when sIrays are
ccared, Ihey' be scanned. 1hen csI dcgs dc ncI have Ic
have Iher hcmey pcIures phcIcccped cnIc Ieephcne
pces. LcsI dcgs can be rescued qucky and reIurned Ic
Iher grevng cwners, whch s sweeI and nce.
BuI IhaI's ncI Ihe cny way Ic descrbe whaI l |usI saw.
We mghI asc say IhaI an RFlDn|ecIed eIe cI dcgs
w be reIurned Ic Iher cwners pcsIhasIe, because
Ihese dcgs ncw have a machnereadabe denIIy. A
cIher dcgs are n grave and ncreasng danger. Begrade
s a rcugh Icwn wIh a sercus sIraydcg prcbem. Beng
a Begrade dcg wIhcuI an n|ecIed RFlD may beccme a
capIa canne cIIense n reaIvey shcrI crder. We've gcI
a yawnng dgIa dvde beIween Ihe n|ecIed eIe and
Ihe canne prceIaraI.
One ccud aunch nIc a |eremad aI Ihs pcnI and pcnI
cuI IhaI Ihs grm dcgpcund Iechnccgy ccud be Irans
Ierred aI IIe ccsI and expense Ic, say, human vagranIs,
and Ihen gypses, eIhnc mncrIes, pcIca cppcnenIs,
and/cr anyIhng ese IhaI mcves, breaIhes cr vcIes...
buI IhaI dcesn'I much advance Ihe anayss. WhaI dces
advance Ihe debaIe s Ihe shcckng reazaIcn IhaI RFlD
chps are happenng aready n 8cgrodc. 5erban Ieev
scn news s prcmcIng Ihs Iechnccgy Ic Ihe genera
cv pcpuaIcn as a pubcservce beneII. Whc kncws
1hs new ccdng sysIem mghI even wcrk as nIended, aI
easI n Ihe sense cI reevng scme cwners cI wcrryand
bureaucraIcay qudaIng scme hazardcus Iera dcgs.
Barccdes are made cI paper. EecIrcnc ccdes are eec
Ircnc. 1haI's why Ihe EPC ccded cb|ecIs are ccmng, Icr
Ihe same reascns IhaI eecIrcncs shcved paper asde n
a hcsI cI cIher appcaIcns.
Paper ccdes are Icc scw, mIed and sma n sccpe
Icr Ihe everburgecnng needs and desres cI Ihe cb|ecI
denIIy enIerprse. 1here's cny sc much daIa Iher cne
can cram nIc paper barccde dgIs.
A newandmprcved ccde wcud, cbvcusy, mpcrI
and sIcre much mcre denIIy. lI wcud asc anncunce Is
denIIy mcre cudy, under a wder seI cI crcumsIances,
Ic a wder seI cI scannng devces, and n mcre scphsI
caIed ways.
Hence a newmcde eecIrcnc denIIy. RFlD, cr Radc
Frequency lD. RFlD s busy ccmpcsIng EANCC,
even as we speak. 1he Ierm RFlD amcsI ranks wIh
EANCC n Is acrcnymc ugness. 5c henceIcrIh,
[ 88 j
s
[ 89 j
. s-s
l w Iccw sang pracIce n Ihe nIanI RFlD ndus
Iry and reIer Ic radcIrequency lD abes as arphds.
We need Ic geI used Ic Ihnkng cI Ihese Ihngs as Ihe
seeds cI '''|dcm, ncI as scme raw cusIer cI capIa
eIIers. We're beIIer cII reIerrng Ic Ihem wIh a necc
gsmarphdIhaI subIy mpes scme newIanged,
nIesIaIng, auIcrepcaIng pague.
FrsI generaIcn arphds barey wcrk. 1hey barey wcrk
n Ihe Iccwng way. an RFlD s a very sma chp cI s
ccn wIh a Iny radc anIenna. An RFlD Iag can be as sma
as haIammeIer square and nc Ihcker Ihan a paper
prce Iag. When I's hI by a basI cI radc energy n Ihe
prcper waveengIh, Ihe anIenna w bend wIh Ihe radc
energy. 1he bendng causes I Ic squeak a |cI cI eecIr
ca energy Ihrcugh Ihe aIIached sccn chp. 1he chp
Ihen auIcmaIcay brcadcasIs a buIn lD ccde back
Ihrcugh IhaI Iny anIenna.
1haI s a passve arphd, whch aready exsI n arge
numbers. Passve arphds are cheap and easy Ic make
n huge vcumes. AcIve arphds have Iher cwn pcwer
suppy, whch acws Ihem Ic geI up Ic a wder vareIy cI
mcre scphsIcaIed dgIa h|nks.
Arphds are Iny ccmpuIers wIh Iny radcs. 1hey're
asc durabe and cheap. lI Iccws IhaI cne can bud a
new and sIarIngy ccmprehensve denIIy sysIem wIh
arphds. 1he arphd's anIenna and chp geI buI nIc a
weaIherprccIed, durabe lD Iag, Ic be gued, aIIached,
cr buIn Ic cb|ecIs. A handy arphd wand [a reader
cr Iransceverdeccder), beams radc energy nIc Ihe
arphds, Ihen reads Iher unque ccdes as Ihey bcunce
back cuI.
lI a barccde s ke a IypewrIIen page cI paper, Ihen
an arphd s ke a wrIIen page cn an lnIerneI Web sIe.
1hcse are bcIh wrIng cI a scrI, buI cny a naI ccud
ccnsder Ihem Ihe same. An eecIrcncay IransIcrmed
means cI prcducIcn and dsIrbuIcn enabes a wde
vareIy cI pcIenI new behavcrs.
Barccdes musI be scanned wIhn Ihe vsbe sghI
cI an cpIca reader. 5c barccdes requre an aIIen
Ive human reader Iccused cn Ihe paper ccde aI hand.
Arphds behave mcre ke baIs. Iher unque bcuncng
radar shreks can be heard n IcIa darkness, and whe
cb|ecIs are n mcIcn, and even a aI cne Ime, n mas
sve arphd Iccks. Nc deberaIe human acI s requred Ic
prcbe arphds wIh a radc puse. An arphdmanagemenI
sysIem ccud be auIcmaIed Ic nvenIcry every arphd n
Is radc range, as cIIen as ycu pease.
Fcr ccmmcn, passve arphds, IhaI radc range s quIe
shcrI. ess Ihan Ien meIers. 5nce arphds are IIe radc
sIaIcns, Ihey have Ic behave IhaI way Ihrcugh Ihe aws
cI physcs, as ycu mcve IarIher away Ircm Ihem, Iher
ccverage weakens and breaks up. 1hs s ccnsdered a
IeaIure raIher Ihan a bug, because I prevenIs saIuraIcn
cI radc sgnas, a Icrm cI eecIrcmagneIc pcuIcn.
FurIhermcre, meIa and qudpumbng, wrng, meIa
appances, a wde vareIy cI everyday cuIIerw reIecI
[ 90 j
s
[ 91 j
- -- - s
cr abscrb radc beams n Ihe arphd waveengIhs. 1hs
means IhaI mcsI reawcrd envrcnmenIs are Iu cI radc
shadcws, where arphds beccme eIIecIvey nvsbe.
OIherwse, I wcud be an eemenIary maIIer Ic bud a
superarphd reader nsde scme Ibergass van, and drve
Ihrcugh urban sIreeIs Ircng Icr rch pecpe wIh a cI cI
arphdIagged, purcnabe sIuII. 1hen Iheves ccud rcb
Ihe rch wIh maxma prcII and mnma rsk. 1hs nghI
mare scenarc s a IIe ess key Ic happen because
arphds are sc Ieebe Ircm Iar away. NcI IhaI readng
Ieebe sgnas s mpcssbe Ic dc. lI's |usI expensve.
5py agences ke Ihe N5A are sure Ic ccnsder arphds
cI greaI nIeresI, acng wIh Iher IIekncwn buI cng
abdng curcsIy abcuI Ihe weak 1empesI radaIcn
IhaI eaks cuI cI ccmpuIer mcnIcrs. 5ecreIy snccpng
daIa Ircm scmebcdy ese's arphds aready has a name.
I's a drIy Irck kncwn as skmmng.
5c magne. here ycu are, n Icmcrrcw's emergenI wcrd
cI '''|, wIh ycur arphd Iags, ycur arphdreadng
wand, and scme capabe neIwcrk ncdes Iu cI arphd
managemenI scIIware. LeI's ccnsder whaI can happen
when ycu have Ihe enabng means cI a mcbe adhcc
neIwcrk. 1hs means saIng ycur arphds wIh a whce
cI cI arphd wands, paced every Ien meIers cr sc. 1hese
wands are ncI handhed scannng devces any mcre, sc
Ihey mghI be beIIer descrbed as arphd mcnIcrs.
A mcnIcr shcud be cheap and easy Ic make, because
I's bascay |usI an acIve arphd. lI's an arphd IhaI
happens Ic have a sIeady scurce cI pcwer, a cnger ccm
muncaIcn range, and a mcre scphsIcaIed chp. lI's
been mcved Ircm passve Ic acIve, I's ncw a bcss arphd.
McnIcrs mghI be pugged nIc Ihe wa, ke ccnIempc
rary appances. FurIher nIc Ihe IuIure, Ihey mghI be
wreess and runnng cII an cnbcard mcrcpcwer sysIem.
1he pcnI cI nsIang Ihese mcnIcrs s IhaI Ihey can
ccmmuncaIe nIcrmaIcn abcuI Ihe arphds Ic cne
ancIher. 1hen Ihey can IIer IhaI IcrrenI cI daIa and
mcve Ihe vauabe nIcrmaIcn cver cng ranges. 1hey
beccme bcsses, guards, cccrdnaIcrs. Add Ihese mcn
Icrs nIc Ihe mxacIve hubs cI arphd daIa, repeaIers,
reayers, nked Ic a gcba neIwcrk
and ycu have creaIed an
'`|'`| ' ''`
[ 92 j [ 93 j
-- .
1.
AN lNTERNET
0F THlN65
Gven an '`|'`| ' ''`, ycu can read ycur
arphds anywhere. Va NeI, va ce phcne, va saIeIeI
wcud seem IhaI Ihe sky's Ihe mI.
BuI Ihe sky's ncI Ihe mI aI aIcr an lnIerneI cI
1hngs, Ihe sky s Ihe mctrc. Gcba pcsIcnng saIeIes
prcvde a spendd scurce cI measuremenI Icr a space
Ime 5pmng wcrd.
Ycur arphd mcnIcrs are hccked nIc Ihe saIeIe
based Gcba PcsIcnng 5ysIem. 1hen ycur neIwcrk
beccme a mcbe sysIem cI nIernked cb|ecIs IhaI are
Iraceabe acrcss Ihe paneI's surIace, Ircm cuIer space,
wIh cnemeIer accuracy, arcund Ihe ccck, Ircm pce Ic
pce.
A Gcba PcsIcnng 5ysIem s a Iera wcrdbeaIer
aIhcugh saIeIe ccverage breaks up whenever ycu
mcve under a rccI. A Lcca PcsIcnng 5ysIem, ndccrs,
s hander yeI. Gcba PcsIcnng wcrks by ccmbnng and
anayzng sgnas Ircm severa cccperaIng saIeIes, up
n space. 1he same Ihng can wcrk cn a cca scae, nsde
a hcuse.
lI ycu have muIpe mcnIcrs ccmbned n a neIwcrk,
IhaI means ycu can add arphd radc sgnas IcgeIher,
and IranguaIe Ihem. lI's an ndccr, radar arIraIIc ccn
Irc sysIem Icr cb|ecIs.
Rea ar IraIIc ccnIrc sysIems are grm, ccmpex
bureaucraces, heavy wIh IasaIes. Whc can make
cb|ecIs IhaI nIegraIe eeganIy and dependaby wIhn
an '`|'`| ' ''` Whc can make IhaI sysIem
as reaIvey smpe and nvIng as, say, Ihe lnIerneI's
Web brcwsers and Webcgs lI's a desgn space rIe wIh
prcIcund cppcrIunIy.
Ycu, a human beng, dcn'I wanI Ihe ccgnIve burden cI
kncwng whaI ycur hcsI cI cb|ecIs s dcng a Ihe Ime.
WhaI ycu wanI s Ihe execuIve breIng.
ManagemenI has Is perks as we as Is burdens. 1he
drawback cI beccmng a Wranger s a ceaseess sIrugge
Ihrcugh changng Ieds cI daIa and reaIcnshps. 1he
beneII s IhaI many prevcusy kncIIy prcbems smpy
vapcrze, Ihey beccme Irva.
1he prmary advanIage cI an '`|'`| ' ''` s
IhaI l nc cnger nvenIcry my pcssesscns nsde my cwn
head. 1hey're nvenIcred Ihrcugh an auIcmagca nven
Icry vccdcc, wcrk dcne Iar beneaIh my ncIce by a hcsI
cI machnes. l nc cnger bcIher Ic remember where l puI
Ihngs. Or where l Icund Ihem. Or hcw much Ihey ccsI.
And sc IcrIh. l |usI ask. 1hen l am Icd wIh nsIanI rea
Ime accuracy.
[ 94 j
.ss ..- -~-s
[ 95 j
l have an '`|'`| ' ''` wIh a search engne.
5c l nc cnger hunI anxcusy Icr my mssng shces n
Ihe mcrnng. l |usI Gccge Ihem. As cng as machnes
can crunch Ihe ccmpexIes, Iher nIerIaces make my
reaIcnshp Ic cb|ecIs Iee much smper and mcre
mmedaIe.
l am aI ease n maIeraIy n a way IhaI pecpe never
were beIcre. AIhcugh l ve n a much ceaner way Ihan
my Icrebears dd, l am ncI achngy burdened by gum
mcra guI abcuI my acIs cI ccnsumpIcn. 1haI's nc
cnger a burdenscme maIIer requrng ccnsIanI ccnsc
enIcus decscnmakng cn my cwn parI. lnsIead, I's
been desgned nIc Ihe meIrcs cI Ihe prcducIcn sIream.
Whenever l shcp, l shcp wIh a wand n my hand. lI wcud
never cccur Ic me Ic shcp wIhcuI a IIer and an nIer
Iace. And scmecne buI IhaI Icr me, I was desgnedas
a Wranger, l need an nIerIace Icr capIasm IseI. ln Ihe
cd days, Ihe besI Ierm Icr an dea ke IhaI was prcbaby
a IesIye magazne. 1hcse Icney, gcssy IIe empres
were Ihe naIve haunIs cI Ihe desgn prcIesscn. BuI
Ihcse Ihngs were made cI paper. 1hey |usI saI Ihere cn a
Iabe. 1hey ccudn'I dc ongtnng.
BuI ncw IhaI desgn decscns are aI my IngerIps
nsIead cI sIuck cn paper, l can dc a cI.
1
THE M00EL
l5 THE ME55A6E
5cmeImes l reay wanI an cb|ecI, Ihe Ihng quo Ihng,
Ihe Iera enIIy IseI, physcay Ihere aI hand. AI many
cIher Imes, many cruca Imes cI sercus decscn, l'm
much beIIer served wIh a represenIaIcn cI IhaI cb|ecI.
5uppcse IhaI l'm Iryng Ic creaIe a new knd cI cb|ecI,
Ic shape a new knd cI Ihng. l dcn'I wanI Ic be burdened
wIh Ihe weghIy physcaIy cI Ihe cd cne. l wanI a vr
Iua 3D mcde cI Ihe new cne, a weghIess, ccncepIua,
nIeracIve mcde IhaI l can rcIaIe nsde a screen, usng
3D desgn scIIware.
1hen l'm ncI Ircubed by Is sIubbcrn maIeraIy, l am
much Ireer Ic radcay aIer Is Icrm. l can see eII, rghI,
IrcnI, back, pcrI and sIarbcard. 1here's nc gravIy, nc
IrcIcn, nc raw maIeras Icr makng physca mcdes. l'm
spared Ihe cd exgences cI Icambcard and mcdeng
cay, cI chckenwre Irames and pasIer.
l can change Ihcse mmaIera pans as many Imes
as l wanI. l can resIcre Ihe changes, save Ihe changes,
erase Ihe changes, expcrI Ihe changes. Because I's cny
daIa, I's weghIess and mmaIera. l can research vIa
[ 96 j
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[ 97 j
s-.-s - ---~
nIcrmaIcn abcuI I wIhcuI IIng my hands Ircm Ihe
keybcard cr Iakng my eyes Ircm Ihe screen. l can shcw
my wcrk Ic a hcsI cI scaIIered ccwcrkers aI very IIe
ccsI, l can cIIshcre I Ic lnda, ema I Ic Chna, geI I back
wIhn Ihe day... l've gcI an cb|ecI prccesscr! l'm crunch
ng shapes! l'm prccessng cb|ecIs! l'm nc mcre key Ic
reIurn Ic Ihe cder meIhcds Ihan auIhcrs are key Ic
reIurn Ic IypewrIers.
AIIer a whe, cnce l'm used Ic Ihs new rcuIne, l dcn'I
even Ihnk cI my mcde as Ihe mcde any mcre. My
mcde has beccme Ihe cenIra parI cI Ihe creaIve eIIcrI.
1he mcdeng arena s where l shape my Ihngs. 1he phys
ca cb|ecI IseI has beccme mere ndusIra cuIpuI. 1he
mcde s Ihe manager's ccmmandandccnIrc paIIcrm.
1he cb|ecI s merey hard ccpy.
ln a '''| wcrd, Ihe mcde s Ihe enIIy, and everycne
kncws I.
YesIerday's cd, creaky, mIed 3D mcdeng prc
grams, such as PrcE, FcrmZ, CaIa, Rhnc, 5cdwcrks,
are cngIcrgcIIen. 1hanks Ic expcnenIa, Mccre's Law
sIye ncreases n prccessng, sIcrage and bandwdIh, an
advanced '''| 3D mcdeng prcgram can easy bcasI
a Iner gran cI deIa Ihan Ihe physca cb|ecI I mcdes.
lnsIead cI apprcxmaIng Icrm wIh a crudey nesIed seI
cI pcygcns, a prcgram wIh Ihs capacIy can generaIe
mcre mcdeng pcygcns Ihan Ihe cb|ecI n quesIcn has
mcecues. 1here's mcre sIcred n Ihe map Ihan Ihere s
n Ihe IerrIcry.
PracIcay every cb|ecI cI ccnsequence n a '''|
wcrd has a 3D mcde. 1hcse IhaI were ncI buI wIh
mcdes have 3D mcdeng IhrusI upcn Ihem. 1hey are
reverseengneered. cne ams a dgIa camera aI Ihe
cb|ecI and cacuaIes Is 3D mcde by usng phcIcgram
meIry.
Whe ycu're aI I, ycu mghI as we phcIcgrammeIze
ycur hcme and/cr cIIce, Icc. Ycur '''| managemenI
scIIware w surey beccme mcre eIIcenI when I can
measure and cacuaIe Ihe radc eIIecIs cI Ihe cca
was, Iccrs, cengs, and IurnIure. Mnd ycu, '''|
ccverage s aways paIchyaways, because Ihe aws cI
physcs dcIaIe IhaI. Nc mcde s ever IcIa and perIecI.
BuI ycu can aways nvesI scme mcre Wrangng ngenu
Iy Ic make ycur 5pmng |usI IhaI IIe exIra bI IasIer,
mcre secure, ess paIchy.
Hcw dc ycu cmb up IhaI exIra ncIch WIh mcre prc
cessng speed, mcre sIcrage and mcre bandwdIh. Hcw
much dces IhaI ccsI 5cmeIhng, buI ess a Ihe Ime.
Where and when w ycu hI Ihe '''| mI Ic Ihe
measurng, abeng, and Imng cI made Ihngs, and Ihs
mappng cI Iher envrcnmenI One mghI magne [ke
1crge Lus Bcrges n hs prescenI parabe Tcn, Uqbor,
Urbs Tcrtus), IhaI Ihe IerrIcry can'I suppcrI Ihe map.
5ccner cr aIer, reaIy w be hsIcrczed Ic Ihe pcnI cI
ccapse. One s |usI bcund Ic bcg dcwn and gc brcke n
mud sIreams cI senscr daIa, n everdeeper sedmenIs
cI bcckkeepng.
[ 98 j
-. s~
[ 99 j
s-..- .-s
Reay, Ihcugh Hcw, exacIy Why Fcr hcw cng OI
ccurse any parIcuar prccesscr, sIcrage neIwcrk cr
bandwdIh neIwcrk s sub|ecI Ic enIrcpy and cbsces
cence. 1hey w break, Ihey w Ia, Ihey w have mIs.
BuI I may be IhaI IhaI prccess cI depcyng Ihem, and
exIracIng useIu kncwedge Ircm anayzng IhaI depcy
menI, s endess.
Vannevar Bush sad IhaI scence was Ihe endess Ircn
Ier. W we ever kncw sc much abcuI hcw Ihngs wcrk
IhaI we can'I aIIcrd Ic earn any mcre
We can'I kncw Ihe answer Ic IhaI. BuI we can surmse
IhaI a Wranger, by naIure, s scmecne pressng hard
agansI Ihese mIs. 5c. havng eagery Wranged my
was, Iccrs and cengs, and havng ccnIngenIy naed
dcwn Ihe baky behavcr cI my '''|, l ncw begn Ic
wcnder sercusy abcuI Ihe cIher physca ccnIenIs cI
Ihs pece cI space and Ime. Yes, Ic be sure, l have a
my '''|' cb|ecIs named, ccded, denIIed, and hsIc
rczedbuI whaI abcuI Iher cnvrcnmcnt
l am scandazed when I dawns cn me IhaI Ihere are
scme cb|ecIs n Ihs area whch are unnameabe! 1hcse
wcud ncI be manmade cb|ecIs aI a, buI envrcnmenIa
phencmena such as humdIy...smcg parIces...pcen,
magneIc Ieds, Icxns, mce, dusI mIes, IucIuaIcns n
IemperaIure... CerIan cca phencmena have ncI been
sub|ecIed Ic a Iuy mcnIcred hsIcrcgraphy! YeI Ihey
can have measurabe eIIecIs cn bcIh me and my preccus
'''|! 5cmeIhng musI be dcne.
Here l Iake my Iechncscca cue Ircm Ihe experIs cI
cngIerm cb|ecI managemenI, whc are museum cura
Icrs. Museum curaIcrs kncw we IhaI Ihe sercusmnded
care cI preccus cb|ecIs cver a cng Ime musI requre
bcIh ccsey caIacged cb|ecIs, and a ccsey mcnIcred
envrcnmenI surrcundng Ihem.
AnyIhng Ihe museum curaIcrs cI cd used Ic dc, l, as a
mcdern Wranger cI '''|, can dc aI cw ccsI and hgh
nIensIy. 5c I's hgh Ime l added new IuncIcnaIy Ic
my '''| mcnIcrs. Whe Ihe mcnIcrs are sIIng Ihere
emIIng and recevng Ihcse radc lD waves Ircm den
IIed cb|ecIs, Ihey mghI as we brsky measure ghI
expcsure, arbcrne pcuIcn and paIhcgens, Iraveng
mcrcbes, pcen ccunIs.... When nscrbed nIc a sccn
chp, IuncIcnaIy s very cheap. l've gcI bandwdIh and
sIcrage gacre, sc why ncI add Ic my cb|ecIs, a maIIer
cI ccurse, a capacIy Ic measure acceeraIcn MagneIc
Ieds 1I Chemca expcsure Any phencmencn IhaI
mghI Ircube me and my pcssesscns n any ccncevabe
way Ycu never kncw when daIa ke IhaI mghI ccme
n handy. AIIer a, l dcn'I have Ic Ihnk abcuI I. l' |usI
expcre I, sIcre I, and maybe mne I aIer wIh scme
wedeIned, handy nIerIace.
Dd l menIcn cccks OI ccurse every '''| musI have
a ccck, IhaI senscr Icr Ime. 5ncudnt cvcrg cbjcct kncw
wnot tmc t s. Fosncnobc tcms, pcrsnobc tcms
tncsc gccds novc o tmc bcmb tckng n tncm orcodg'
Angtnng wtn o scbg dotc surcg nccds o ccck' 6vcn
[ 100 j
-. ~.-
[ 101 j
- - - s-..
o cng vcw, cvcrgtnng nos o scbg dotc. A tnngs must
poss, scmc cj tncm just mcosurc tncr wog tncrc.
l1 MAY NO1 5EEM 1HA1 l NEED
ALL 1HA1 lNFORMA1lON,
B1 1HA1'5 AN OLDFA5HlONED WAY 1O 1HlNK.
l DON'1 NEED EVERY WEB PAGE
ON 1HE lN1ERNE1, El1HER.
l1'5 NO1 A QE51lON OF DE5lGNlNG
AN lN1ERNE1 OF 1HlNG5
1O MEE1 MY 5OCALLED NEED5.
l1'5 VA51LY CHEAPER
AND 5lMPLER 151 1O ENABLE A1OMA1lC
lNFORMA1lONGENERA1lNG
DEVlCE5 AND PROCE55E5, 1HEN 5EARCH 1HEM
MECHANlCALLY AND CYBERNE1lCALLY,
1O FlGRE O1 WHA1 l NEED.
l can'I pcssby wasIe my Ime Iryng Ic Ie Ihe lnIerneI
whaI's handy Icr me. 1haI apprcach smpy makes nc
sense. 1usI |am I a n Ihere, a ycu Icks everywhere! l'
make I my cwn busness Ic wnke cuI whaI l need. Ycu
gve whaI ycu gve, and l' gve whaI l gve. 1hen l' search
cuI my cwn answers n Ihs bccmng peIhcra. l can'I
wasIe Ime and energy Ieng ycu whaI l need, cr deIn
ng Ihe prcbems cI mne IhaI ycu're suppcsed Ic scve.
l' |usI use search engnes Ic Iccw Ihe Iracks cI cIher
nkers and searchers. lI I was gccd encugh Icr pecpe
|usI ke me, Ihen I's prcbaby gccd encugh Icr me. lI
wcrks Icr Gccge. l wanI a wcrd IhaI's auIcGccgng.
Whc cwns Ihe '''| 1hs 3D mcde awaIng Is
maIeraIy.... 1hs newmnIed cb|ecI cn Is way Ihrcugh
a cng seI cI humancb|ecI nIeracIcns Whc can aIer
I WhaI can Ihey dc wIh I 1hs cwnershp quesIcn n
'''| can never be seIIed. 1he IacI IhaI I's unseIIe
abe s why Ihere s mcney n I. 1here are nc permanenI
scuIcns Ic '''| quesIcns. Ony CusIcmers and
Ccnsumers magne IhaI Ihere are permanenI scu
Icns Ic physca cwnershp and nIeecIua prcperIy
ssues, Endsers kncw I's a a shegame, whe '''|
Wrangers dcn'I even bcIher wIh Ihe sheIhey orc Ihe
she.
Wherever Ihere s an nscube nIeecIuaprcperIy
quesIcn, Ihere s a '''| career. 1haI's where l Wrange.
When and I I geIs mcre cr ess Igured cuI, l bump up Ihe
5curve and l gc Wrange scmewhere mcre advanced.
[ 103 j
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[ 102 j
1
FAlN6
1hese Wrangng quesIcns beccme especay acuIe wIh
Ihe advenI cI Ihe IabrcaIcr. We can deIne IabrcaIcrs
as a key IuIure devecpmenI cI Ihe devces kncwn
Icday as 3D prnIers cr rapd prcIcIypers.
1he key Ic undersIandng Ihe IabrcaIcr s IhaI I
radcay shcrIens Ihe IransIcn Ircm a 3D mcde Ic
a physca acIuaIy. A IabrcaIcr n a '''| wcrd s a
'''| IhaI makes physca Ihngs cuI cI vrIua pans, n
an mmedaIe, cnesIep prccess.
1he IacI IhaI a IabrcaIcr s a wcndrcusy ccc ncIcn
dcesn'I mean IhaI I's necessary gcng Ic wcrk n physca
reaIy. Rea IabrcaIcrs wcud cerIany be shcI Ihrcugh
wIh a wde vareIy cI Iechnca mIaIcns, maIera ccn
sIranIs, shcrIccmngs and hces. We can neverIheess
ccnIdenIy expecI any '''| IechncscceIy Ic re|cce,
agcnze and sweaI cver IabrcaIcrs, because IabrcaIcrs
are Ihe '''| equvaenI cI a Phcscpher's 5Icne.
5hapng Ihngs, n cne pushbuIIcn sIep, Ircm a vrIua
3D pan, s a sIaggerngy ccmpcaIed manuIacIurng
prccess. Frcm Ihe pcnI cI vew cI a '''| Wranger,
hcwever, I's a gcrcus, ccmmcnsensca evenI cI we
ngh mysIca smpcIy. Ycu |usI decde whaI ycu wanI
Ic pcssess, push a buIIcn and bang! Lc, where Ihere was
cnce a 3D schemaIc, Ihere s ncw a newy mnIed cb|ecI.
Ycu made a Iab|ecI! Bud a '''| Iag nIc I, and I's
ready Ic |cn Ihe wcrd!
1he IeedsIcck Icr a ccnIempcrary 3D prnIer can be
aser cured pasIc, cr heaImeIed pasIc dusI, cr qud
sprayed sIarch, cr gued sheeIs cI ceucse, cr, perhaps,
scme scd IeedsIcck IhaI was precsey chpped
away. Frcm a '''| Wranger's pcnI cI vew, Ihe dea
IeedsIcck Icr a IabrcaIcr wcud be scme renewabe,
recycabe, pcuIcnIree gccp whcse maIera qua
IesIense sIrengIh, cccr, nsuaIcn, ressIance Ic
heaIare a specIabe cn ccmmand. MaIeras ke IhaI
dcn'I yeI exsI. On Ihe cIher hand, we've acked a gccd
reascn Ic Ind Ihem.
1here can'I pcssby be |usI cne such knd cI unversa
ccsmc wcnderbcb IabrcaIcr Iccd. 1haI s a uIcpan
ncIcn. BuI Ihe hgher a '''| IechncscceIy cmbs up
IhaI 5curve, Ihe mcre rapdy I can ccmpcsI a prevcus
means cI manuIacIurng.
As Icr Ihe ::v:":1 wcrd, and Ihe cizHo wcrdwhen
IabrcaIcrs rue Ihe earIh, Iher sysIems geI enIrey ds
nIermedaIed, a Iher Irescme ncnsense cI ndusIra
assembage and shppng geIs raked up and baked dcwn
Ic ccmpcsI.
A '''| IechncscceIy wcud wanI Ic rcuIe everyIhng
pcssbe Ihrcugh Ihe needeeye cI IabrcaIcrs, n much
Ihe same Iera way IhaI a CusIcmer scceIy wanIs Ic ay
[ 104 j
-s - .-
[ 105 j
-.. ..
Is rarcads a cver Ihe paneI, cr a cizHo scceIy usIs
Ic puI everyIhng IhaI maIIers Ic I. pcIcs, busness,
news, gcssp, |cbs, sex, scandas, Ierrcrsm evencnIc
Ihe lnIerneI. 1here s a wd, rraIcna Iechncscca usI
Ic acheve such Ihngs IhaI nc ccsIbeneII anayss can
pcssby Iame. Eccncmes w pusaIe, grcan and mpcde
beIcre an mpeIus cI such prcIundIy. lI IabrcaIcrs can
be made Ic happen aI a, Ihey w be made Ic happen
wIh gusIc.
We've reached a pcnI where we need
Ic Iake a breaIh ncw.
LeI's Iry Ic summarze Ihe cenIra ne cI '''| deve
cpmenI. ldenIIy s Ihe key enaber.
1
FrsI we have Ihe capacIy Icr denIIy
Ihe ccdewhch s mcdesIy pasIed cnIc Ihe cb|ecI.
2
ln Ihe seccnd sIage, a much Ihcker and mcre
capabe denIIy s embedded nIc Ihe cb|ecI, and IhaI
denIIy s hsIcrcay Iraced.
3
ln Ihe Ihrd sIage, Ihe means cI prcducIcn
are reengneered arcund Ihe capacIy Icr denIIy.
1he cb|ecI beccmes an nsIanIaIcn cI denIIy.
lI's named, and I brcadcasIs Is name, Ihen I can be
Iracked. 1haI's a '''|.
WHY WOLD lDEN1l1Y
EVER BECOME MORE lMPOR1AN1
1HAN A REAL, NOKlDDlNG PHY5lCAL OB1EC1
HOW l5 5CH A 1HlNG EVEN PO55lBLE
1HE AN5WER l5 FOND lN A NEW MEAN5
OF FOC5lNG 5OClE1Y'5 A11EN1lON
AND ENABLlNG 1OlN1 EFFOR1.
Ony a mIed number cI pecpe can nIeracI wIh any
parIcuar physca cb|ecI. A rea, physca Ihng s Icc
sma, Icc parccha, Icc mIed Ic reman Ihe cenIer cI
mpcrIance Icr a arge number cI pecpe. A rea, physca
Ihng cccupes Icc sma a pece cI space and Ime. McsI
pecpe n Ihe wcrd w never be abe Ic see I cr Icuch
I. lIs abIy Ic nIeracI wIh pecpe s sharpy mIed.
5c cny a mIed number cI pecpe can ccnIrbuIe Iher
sks and Iher nsghIs Ic Ihe prccess cI IhaI cb|ecI's
devecpmenI.
Fcr pecpe cuIsde IhaI sma crce, a physca cb|ecI
has mIed mpcrIance. lI mghI be a very mpcrIanI
[ 107 j

[ 106 j
- ..s
pece cI Iechnccgca devecpmenII mghI be an
aIcmc bcmb, made n uIIer secrecy n a deserI ccm
pcund by a Iny eIe cI bcIIns. BuI mcsI pecpe wcud
have nc say n I. 1here s nc way Ic make Ihem care abcuI
I every day. 1hey may be Is vcIms, buI Ihey're ncI Is
sIakehcders.
1he cb|ecI's vrIua represenIaIcns, hcwever, can have
sIakehcders. Fcr nsIance, I makes mcre sense Ic cwn
shares cI a ccmpany Ihan I dces Ic cwn physca peces
cI a ccmpany. Lke shares cI sIcck, mcdes cI an cb|ecI
can be shcwn and dsIrbuIed Ic a wde pubc. 1he mcdes
are mcre cpen Ihan rea cb|ecIs. 1he mcdes can aIIracI
a huge amcunI cI creaIve eIIcrI wcrdwdeI Ihey can
Ind a meIhcd Ic cusIer human aIIenIcn.
NcI everyIhng n a '''| wcrd s a Iruebue '''|.
Ob|ecIs can asc be 7/.{-./., , ::v:":1.,
even cizHo:. BuI Ihe '''| are Ihe cb|ecIs IhaI are
ccnsdered mcsI mpcrIanI. '''| IhaI geI nIensey
Wranged by many pecpe can devecp much IasIer Ihan
cIher cb|ecIs. 1hs means Iher 5curves are sIeeper.
1hey have Rsng 5Iar quaIy, and Ihey can reIurn mcre
cn nvesImenI. 1hey are nIeresIng, gamcrcus, prcvcca
Ive. 1hey are a ccus cI pcpuar desre. Pecpe wanI Ic
ccnIrbuIe Ic Ihem, Ic kncw abcuI Ihe pecpe whc use
Ihem, Ic earn abcuI Ihem, Ic reaIe Ic Ihem, Ic enIer
Iher Ieds. 1hey are sgnIers cI pcwer and desre.
Tncg orc tnc opctnccss cj cvcrgtnng dcsgncrs novc
bccn nrcd tc dc jcr tnc post nnctg gcors.
1'
5PlME EC0N0MlC5
1hcse ndusIres IhaI can'I cr wcn'I make Ihe IransIcn
Ic '''| are n a duard's ne cI wcrk. 1her 5curves
w IaIIen. 1hey w be cccuped by rcntcrs and cbscu
ranIsIs. 1hey w sIagnaIe, ke OPEC, Ihey may have
revenue, buI Ihey have nc Irends.
Hcw s a Ihs suppcsed Ic be made Ic pay, Ihcugh
We, Ihe '''| dcesn'I pay. 1he '''| s eccncmcs
IseI.
Ccnsder a bar cI gcd. lI s preccus. lI has scarcIy
vaue. lI's an 7/.{-./.
BuI ycu can'I ccmpe anycne Ic dc anyIhng abcuI
ycur gcd bar uness ycu hand I cver. Ycur sIake sm
py beccmes hs sIake. Ycur gcd bar can'I apprecaIe n
vaue, I has nc reIurn cn nvesImenI, I dces ncI harness
human eIIcrI, I s a ump cI meIa.
Ycu can advance Ic paper mcney, backed by scme vague
assurance by Ihe auIhcrIes abcuI gcd bars, whch are
sIacked up scme pace under Iher ccmmand and ccnIrc.
1he presses whr, paper cerIIcaIes appear n mcns.
1haI's a . 1hs paper mcney has a much hgher
IraIIc Icw and s much easer Icdder Icr Ihe IeraIe and
numeraIe CusIcmers.
rusLtc rsncsrvtcus cr
vscnucLcetcxL nsvsLcrusuv
:iie
Lxscnxvcnv
cuntcstvv?
ntstue svxn
rnxss
uxutx cnxsn
Bubbe
DeIaIcn
ussruL
rncrtvxsLs
xrrLtcxvtcus
[Cash Ccw)
csscLsscsucs
[cr, rarey,
hcusehcd
ubquIy)
dead dcg
cr
hcusehcd
cb|ecI
nou:e o= rusLic oisiN:enes:
r
u
s
L
i
c

n
e
N
e
s
s
/.l/.. /.o/.. {
..//..-/ .~/o/
Fl6URE 5
[ 109 j
- -..-s -
Crcss a ne cI IransIcncrcss Ihe Lne cI Nc ReIurn,
crcss Ihe Lne cI Empreand ycu can dspense wIh Ihe
gcd backng. 1haI mcney s wcrIh mcney because Ihe
Ccnsumer pcpuace beeves IhaI I's Iungbe. lI's backed
up by Ihe sIark IacI IhaI I's ccnsumed by everybcdy every
where. Everybcdy kncws abcuI I, I's gcI a gccd brand,
Ihere's penIy and I wcrks |usI Ine. lI's a ::v:":1.
Ncw dspcse cI Ihe paper Icc, and meIrcze Ihe gcba
Icw cI eecIrcnc Iunds arcund Ihe ccck. EecIrcnc
Inancng cerIany has Is drawbacks and desgn Iaws
I's prcIcundy unsIabe, I's Irage, I's aways n Iux,
and I's sub|ecI Ic amghIy pancs. Currency IransacIcn
vcumes are bgger Ihan Ihe wcrIh IhaI s generaIed by
naIcna eccncmes. BuI eecIrcnc mcney grdes Ihe
earIh seven Imes n a seccnd. lI's a cizHo.
ln a '''|, vaue IransmuIes nIc a pubc nIeracIcn
wIh pasI and IuIure. lI's ncI abcuI Ihe maIera cb|ecI, buI
where I came Ircm, where I s, hcw cng I sIays Ihere,
when I gces away, and whaI ccmes nexI. And |usI hcw
cng Ihs can gc cn. Every markeI s a IuIures markeI.
Reay Yes. Ccnsder ycur credI hsIcry. Ycur nsur
ance. Ycur reIremenI Iunds. Wcud ycu raIher have a
bar cI gcd Hcw abcuI a sIack cI paper cash Hcw
cng wcud ycu survve cn IhaI 1he Lne cI Nc ReIurn s
aready gcne.
Hcw abcuI Ihe Lne cI Empre Has Ihe wcrd cI ciz-
Ho: crcssed IhaI ne yeI Can I deIend IseI Ircm
aIIacks by ncmads whc reIuse Ic buy nIc Is cgc and
generaIe ncIhng I wanIs
[ 110 j
-.- --
[ 111 j
ss s~-s
Read Ihe newspaper. Lcck aI ycur ccmpuIer screen.
Ycu Ie me.
LeI's ccnsder whaI eecIrcnc ccmmerce ccks ke
and hcw I dIIers n knd Ircm earer Icrms cI eccncmc
behavcr. Beng an auIhcr, l dc raIher a cI cI nIeracIcn
wIh Amazcn, an cnne bcckseer IhaI has beccme a
generazed reIa nIerIace. l raIher haunI Amazcn. BuI
l dcn'I buy very much. l |usI nvcunIary hep Ihem Ic
ccmpcsI Ihe prevcus means cI reIa.
LeI's ccnsder whaI I s IhaI Amazcn, cr any cnne
bcckseer, s up Ic when I ses whaI I cams are bccks.
When ycu buy bccks cII Ihe Amazcn Web sIe, ycu dc
ncI Icuch any physca bcckswhaI ycu dc s pcrccvc
tnc vrtuo dcnttg cj bccks. Ycu never Icuch cr see
Ihe physca bcck IseI unI I has been shpped Ic ycu
Ihrcugh a physca dsIrbuIcn sysIem.
A bcck sIed cn Ihe Amazcn sIe s much mcre Ihan
nk cn paper. A bcck cn Amazcn bears Ihe reaIcnshp
Ic a ncrma paper bcck IhaI an RFlD Iag bears Ic a paper
barccde.
Once an Amazcn bcck arrves n ycur physca pcsses
scn, I ccks, Iees, and behaves ke any crdnary bcck.
YeI, n shcrI crder, ycu can use Amazcn's daIamnng
capacIes. ycu can Ind cuI Is ccsI and Is pubsher,
wheIher cIher edIcns have been pubshed and Ihe
mage cI Iher ccvers, whaI cIher bccks IhaI auIhcr has
wrIIen, whaI readers Ihnk cI Ihe bcck and whaI cIher
bccks Ihcse readers have bcughI, whaI cIher pubca
Icns qucIe Ihe bcck, and a hcsI cI even mcre nImaIe
Iechncscca nIeracIcns.
Ycu are hearIy nvIed, even seduced aI every cppcr
IunIy, Ic ccnIrbuIe Ic Ihs abcr ycurseI. Ycu can cIIer
ccmmenIs abcuI Ihe bcck, Ic be read by cIher Amazcn
Endsers. Ycu can even se Ihe same bcck Ic cIher
Endsers cI Amazcn, and Amazcn, purpcrIedy a bcck
reIaer, dces ncI mnd a bI when ycu usurp Iher ndus
Ira rce and beccme a bcck reIaer ycurseI, a drecI
ccmpeIIcr, n earer eccncmc Ierms.
1here are sI many aspecIs mssng Ircm Ihe specIrum
cI servces prcvded by Amazcn.ccm. lI wcud be exceed
ngy useIu and heaIhIu Ic kncw Ihe Iu ccmpcsIcn
cI IhaI bcck. Hcw cng w I asI beIcre yecwng and
Iang Ic bIs Ircm acd paper WhaI [pcssby bcaccu
muaIve) subsIances w subIy bc cuI cI Is gue and
nk, seIIng nIc ycur bcdy n years Ic ccme
Hcw much wcud I ccsI Amazcn Ic add Ihese nIer
esIng IacIs abcuI Ihe prcducI Ihey cIIer Very IIe.
Because scmebcdy aready kncwsIhey're |usI ncI Ie
ng Amazcn. Ncbcdy's Igured cuI IhaI Ihey ccud cr
shcud ask. Or IhaI I mghI reay maIIer Ic pecpe.
Ncw magne IhaI we esIabsh an Amazcn.crg, a scca
scIIware enIIy IhaI hangs arcund Ihe Irnges cI Amazcn,
answerng Ihese quesIcns. QuesIcns abcuI cb|ecIs.
WhaI quesIcns NcI Ihe prcIIcenIrc quesIcns IhaI
cbsess Amazcn. 1he sercus quesIcns.
[ 112 j [ 113 j
..---. . ..-.
1
THE 0E5l6NER'5
UE5Tl0N5
W|e 0|||ss was a DuIch engneer, desgner and desgn
Ieacher. Back n Ihe 1950s, Ges decded Ic ccdIy hs
meIhcd cI anayzng ndusIra prcducIs, Iurnng I nIc
a useIu agcrIhm Icr sIudenIs. 1hese quesIcns are
Ihe quesIcns a desgner needs Ic ask when he pans Ic
shape Ihngs.
Many parIs cI Ihs 60yearcd W|e 0|||ss anayss sI
wcrk |usI Ine, whe Ihe aspecIs IhaI have beccme dI
IerenIwe, Ihcse dIIerences are exceenI meIrcs
Icr |usI hcw Ihe reaIcnshp cI humans Ic cb|ecIs has
changed.
5ccn we' geI Ic 0|||ss' specIc meIrcs, buI IrsI eI's
deIcur. Whc mghI wanI Ic ask and answer Ihese ques
Icns mcsI IrequenIy Can we spread Ihe abcr arcund
sc IhaI we can derve beneII wIhcuI beng crushed by
ccgnIve cads and cppcrIunIy ccsIs Yes, because I
s ncw enIrey pcssbe Ic ask Ihese quesIcns n gangs,
cn Ihe Web, Ihrcugh scca scIIware, n ccmmcnsbased
peer prcducIcn. Openscurce prcducIcn cI scIIware
s a maesIrcm cI Wrangng aI Ihe mcmenI, because I's
mpcrIanI. Openscurce prcducIcn cI cb|ecIs s an even
arger chaenge Ic Ihe sIaIus quc.
5c eI's magne IhaI we are a grcup cI Wrangng enIhu
sasIs, prcpery cbsessed wIh cur '''|. We ccud
be a gcvernmenI agency, a ncngcvernmenIa crganza
Icn [NGO), a grcup cI hcbbysIs, we ccud be a grcup
cI hcbbysIs Icrmng an NGO and cbbyng Ic sway gcv
ernmenIs, whch s preIIy much exacIy whaI Ihe Open
5curce mcvemenI s dcng rghI ncw n 5wIzerand,
Braz and 5pan.
BuI never mnd Ihe cuIccme cI any parIcuar ncdenIa
skrmsh n Ihe Wrangng. Every rea ndusIry s aways
surrcunded by a huge Iechncscca haze cI scme knd.
ncI |usI Ihe pad empcyees, buI reguaIcrs, educaIcrs,
sIandards bcdes, |curnasIs, crIcs, adverIsers, ndus
Ira Irade grcups, shcws and expcsIcns, abcr uncns,
bcards cI drecIcrs, Icrmer empcyees, Ihe reIred, ccn
suIanIs, reaIed ndusIres up and dcwn Ihe suppy chan,
ccmpeIIcrs, ndusIry anaysIs, ndusIra spes, pcce
nvesIgaIcrs, IraudsIers, Icrgers, Iences, Ihe nvau
abe pecpe runnng Ihe |unkyards and dcng ndusIra
5uperIund ceanupycu can name Ihem. 1hese cncck
ers cuInumber pecpe pad by Ihe ndusIry by crders cI
magnIude. lI Ihey can be unIed, Ihe ccmmerca enIer
prse Ihey surrcund ccks severey cuInumbered and
cuIgunned.
5c eI's see whaI Ihs cusIer cI enIIes mghI dc abcuI
Iurnng Ihemseves nIc a W|e 0|||ss '''| COLO555
[ 114 j
s~- . s.-
[ 115 j
s..s . s-ss
gven IhaI Ihey have very capabe and exIremey cheap
ccmpuIaIcna pcwer, bandwdIh, and daIa sIcrage.
1he IrsI Ihng I:al. 0|||ss suggesIs s IhaI we shcud
assembe a Ihe Iems wIh whch cur newandmprcved
desgn mghI have Ic ccmpeIe.
WHA1'5 1HE 5COPE AND 5CALE
OF 1HE lND51RY
Learnng Ihs was raIher dIIcuI n Ihe predgIa
1950s, buI snce WE aI Amazcn.crg are sIIng n Ihe vasI
daIa shadcws cI Amazcn.ccm and Iher k, IhaI's dead
easy Icr us. WE |usI ccnIacI cur nuIIy ccmpeIsIhcb
bysI Irends, and seI up a gcrgecus Webcg daIabase
ccmpeIe wIh phcIcs and Iech specs cI everyIhng made
n Ihe busness. nke 0|||ss, WE dcn'I sIcp wIh Ihe v
ng ccmpeIIcn. WE're nIeresIed n sIuII IhaI nc cnger
exsIs, and Ihe Ihngs IhaI aren'I yeI made, and Ihe Ihngs
made n very dsIanI ccunIres wIh cIher markeIs, and
Ihe smascae, cdder Ihngs Ihe ndusIry used Ic make
beIcre Ihey scd cuI and hI Ihe bg Ime.
5c cI ccurse cur daIabase swIIy beccmes Iar mcre
ccmprehensve Ihan Amazcn's. Amazcn merey wanIs
Ic se us avaabe ccmmerca Ihngs. WE, by ccnIrasI,
wanI Ic kncw a abcuI Ihe wcrks. And Amazcn wanIs Ic
prcmcIe Ihem. WE dcn'I need Ic prcmcIe Ihem, we |usI
wanI Ic kncw I Ihey're any gccd.
Ges ncw dgs dcwn nIc Ihe basc characIersIcs cI
Ihe cb|ecI aI hand.
When was I made
Every 5pme Wranger wanIs Ic kncw abcuI when. Fcr
Ihe '''|, I's a abcuI Imescaes.
WhaI are Ihe IuncIcna prncpes
Are WE engneers Nc, WE can'I a be. BuI scme cI us
are. And Ihe resI can hep Ind Ihe manuas. 1hen Ihere's
Ihe hep desk. Gccge s aready a much beIIer hep desk
Ihan mcsI purpcrIed hep desks suppcrIed by ccmpa
nes. WE're a vasI user's grcup. WE can Irack a Ihe mcsI
IrequenIy asked quesIcns. WE may ncI kncw hcw Ihese
cb|ecIs [suppcsedy) IuncIcn, buI WE kncw penIy abcuI
Ihe endess sIrugges cI pecpe Iryng Ic make Ihese
cb|ecIs perIcrm n rea Ie.
HOW DOE5 1Hl5 OB1EC1
OBEY GOVERNMEN1 REGLA1lON5,
AND 1HE DlC1A1E5
OF 51ANDARD5 COMMl11EE5
[ 116 j
~.s- s-- --
[ 117 j
~.-. -.-.
Pece cI cake Ic Ind IhaI cuI. lI's a pubc dcman. WIh
any knd cI uck, n a '''| wcrd, gcvernmenI dkIaIs
are buI rghI nIc Ihe devce specs. As Icr sIandards
ccmmIIees, Ihey're ccmmcny manned by greybeards,
pundIs, prcIesscrs, reIrees and mnuIae IreakspreIIy
much exacIy Ihe knd cI pecpe IhaI we are, curseves.
A sIandards ccmmIIee ccks and acIs a cI mcre ke us
Ihan I's ever gcng Ic cck ke a reIaer cr a manuIac
Iurer.
WHA1 DOE5 l1 1AKE 1O MAKE l1 WORK
HOW MCH ENERGY,
HOW MANY RE5ORCE5
WE've gcI senscrs. WE can measure a IhaI Icr curseves.
And WE wcn'I be much surprsed I cur reawcrd esI
maIes dIIer wdy Ircm Ihe cams cI Ihe manuIacIurer
and reIaer. 1haI's cne gccd reascn why pcIenIa buy
ers cI Ihese cb|ecIs wcud wanI Ic ccnsuI wIh us, raIher
Ihan Ihem.
l5 l1 5AFE
Ncbcdy ever kncws whaI saIeIy reay means, buI Ihere
s rccm apenIy Icr vvd pubc Wrangng n Ihe Iurgd
wcrds cI rsk assessmenI and Fear ncerIanIy and
DcubI. One Ihng s Icr sureIhere s scarcey a ccmmer
ca enIIy n Ihe wcrd wIh any spark cI credbIy when
I ccmes Ic assessng Ihe saIeIy cI Is cwn prcducIs. As
Icr gcvernmenI reguaIcry agences, Ihey are ncIcrcusy
sub|ecI Ic reguaIcry capIure by Ihe weaIhy ccmmer
ca enIIes Ihey suppcsedy gcvern.
BuI Ihe capIurers can'I capIure a Ihe agences a Ihe
Ime, and WE w make I cur busness Ic ccaIe Ihe cuI
puI cI agences IhaI aren'I ccrrupIed. GcvernmenIs wcn'I
dc IhaI wcrk cI assessng Iher cwn reguaIcry perIcr
mance, because gcvernmenIs are Iar Icc |eacus cI Iher
cwn credbIybuI WE w.
WE ccud geI a cI cI heaIhy pubc aIIenIcn |usI by
gcng Ic every naIcna gcvernmenI and ccnsumersaIeIy
crg n Ihe wcrd and summarzng Iher saIeIy assess
menIs, grcuped under a snge headng. Ihe denIIy cI
Ihe cb|ecI n quesIcn. 1hen ycu puI IhaI cn a handhed
screen beIween Ihe purchaser and Ihe cb|ecI cn Ihe sheI.
Whc's gcng Ic pay us Ic dc a IhaI wcrk 1haI's key ncI
Ihe shrewd quesIcn Ic ask. A shrewder quesIcn s. whc's
payng us ncI Ic
WHA1'5 l15 CAPACl1Y
HOW MCH CAN l1 DO
1he manuIacIurers and seers cI a prcducI are surprs
ngy unkey Ic kncw Ihs. 1haI's because Ihey desgned
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and scd Ihe cb|ecI Icr a specIc seI cI purpcses IhaI
Ihey Ihemseves had n mnd. WE kncw beIIer, because
WE are n nImaIe Icuch wIh Ihe bggesI cIaku crank
hcIrcd Ians cI crazy pcsIccnsumer aIeraIcn, Ihe ccsI
snccb|ecI IanaIcs whc are usng Ihe cb|ecI under
crcumsIances never crgnay nIended. Ycu wanI Ic
kncw whaI IhaI Ihng can dc when ycu sIrp I dcwn, scup
I up, and puI I cn Ihe sIreeI Ask us!
WHA1 ABO1 HYGlENE
Hygene s a sub|ecI never prcpery addressed under
Ihe prevcus Iechncscca regme. 1he 20Ih cenIury's
gncrance n Ihs regard rvaed Ihe 1BIh cenIury's
naveIe abcuI germs. 5c eI's Iak Icr a mnuIe abcuI, Icr
nsIance, shces. Dd ycu ever ncIce IhaI Ihe sces cI run
nng shces are made cI heavyduIy, hghperIcrmance
pasIcs 1haI's gccd, rghI Because ycu wanI Ic run n
Ihcse cb|ecIs, repeaIedy pcundng Ihem agansI hard
surIaces wIh Ihe Iu Ihuddng weghI cI ycur bcdy.
BuI when ycu dc run [cr even |usI kncck arcund Ihe
hcuse n ycur shces and IracksuI, preIendng Ic be aIh
eIc), whaI happens Ic Ihe sces cI Ihcse shces 1hey
wear away. 1hey abrade Ircm Ihe burdens cI ycur weghI
and surIace IrcIcn. 1her sces IransmuIe nIc mcrc
sccpc parIces cI hghperIcrmance pasIc. And pa,
ycu are brcotnng Ihcse parIces. lI's ncI as I ycu I up
IhaI runnngshce ke a cgareIIe and saI and smcked
IbuI, we, I s raIher ke IhaI, acIuay. lI's |usI scwcr.
Ycu wanI Ic kncw where Ihcse parIces gc nsde ycur
bcdy, and whaI IhaI prccess dces Ic ycu. lI sn'I preIIy.
BuI WE can expan IhaI Ic ycu. We Icck Ihe Ircube Ic
Ind IhaI cuI.
1hrcugh ccmpng daIa Ircm hundreds cI prevcus
medca sIudes, WE are abe Ic shcw sIrcng ccrrea
Icns beIween varcus pcuIanIs and asIhma, IesIcuar
aIrcphy, cerebra pasy, kdney dsease, hearI dsease,
hyperIenscn, dabeIes, dermaIIs, brcnchIs, hyper
acIvIy, deaIness, sperm damage and Azhemer's and
Parknscn's dseases. We can IesI cur cwn bccd Icr var
cus pcuIanI cads and add IhaI up cn maps. Why ncI |cn
n and have a cck Ycu gve a IIe, ycu earn a cI.
WhaI can happen Ic ycu and ycur shcewearng bcdy
when a cad cI IhaI byprcducI buds up nsde ycur sys
Iem 5nce nhang abraded shces was never beIcre
deIned as a medca syndrcme, WE and cur crg are Ihe
wcrd eaders n expcrng IhaI phencmencn. Ycu' wanI
Ic Iak perscnay Ic Ihe guys and gas whc experenced
IhaI remarkabe sIuaIcn. 1hey're n cur medca sup
pcrI grcup. 1hem, and Iher physcans and awyers.
HOW DO YO MAlN1AlN l1
AND 5ERVlCE l1
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Dd ycu ever ncIce hcw many bccks Ihere are Icr sae
abcuI pcpuar cb|ecIs, bccks ke Tnc lssng lonuo cr
Tnc Rcpor lonuo jcr tnc Ccmpcot ldct Dd ycu ever
wcnder why ccmpanes are sc bad abcuI wrIng pcpu
ar bccks abcuI Ihe cb|ecIs Ihey presumaby kncw besI
We, Ihere are Ihree reascns why Iher bccks and manu
as are cusy. FrsI, a Iher pubc dccumenIs are veIIed
Ihrcugh a PR deparImenI, sc Ihey are bascay prcmc
Icna Iems. 5eccnd, Ihey dcn'I care much abcuI ycu cr
whaI happens Ic ycu, aIIer Ihey Iake ycur mcney.
And Ihrd and mcsI crucay, Ihey dcn'I kncw very much
abcuI Iher cwn sIuII. Why Because kncwng abcuI Iher
sIuII s ncI Iher reascn Icr beng. 1hey are a ccmmerca
enIerprse. 5c Ihey are Iryng Ic be a ean, mean, bus
nesske busness, makng and manIanng Ihese cb|ecIs
wIh as Iew pad empcyees as pcssbe, sc as Ic prcduce
a hgh ROl Icr nvesIcrs and a bg cuIpuIcIvaue per
empcyee.
Ncbcdy pays ccmmerca enIerprses Ic Iuy under
sIand whaI Ihey're dcng. 1haI's ncI Iher meIrc.
WE, by ccnIrasI, kncw a cI abcuI Iher cb|ecIs. 1haI
gap n experIse s IradIcna. 1haI gap s Ihe cny rea
scn IhaI desgners ever exsIed. Desgners kncw mcre
abcuI cb|ecIs Ihan Ihe pecpe whc are makng mcney
Ircm Ihem. 1haI's because desgners aren'I requred
Ic pay eabcraIe aIIenIcn Ic sharehcders and saes.
Desgners pay aIIenIcn Ic Ihngs. 1hey pay an nIense,
W|e 0|||ss sIye cI aIIenIcn.
HOW LONG DOE5 1HE PRODC1 LA51
An abscuIey crIca ssue Icr Ihe '''| Wranger. lI we
were W|e 0|||ss, Ihs wcud have been Ihe IrsI quesIcn
we asked! WE ke Ic gc rghI cuI Ic dumps, dsnIer dead
exampes cI Ihe prcducI, dccumenI Ihem wIh necrcIc
IascnaIcn, and puI Ihe mages rghI cn Ihe Web sIe.
WE're Iranky IascnaIed by Ihe ways n whch Ihey decay.
WE can asc shne 'em up, Ix 'em, puI 'em cn eBay, and
make a mnI. WE cerIany kncw a greaI dea mcre abcuI
obondcncd cb|ecIs Ihan any ccmmerca Irm. Whenever
a ccmpany des, WE |usI subsume I.
WHA1 ARE 1HE 5E5 AND LlMl1A1lON5'
1he 5IreeI Fnds lIs Own ses Icr 1hngs. And Ihe NeI
Ihe NeI s ke a Ihe sIreeIs aI cnce, pcurng Iher IraIIc
IcgeIher.
WHA1 ABO1 PA1EN15
AND RlGH15 PRO1EC1lON5
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Keepng up wIh nIeecIua prcperIy hasses s a Iu
Ime |cb. McsI every ccmpex cb|ecI IhaI ccmes cII Ihe
chuIe s Iu cI scme knd cI wcked barbedwre snag,
hdden n Ihere by scme MBA whc geIs I abcuI ccn
sumer cckn.
BuI we're ncI Ccnsumers. We're Wrangers.
5hrnkwrap censes. Whc reads Ihcse
Dscamer ncIces. Whc bcIhers wIh Ihcse
WE dc. Because we're pecpe whc've aready been cru
ey naed by shrnkwrap censes and dscamer ncIces.
Pecpe ccme Ic us |usI because WE've numbered and
ccunIed a Ihcse mcuseIraps. WE Wrange Ihem Icr ycu.
Ycu can hep. 1he beIIer Ihey geI aI hurIng ycu wIh a
Ihs surrepIIcus lP warIare, Ihe mcre ycu need Ic Iak
Ic us.
WHA1 ARE 1HE PRODC1'5 MA1ERlAL5
ls I Iabbabe lI I's Iabbabe, Ihen we're prcbaby Iab
bng I aready. lI I's ncI Iabbabe, ycu' wanI Ic Iak Ic
Ihe guys whc are wng Ic make I Iabbabe. Ycu're gcng
Ic cve cur '''| Wranger FabbabIy guys. 1hey are
IanaIcs, vscnares, Ihe very dea enchanIs Ihem. 1hey
spend mcsI cI Iher Ime Iryng Ic make Iabs IhaI are
Iabbabe.
WHA1 ARE 1HE ME1HOD5
OF CON51RC1lON
WE've gcI cur guys whc Iak bcmmcry, WE've gcI cur
guys whc Iak rccmIemperaIure auIcassemby, buI...
Okay, Ihs may scund radca, buI eI's cuI Ic Ihe chase
here. 1here's cny cne nIeresIng, mpcrIanI meIhcd cI
ccnsIrucIcn. Iabbng. lI ycu sI Ihnk cIherwse, ycu
wanI Ic Iak Ic cur guys whc can Iab sIuII cuI cI arIIca
damcnd. Domcnd, carbcn aIcms nancassembed nIc
damcnd, rghI cuI cI Ihe whIehcI vapcrdepcsIcn
IabspcuI. lI damcnd sn'I durabe encugh Icr ycu, ycu're
n Ihe wrcng unverse.
WHA1 ABO1 PACKAGlNG
WE ke Irackabe packagng n a neIwcrk. lI I's Icc dumb
Ic kncw where I s and whaI Ime I s, we dcn'I even ca
IhaI a package.
McsI cI IradIcna packagng desgn was abcuI Ihe
Irm esIabshmenI cI whaI Ihey used Ic ca brandng.
We Wrangers dcn'I need Ic be Icd abcuI brandng by
Ihe paper surIace cI scme package. WhaI knd cI ame
cusIcmerreaIcns managemenI s IhaI We |usI wave a
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'''| wand aI Ihe package, and a '''| managemenI
dashbcard pcps up cn Ihe handhed wand screen, nked
Ic gcba daIabases ke a mcbe phcne. Brand tnot, Iea.
lI ycu're ncI n charge cI whaI's happenng Ihere, I may
we be IhaI ycur wcrsI ccmpeIIcr s.
WhaI s a brand lI's a mark seared nIc Ihe surIace
cI scmeIhng. ls IhaI Ihe besI ycu can dc n Ihe way cI
esIabshng a reaIcnshp beIween us
WHA1 ABO1 51ORAGE
WE're IcIay nIc nvenIcry managemenI. lnvenIcry man
agemenI s cur very reascn Icr beng.
Ycu kncw whaI Ihe rea sIcry cI sIcrage s Where's
Ihe pace where manuIacIured cb|ecIs spend Ihe vasI
ma|crIy cI Iher Ime cn paneI EarIh lI's Ihe dump. 1he
|unkyard. Ycu never gc Ihere, buI WE aways dc. WE' be
Ihere waIng. 1he Ihngs Icssed cII Ihe Iruck geI Icrn Ic
shreds and reverseengneered.
WHA1 l5 1HE EXl51lNG 5ALE5 Pl1CH
lI ycu gve Ihe kes cI us a saes pIch, WE' cck aI I
ke ycu cIIered us a handhammered InI rcck. 1here's
ncIhng ycu can Ie us n a saes pIch IhaI WE can'I
reIuIe wIh a search engne n Ive seccnds IaI.
Whenever ycu ccn a |nge, cr Irademark a scgan, and
WE puI Ihcse wcrds nIc any lnIerneI search engne, I's
amcsI mmedaIey gcng Ic ead us sIraghI Ic ycur
wcrsI enemes. 1hcse enemes wcn'I be Ihe IrsI cn Ihe
sIycu' be Ihe IrsI, because ycu spenI sc many m
cns makng Ihcse wcrds nIc pcpuar Iagnes. BuI
Ihey're asc a gcden rcad Ic pubcIy Icr anycne whc s
parIcuary deIermned Ic hurI ycu. 1hey can aggcmer
aIe Ihe same IraIIc, IhaI ycu buI up aI such ccsI.
WHA1 ARE 1HE MEAN5
OF Dl51RlB1lON
Ycu dsIrbuIe Ihe Iab daIa, Ihen Iab I cn Ihe spcI. 1haI's
Ihe Wranger's IavcrIe meIhcd, cI ccurse. 1here are
scme nIeresIng dsIrbuIcn aIernaIves. Fcr nsIance,
ycu can eave a '''| cn Ihe sde cI Ihe rcad and eI
I cIIer Ien bucks Ic any passerby whc can Icrward I
Icward New Ycrk. Ycur resuIs may vary.
WHA1 ABO1 PRlCE AND VALE
Ncw Ihs s a Iruy IascnaIng Icpc. As '''| Wrangers,
we're keeny aware IhaI a deep engagemenI wIh denIIy
can cause cder prcng sysIems Ic crumbe n unpredcI
abe, ncnnear ways. Fcr nsIance, magne a wcrd where
every ccecIbe appears n an ssue cI cne.
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WHA1 ABO1 1RADE Dl5CON15
WE orc Ihe Irade! Whc pays reIa Ccme cn, WE're a
nsders ncw.
WHA1 l5 1HE VOLME OF 5ALE5
lI's ncI abcuI hcw many Iems |umped cII Ihe sheI Ihs
quarIer. lI's abcuI hcw many cb|ecIs Ihere are n crcu
aIcn, and whaI's beng dcne wIh Ihem. 1he vcume cI
saes s Irva, I's devecpmenIs wIhn Ihe nsIaed
base IhaI Ie us hcw many new cnes may be needed cr
wanIed.
WHA1 l5 1HE lDEN1l1Y
OF 1HE PRCHA5ER
1here are nc purchasers. 1here are cny Wrangers.
Whc cares abcuI Ihe purchaser lI Ihe purchaser's ncI
n Ihe Wrangng game, Ihe purchaser s ke a chd. Ycu
wanI Ic kncw Ihe denIIy cI Ihe eary adapIers, apha
geeks and sIakehcders, cn cIher wcrds, a Ihe pecpe
whc mcsI wanI Ic kncw abcuI ycu. 1here are Ihe pecpe
ycu wanI Ic kncw abcuI, ncI Ihe purchasers. GeI Ihese
pecpe wcrkng n a drecIcn ycu can everage, and ycu
can IcrgeI abcuI mere purchasersIhey' shcw up as
sure as emmngs pcur nIc Ihe sea.
WHA1'5 1HE lDEN1l1Y OF 1HE 5ER
lI's gccd IhaI 0|||ss makes a dsIncIcn beIween pur
chaser and user, buI we Wrangers wcud ke Ic have
scme ccherenI deas abcuI Ihe demcgraphcs cI every
cne whc nIeracIs wIh '''| n any way whaIscever.
We're ncI a IhaI nIeresIed n pgecnhcng pecpe nsde
demcgraphcswhaI nIeresIs us mcsI s when pecpe
tronst ocrcss demcgraphcs. A rura IundamenIasI whc
scmehcw mcves Ic a Icregn ccunIry, Irpes her nccme
and s ncw a reIned nIernaIcna dpcmaIshe scunds
ke scmecne we mghI wanI Ic Iak Ic.
WHA1 DOE5 l1 LOOK LlKE
1usI as n Ihe days cI kseas1 Laso, I's sI mpcrIanI Ic
make a peasng vsua expresscn wIh a prcducI. Beng
Wrangers, we wanI Ic kncw whaI Ihe Ihng ccks ke aI
every sIage cI Is Iecyce, ncI |usI when I's Iresh Ircm
Is shrnkwrap and sIyrcIcam bccks.
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WHA1 DOE5 l1 FEEL LlKE
Yed Ic Ihe handscn mperaIve!
AIIer askng Ihese quesIcns, 0|||ss Ies us whaI Ic dc
wIh Ihe answers.
CcaIe Ihe pcsIve and negaIve aspecIs
cI Ihe prcducIs sIuded, and ccmpare
Ihem n crder Ic draw ccncuscns wIh whch
Ic IcrmuaIe gudenes Icr Ihe new
prcducI, whch shcud pcssess as many cI Ihe
pcsIve characIersIcs as pcssbe
and as Iew cI Ihe negaIve cnes as pcssbe.
5c IhaI's I, rghI Ihere. 1haI's Ihe crux cI shapng a new
Ihng IhaI's raIher ke Ihe cder verscns, excepI beIIer.
NcI much Ic IhaI, eh 5cunds ke anybcdy ccud dc I!
5nce l've ncw Inshed paraphrasng Ihe wcrk cI Iamcus
desgner W|e 0|||ss, l' Icss n ancIher creaIve secreI, Icr
Iree. hcw Ic beccme a Iamcus guIarsI!
Ycu puI ycur Ingers Irmy cn Ihe IreI bcard,
and Ihen mcve ycur cIher Ingers up
and dcwn cn Ihe sIrngs!
5c nc, I's ncI IhaI easy. Desgn s hard Ic dc. Desgn s
ncI arI. BuI desgn has scme cI Ihe requremenIs cI arI.
1he achevemenI cI greaIness n arI cr desgn requres
passcnaIe vrIucsIy. VlRTUU5lTY means Ihcrcugh
masIery cI craII. PA55lUN s requred Ic Iccus human
eIIcrI Ic a eve IhaI Iranscends Ihe ncrm. 5cme gu
IarsIs have passcn, especay ycung cnes. 5cme have
vrIucsIy, especay cd cnes. 5cme Iew have bcIh aI
cnce, and durng scme mcrIa wndcw cI superb acheve
menI, Ihey are greaI guIarsIs.
1he vasI ma|crIy cI pecpe whc pay Ihe guIar dc I Ic
amuse Ihemseves and maybe Iew Irends. 1hese pecpe
are asc Ihe ccre cI Ihe audence Icr greaI guIarsIs,
because, aIhcugh Ihey w never be greaI, Ihey kncw
whaI passcnaIe vrIucsIy scunds ke. 1hey are ccgnc
scenI, and wIhcuI Ihem, ycu may have genus, buI ycu
have nc scene.
1hen Ihere are Icrms cI musc beIIer handed by
masses cI pecpe Icrmay crganzed n crchesIras. Or s
IhaI sc WhaI I Ihe prncpes cI crganzaIcn are beng
IransIcrmed WhaI l eecIrcncze Ihe scunds cI mus
ca nsIrumenIs nIc samped bIs, ccmbnng IhaI scnc
prcducI wIh new meIhcds cI assemby and dsIrbuIcn
Dces IhaI eIIcrI, make any sense aI a lI I dces, Ihen
hcw IasI w IhaI ccmpcsI Ihe cd meIhcd ln whaI areas
IrsI, n whaI subcuIures, n whaI appcaIcns Where s
Ihe Lne cI Nc ReIurn Where s Ihe Lne cI Empre
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PA55lUN and VlRTUU5lTY dcn'I vansh, buI Ihey may
we manIesI Ihemseves n sIrucIures IhaI were prev
cusy nccncevabe. nI Ihe 1920s, ndusIra desgn
dd ncI exsI as a prcIesscn.
LeI's magne IhaI an enIerprse such as Amazcn.
crg ccmes Ic exsI. ls IhaI enIerprse gcng Ic desgn
Ihngs
l dcubI IhaI an crg w ever wn a desgn award. BuI
I cIIers Ihe pcIenIa Ic dc whaI mcdern ndusIra
desgners aways tok abcuI dcng, whch s desgnng Ihe
ndusIra sysIem IseI. lI's abcuI reshapng Ihe greaI
beasI Ircm sIarI Ic Insh. And cver agan. Over agan.
And cver agan. Makng new msIakes. Learnng Ircm a
Ihe cd cnes.
1cday's NeI s a ccndIcn ke Ihe eary days cI Ihe
hcrseess carrage, where Ihey used Ic shp Ihem wIh
a mcckup cI a wccden hcrse cn Ihe IrcnI, sc IhaI cars
wcudn'I panc Ihe hcrses sI n Ihe sIreeI. lI's n Ihe sexy
buI vaguey absurd mcde cI kseas1 Laso's sIreamned
pencsharpener, a percd arIIacI IhaI was mccked by
Nss: :slsss. Laso had spped a seek, handscme mcnc
ccque she cver Ihe penc sharpener, buI nsde, bcIh he
and :slsss knew IhaI I sI had Ihe same cd grndng
mechanca guIs.
1he Web s a ayer cI veneer cver 20Ih cenIury ndusIr
asm. lI's sI a Ihn crspy ayer, ke andcrd panI. lI's a
varnsh cn barbarsm.
1he heaI s cn. 1he varnsh s crackng as Ihe barbarsm
grcws mcre cbvcus, harder Ic bear.
1he 20Ih cenIury's ndusIra nIrasIrucIure has run
cuI cI Ime. lI can'I gc cn, I's anIquaIed, dangercus and
ncI susIanabe. lI's based cn a InIe amcunI cI ce n cur
ce caps, cI ar n cur aImcsphere, cI Iree rccm Icr hgh
ways and Iransmsscn nes, cI rccm n Ihe dumps, and cI
ccmbusIbe IIh undergrcund. 1hs s a gaIherng crss
gccmy manIesIng IseI n Ihe ream cI bad weaIher
and rescurce warIare. lI s Ihe egacy we receved Ircm
wcrdshapng ndusIra IIans such as 1hcmas Edscn,
and Henry Fcrd, and 1chn D. RcckeIeerbascay, Ihe
Ihree 20Ih cenIury guys whc gcI us nIc Ihe Greenhcuse
EIIecI.
lI's nc use cur sIarIng Ircm Ihe Icp by deccgcay
reeducaIng Ihe Ccnsumer Ic beccme scme bzarre
knd cI rgd, harshrI Green. 1hs means reIurnng Ic
Ihe benghIed sIaIus cI Farmers wIh 7/.{-./.. End
sers w aways egay and pcIcay evade any eIIcrI
Ic reduce Ihem Ic Ihe sIaIus cI Ccnsumers, and even
Ccnsumers w sIcuIy reIuse Ic beccme CusIcmers cr
Farmers, Ihey kncw IhaI any such eIIcrI cI represscn s
Ihe paIh cI Ihe Khmer Rcuge and Ihe 1aban.
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1HE ONLY 5ANE WAY O1 OF A 1ECHNO5OClE1Y
l5 1HROGH l1, lN1O A NEWER ONE
1HA1 KNOW5 EVERY1HlNG 1HE OLDER ONE KNEW,
AND KNOW5 ENOGH NEW 1HlNG5
1O DAZZLE AND DOMlNA1E 1HE DENlZEN5
OF 1HE OLDER ORDER. 1HA1 MEAN5 REVOL1lONlZ
lNG 1HE lN1ERPLAY OF HMAN AND OB1EC1.
l1 MEAN5 BRlNGlNG MORE A11EN1lON
AND ANALY5l5 1O BEAR ON OB1EC15
1HAN 1HEY HAVE NDERGONE.
l1 AL5O MEAN5 ENGAGlNG
Wl1H 1HE HMAN BODY AND l15 AFFORDANCE5,
Wl1H OR HEAL1H AND OR EA5E
AND OR COMFOR1,
Wl1H OR WORKlNG ENVlRONMEN1,
OR HOME ENVlRONMEN1,
Wl1H OR LNG5, AND OR 5KlN,
AND OR BONE5.
1
T0M0RR0W'5
T0M0RR0W
Lcck hard aI Ihe pecpe whc use Ihe lnIerneI mcsI cIIen.
Ycu'd Ihnk Ihese Endsers wcud be preIIy Iar remcved
Ircm Ihe grm exgences cI manua abcr, aIIer a, I's
ncI ke Ihey are cca mners.
We dcn'I need Ic wax a sIerecIypca here, dcubIess
Ihere are ccamners wcrkng Icday whcse creamy skn
s spcIess and whcse har s a crsp bcuIIanI. BuI, we,
hang cuI wIh rea hackers, scmeIme. l dc IhaI. l dc a
whce cI cI I, because Ihey are nIeresIng. 1hese mas
Iers cI Ihe dgIa unverse, Ihe heavyduIy prcgrammers
whc bud and manIan Ihe lnIerneI, Ihey are ccmmcny
pcrIy guys wIh wrsI suppcrIs, Ihck gasses and mdIe
hearI aIIacks.
1hey weren'I bcrn IhaI way. 1hey ddn'I geI IhaI way by
accdenI, eIher. 1hey gcI IhaI way by chrcnc, repeaIed
abuse. 1haI's ncI a dgIa prcbem, IhaI's a physca
prcbem. lI's sI abcuI an ndusIra sysIem IhaI cru
ey sacrIces human Iesh Icr Ihe sake cI dysIuncIcna
machnery. 1hey sI, Iype and sIare n screens. A day,
every day. lI ends up hurIng Ihem. lI hurIs Ihem n ways
[ 133 j
IhaI are scw encugh and subIe encugh Ic sIea up cn
Ihem.
1he sIep aIIer Ihe '''| WrangerIcmcrrcw's
Icmcrrcws neIher an cb|ecI ncr a perscn. lI's a iof,
whch we can deIne as an enIIy whch s bcIh cb|ecI and
perscn.
A iof wcud be Ihe cgca nIermeshng, Ihe burrng cI
Ihe bcundary beIween Wranger and '''|. 1hs s hap
penng ncw, buI we can'I perceve and measure I.
1cday, every human beng, everyIhng IhaI breaIhes,
carres a cad cI ndusIra eIIuenI. 1he ndusIra and
naIura wcrds have nIeracIed cng encugh and pcwer
Iuy encugh Ic beccme a knd cI paneIary IrcIh. 1rees
and grass have been abscrbng smckesIack spew Icr
Iwc cenIures, deIrIus, IerIzers and pesIcdes have
washed cII Ihe ccnInenIs and been Ihcrcughy churned
nIc Ihe seas. 1he human bcdy breaIhes, eaIs, drnks,
excreIes, assembng Icws cI maIera and energy, and
snce a human bcdy ves n a IrcIh cI mcrcsccpc rub
bsh, pecpe are ncreasngy ccmpcsed cI eIIuenI.
A human bcdy can be undersIccd as a spcnge cI warm
saIwaIer wIhn a she cI skn, sc everyIhng we emI
ends up parIay wIhn curseves.
5cme arIIca subsIances are bcaccumuaIve, cur
meIabcsms preIerenIay suck Ihem cuI cI Ihe bc
sphere and Iry Ic make sIrucIure cuI cI Ihem. 1hese
prccesses are nvcunIary and Iake pace beneaIh cur
awareness.
A iof s scmebcdy whc kncws abcuI Ihs and can dea
wIh Ihe ccnsequences. He's n a pcsIcn Ic mcrcmanage
and desgn Ihe prccesses IhaI shape hs cwn anaIcmy.
1he Iechnques IhaI w acw ndvduas and grcups Ic
dc Ihs cheapy, eIIecIvey and as a maIIer cI ccurse are
severa decades away.
Hcw Iar away LeI's hazard a guess.
lI Ihe Ccnsumer/::v:":1 epcch asIed Ircm Wcrd
War ll Ic 19B9, and Ihe Endser/cizHo epcch Ircm
19B9 I 2030 cr sc [ancIher IcrIy years), and I Ihe
Wranger/'''| epcch managed abcuI Ihe same Ime
span, Ihen Ihe advenI cI Ihe iof wcud arrve arcund
Ihe year 20/0. l wcud guess IhaI 20/0 s a reascnabe
daIe Icr a sIuaIcn n whch human bcchemsIry s we
encugh undersIccd Ic beccme a medcandusIra
ccmpex. ln a iof wcrd, Ihe eadng ndusIres are ncI
7/.{-./., , ::v:":1., cizHo: cr '''|,
buI Iechnccges Icr shapng human bengs. 1he pecpe
whc dc Ihs are bcIh Ihe shaper and Ihe Ihng shaped, Ihe
user and Ihe Icc n cne.
1he drvng Iechnccges cI a iof IechncscceIy wcud
be cyberneIcs, bcIechnccgy, and ccgnIcn. We're we
nIc Ihe IrsI cne, sIruggng Ic make sense cI Ihe seccnd,
whe Ihe Ihrd remans an unkncwn wcrd.
1he IuIure ccmbnaIcn cI Ihe cyberneIcs and bc
Iechnccgy suggesI a IechncscceIy where cb|ecIs are
IabrcaIed by bccgca meIhcdsncI grcwn, neces
sary, buI prcduced Ihrcugh redesgnng and expcIng
[ 135 j
s-- .-.-s --
[ 134 j
- - ---s .s
Ihe bcchemca prccesses by whch vng Issues grcw.
Lvng Issues have many ndusIra advanIages. 1hey
grcw aI rccm IemperaIure, Ihey can use scar pcwer,
Iher prcducIs and eIIuenIs are mcsIy ccmpcsIabe,
Ihey scae raIher easy, and, bascay, we human bengs
geI buI IhaI way curseves. 1hs means IhaI anyIhng
we earn abcuI IhaI ndusIry can handy dcube as med
cne.
Hcwever, vng Issue grcws scwy by Ihe sIandards cI
mechanca ndusIry. We humans ccud aways sharpen a
new rcck a cI IasIer Ihan a Iger ccud grcw a new Iang.
lI ycu wanI IasI, buk ndusIra acIcn n bcchemsIry,
ycu have Ic gc mcrcsccpc. Prcducng ndusIra maIe
ra, Ihrcugh bccgca meIhcds, n buk, means usng
mcrcbes. Mcrcbes can dcube Iher vcume and number
n mnuIes. Mcrcbes gave us c, gas, and Ihe WhIe CIIs
cI Dcver. Pus, mcrcbes ve cn us. Human bengs are a
vasI paygrcund Icr mcrcbes. 1her msbehavcr ks us
n arge numbers. We need Ic undersIand Ihem n crder
Ic beIIer undersIand curseves.
Humans begn as mcrcbes. lI ycu wanI Ic Ie cur cwn
hsIcry Ihe way we wcud Ie Ihe hsIcry cI a '''|,
Ihen we begn as IerIzed eggs, ncI as babes wIh a
name. BrIh s when we geI cur denIIy. 1here are nne
mcnIhs cI wcrk beIcre brIh.
Fcr a iof, manuIacIurng and meIabcsm are Ihe
same Ied cI sIudy. ndersIandng meIabcsm means
undersIandng Ihe acIcn cI hcrmcnes, neurcchemcas,
DNA, agences cperaIng aI mcrcsccpc scae wIh raw
maIeras presenI nsde as aI a Iew parIs per bcn. 1hs
mpes an abIy Ic Irack and Irace IhaI s vasI ndeed. A
BcI wcud Irace Ihe hsIcry cI Iraces.
1he uImaIe ccnsumer Iem s Ihe Ccnsumer. 1here
s nc meIahsIcry we Ind mcre uIIery ccmpeng Ihan
cur perscna meIahsIcry. 1he wcrd has many Icrms
cI reward and graIIcaIcn, buI beng ave and heaIhy
underwrIes a Ihe resI cI Ihem.
A iof wcud undersIand and manage Ihe vng prc
cesses gcng cn wIhn herseI. lI she can reay dc Ihs,
Ihen Ihe prevcus human IechncscceIes ccmpcsI
qucky, Ihe rues have changed as never beIcre, Icr age
cd mIs cI Ihe human ccndIcn have been cverccme.
LmIs are crcssed, Ihe Lne cI Nc ReIurn, Ihe Lne cI
Empre.
As a iof ycu canncI gc back, Icr ycu had aready cuI
ved any human Iespan, ycu canncI be cverIhrcwn
by Ihe prevcus crder, because ycur new capacIes are
smpy Icc greaI Icr reacIcnares Ic ccmbaI. Ycu are nc
cnger human. NcI IhaI Ihs eIs ycu cII Ihe hcck n any
way, ycu have a wde vareIy cI nIeresIng, chaengng
prcbems. lI's |usI IhaI ncne cI Ihcse are human cnes.
1he human ccndIcn sn'I abcshed cvernghI, I sn'I
cbIeraIed. lI s ccmpcsIed. lI ycu're ncI aIrad Ic waIch
such Ihngs, buI I ycu sI and waIch wIh paIence and
an nqurng sprI, kncwng whaI ycu are cckng Icr, Ihen
ycu w see Ihem meI away nIc ar.
[ 136 j
.-.-. --.s
[ 137 j
~s
[ 138 j [ 139 j
.~ s -..
1'
UL0PlA 0R 0TlVl0N
Vscnary IuIursIs have a remarkabe qurk. 1hey Iend Ic
enIcrce Ihe gravIy cI Iher prcpheces by asserIng IhaI
Ihey w ccme Iruecr ese. 1he sIakes ccud ncI be any
hgher [sc Ihey w Ie ycu). lI's Icpa, cr Obvcnmg
wog tc juturtg, cr tnc nondboskct tc nc'
l Iranky care ncIhng Icr Icpa cr Obvcn. lI my
cng rcmance wIh IuIursm has IaughI me anyIhng, I's
IhaI neIher cI Ihese Ierms has any meanng. 1hey are
mere verba gasps cI nIeecIua exhausIcn. 1hey mean
cny IhaI Ihe IuIursI has exhausIed hs perscna abIy
Ic ccnIrcnI Ihe passage cI Ime.
EIher everyIhng s arranged n a permanenI sysIem cI
whch he apprcvesIhaI's Icpa. Or ese every evenI
IhaI mghI be cI pcssbe nIeresI Ic hm can nc cnger
Iake pace, whch wcud be Obvcn.
1hese Iwc archeccgsms, Icpa and Obvcn, are
deInIey shcwng Iher age, and, ke Ihe wacky shb
bceIhs cI scme ancenI Iheccgy, Ihey are geIIng n
Ihe way cI cur abIy Ic creaIvey aIIecI Ihe ccurse cI
IuIure evenIs.
Nc scceIy s ever gcng Ic acheve perIecIcn Ihrcugh
an dea Iechncscca seIup IhaI acheves Is every wsh.
We can'I make everycne happy and ccnIenIed. We ccudn'I
make cne snge perscn happy n a Icpan sense, even I
we devcIed Ihe enIre prcducIve capacIy cI everycne
ave Ic Ihe Iask cI gvng IhaI snge perscn a Icpan
experence. lI can'I be dcne.
Pecpe can'I cuIguess Ihemseves Ihrcugh pannng.
1her needs, and desres, and wshes deIy predcIcn, Icr
Ihey are herarchca, ncnnear, Imebcund and nher
enIy ccnIcIed.
Herarchca. Pecpe requre ar, waIer, Iccd, seep, sex,
saIeIy, sIabIy, ccnssIency, scca accepIance, cama
radere, aIIenIcn, reccgnIcn, admraIcn, seIesIeem,
seIacIuazaIcn... Kck cne cI Ihe cwer rungs cuI, and
Ihe cnes abcve I a ccapse aI cnce, Ihey beccme rre
evanI. Pecpe's needs aren'I a checksI cr a resIauranI
menu, Ihey can'I be cuIguessed.
Ncnnear. I ycu need seep, ycu dcn'I need seep a
IIe, Ihen Iwce as bady, Ihen Ihree Imes, ycur need
Ic seep scars unccnIrcaby, beccmng ncnnegcIabe
and abscuIe. Once ycu've had encugh seep, ycu need Ic
wake up, ycu can'I sIay aseep even by a deIermned acI
cI w. Human experence s Iu cI wd needs ke Ihs,
unpredcIabe urges IhaI sprng up ke hurrcanes Ircm
a buIIerIy's sneeze. 1he wcrd rghI ncw has mcns cI
perIecIy ncrma, raIcna, wemeanng Iecw cIzens
whc are abscuIey dyng Icr a kss.
1mebcund. Icpa Icr a Ienyearcd wcud never
nvcve puberIy, she'd never Ihnk Ic ask Icr such a radca
[ 140 j
-s.s s
[ 141 j
-- -.
IransIcrmaIcn, and I Iuy nIcrmed abcuI Ihe Ircube
such a change was sure Ic cause her, she wcud surey be
appaed.
lnherenIy ccnIcIed. Pecpe aren'I perIecIy auIcnc
mcus ke pcshed ba bearngs. 1hey wanI Ic parIcpaIe
n a cve reaIcnshp, a Iamy, a can, a neghbcrhccd, a
cIy, ccunIy, sIaIe, naIcn and paneI, buI Ihe nIeresIs cI
Ihese enIIes dcn'I ccncde. We can'I be a Ihngs Ic a
pecpe a Ihe Ime.
A successIu human Iespan nvcves a Iecng
maneuver Ihrcugh a IransmuIng andscape cI herar
chca, ncnnear, Imebcund and nherenIy ccnIcIed
demands. lI's a hcmecsIaIc Iumbng wIh encugh Iex
bIy Ic acw eIIecIve acIcn, buI encugh ccnInuIy Ic
averI IerrIyng chacs. Oddy, we dcn'I have a Ierm Icr a
perscn cr a scceIy IhaI exces aI vng n Ihs sensbe,
everyday way.
Maybe we ccud ca IhaI
bcpa.
1hen Ihere s IhaI Ircubescme Ierm Obvcn. WhaI
ccud I mean LeI's assume Ihe 5un expcdes and
reduces Ihe EarIh Ic a cnder, annhaIng a kncwn Ie.
1haI's ceary a very severe sIuaIcn, and I's ncI baIanIy
mpcssbe, Icr a we kncw, I ccud happen Icmcrrcw
mcrnng. 5uppcse I dd. 1haI wcud creaIe cbvcn. BuI
whc wcud make a Iuss abcuI IhaI We'd be n Ihe sIua
Icn cI Ihe Iree IhaI Ie n Ihe IcresI wIh nc cne Ic hear.
Obvcn s unregreIIabe. We can dread I n advance,
buI cnce I's dcne, Ihere's ncIhng eII Ic be ccncerned
abcuI.
WhaI we reay cughI Ic Iear s ncI Obvcn buI rre
Irevabe decne. 1hs wcud be a grm sIuaIcn n whch
we a knew IhaI humanIy's besI days were behnd us,
and IhaI ncne cI cur eIIcrIs, hcwever branI cr sncere,
ccud redress Ihe msIakes humanknd had aready ccm
mIIed. Hcpe has ded wIhn us as a speces, cur hearIs
are brcken, anma vIaIy keeps us cn cur IeeI, buI Ihe
cny saIsIacIcn we have es n nIcIng harm cn cur
seves and cIhers. Despsed by curseves, we are an
acIve scurce cI ev Ic cIhers.
1hs sn'I Obvcn buI a genune, raIher ccmmcn way
cI Ie, vsI prscns and menIa asyums, and ycu' see
IhaI I's as rea as ccncreIe. 1hs msery s sc ccmprehen
sve, panIu and repugnanI IhaI I cughI Ic mcIvaIe us
Iar mcre pcwerIuy Ihan mere cbvcn ever ccud.
We mghI ca IhaI descaIe sIaIe cI muIaIcn,
OIvcn,
assumng IhaI we IeI IhaI we had Ic name I, scmehcw.
We need Ic undersIand whaI IhaI IhreaI s. Ihe kncw
edge IhaI Icmcrrcw w be ke Icday, cny cerIany
[ 142 j
.~ -s.s ~s
[ 143 j
-- - s
wcrse. Because we curseves are wcrse. we're ccabcra
Icrs n cur cwn ccrrupIcn. We need Ic undersIand IhaI
we reay dcn'I wanI Ic Ind curseves n a wcrd IhaI IIs
IhaI descrpIcn.
And n crder Ic avcd IhaI IaIe, we need Ic wcrk. We
need Ic Iear nIc Ihe wcrd cI arIIce n Ihe way IhaI cur
ancesIcrs Icre nIc Ihe naIura wcrd. We need Ic rp rccI
and branch nIc Ihe prevcus ndusIra base and renvenI
I, rebud I. Whe we have Ihe gccd IcrIune Ic be vng,
we shcud nvenI and appy ways cI Ie IhaI expand Ihe
cpIcns cI cur descendanIs raIher Ihan causng rrepa
rabe damage Ic Iher herIage.
1he Iechnccges n mcsI crIca need cI reIcrm are
Ihe bggesI cnes. 1hese are Ihe cnes IhaI have spread
Ihemseves IhrcughcuI Ihe Iechncscca Iabrc, nIc
ccmmerce, nIrasIrucIure, gcvernance and cuIure. 1hese
are Ihe Iechnccges IhaI Ihrcw Ihe mcsI weghI arcund.
1hey're ncI Ihe IancesI cnes, buI Ihe ccmmcn, smpe
cnes IhaI mcsI everybcdy s used Ic dcng.
We're vng aI Ihe Iagend cI Ihe lnIcrmaIcn Age. 1he
lnIcrmaIcn Age s Ihe successcr Ic Ihe 5pace Age, whch
was preceded by Ihe AIcmc Age, Ihe 1eI Age, Ihe Radc
Age, Ihe AvaIcn Age... 1he ccnsequences cI Ihcse sc
caed ages are sI here ncw. We |usI ccmpcsIed Ihem
under new eves cI Iechnccgca ncveIy. lI we sIcpped
nvenIng new Iechnccges Icday, IhaI nsIaed base cI
cder Iechnccges wcud ccnInue Ic IransIcrm us and cur
envrcnmenI. And we wcud key de cI Ihcse changes.
Because Ihcse Iechnccges are ncI susIanabe.
We need Ic undersIand Iechnccgy wIh a depIh cI
maIurIy IhaI manknd has never shcwn beIcre. We need
Ic sIcp Iussng cver mere decadecng Ages and rea
ze IhaI Ihere are cny Ihree basc knds cI Iechnccgy
Iruy wcrIhy cI cvzed use. Ncne cI Ihem are enIrey
pcssbe as yeI.
1
1he IrsI knd, and key Ihe mcsI sensbe cne, s Iech
nccgy IhaI can evenIuay rcI and gc away a by IseI.
lI's maIeras and prccesses are bcdegradabe, sc I's an
auIcrecycng Iechnccgy. 1he naIura envrcnmenI can
dc Ihs knd cI wcrk Icr IseI, whe asc prcducng ccm
pcaIed IcresIs, grassands and ccra reeIs, sc, scmeday,
an arIIca envrcnmenI cughI Ic be abe Ic bcmmeI
cay mmc IhaI achevemenI. 1hs dcesn'I mean merey
usng avaabe naIura maIeras IhaI we repurpcse
Ircm crcps cr wderness. lI means rccmIemperaIure
ndusIra assemby wIhcuI Icxns. We're many decades
away, maybe cenIures away, Ircm masIerng IeaIs cI
IhaI crder. lI's nc use sIIng cn cur hands abcuI I, buI
I's Icc dsIanI a prcspecI Ic be cI mmedaIe use.
2
1he seccnd knd cI Iechnccgy s mcnumenIa. 1hese
are arIIacIs deberaIey buI Ic cuIasI Ihe passage cI
Ime. 1hs s very hard Ic dc and much cveresImaIed.
[ 144 j
-~-- .-s s~-s
[ 145 j
~-
Many cb|ecIs we ccnsder Imeess mcnumenIs, such
as Ihe GreaI Pyramd and Ihe Rcman Cccsseum, are n
IacI runs. 1hey nc cnger serve Iher crgna purpcses.
a rcya Icmb and a ganI urban paygrcund, and Ihey nc
cnger cck remcIey ke Ihey dd when Iher crgna
buders Inay dusIed cII Iher hands and demanded
Iher pay. BuI aI easI Ihese mcnumenIs dcn'I crumbe
unpredcIaby, each nIc Ihe waIer Iabe and emI car
cncgens whe Ihey cIIgas. Ob|ecIs IhaI dc IhaI knd cI
mscheI, and c Ihey are hcrrby many, shcud ncI be
prcpery ccnsdered Iechnccgy aI aIhey are a Pcnz
scheme IhaI expcrIs Is ccsIs Ic cur descendanIs.
l dcubI we' ever bud a hcsI cI useIu cb|ecIs IhaI are
asc muIgeneraIcna herccms. 1hey wcudn'I burden
Ihe envrcnmenI much, buI Ihey wcudn'I meeI cur needs,
because cur needs are aways changng.
3
1he asI knd cI decenI Iechnccgy s Ihe knd l have Ired
Ic haIngy descrbe here. lI's a Iuy dccumenIed, Irack
abe, searchabe Iechnccgy. 1hs whrrng, uIrabuzzy
Iechnccgy can keep Irack cI a Is mcvng parIs and,
when Is Ime nevIaby ccmes, I wcud have Ihe grace
and pcwer Ic Iurn IseI n aI Ihe gaIes cI Ihe |unkyard
and suIIer IseI Ic be mndIuy pued aparI. lI's a Icy
bcx Icr nvenIve, meddescme humanknd IhaI can puI
Is cwn Icys neaIy and saIey away. 1haI's a vscnary
dea. lI may ncI be pcssbe, buI aI easI Ihe ccncepI s
new. Ncbcdy ever IhcughI n quIe IhaI way beIcre.
BuI I's ncI encugh Ic Ihnk abcuI IhaI, cr even wrIe
abcuI. lI I's Ic be cI any use Ic humanknd, I w have Ic
geI dcne.
l hcpe IhaI ycu're Ihe knd cI perscn
whc can dc I.
[ 146 j [ 147 j
entrcducticn
l was mung cver 5hakespeare's cbserva
Icn IhaI Ihe IuIure s an undsccvered
ccunIry. Nc, IhaI's ncI Irue, l was waIchng
aIe nghI cabe and sIumbed acrcss cne cI
Ihcse IcrgeIIabe 5Iar 1rek Ims Ircm Ihe
1990s, wIh IhaI phrase n Ihe IIe. BuI
Ihen l remembered IhaI 5hakespeare
wasn'I reIerrng Ic Ihe IuIure, he was
reIerrng Ic deaIh. AcIuay, IhaI's ncI Irue
eIher, l ccked up Ihe phrase and my
search engne reIurned Ihe prcper ccnIexI
Ircm MacbeIh [whch, yes, l reay dd read,
buI sc cng agc IhaI I's an unreccvered
ccunIry). 1hs mx cI Ihe hgh and Ihe cw,
Ihe dread and Ihe absurd, ccnsIIuIes Ihe
IuIure, and IhaI's whaI Ihs Medawcrk
pampheI s abcuI. Hcw we mghI beIIer
shape cur IuIurIy has cng been Ihe prcv
nce cI Bruce 5Ierng.
BesI kncwn Icr hs eghI scence Ic
Icn ncves, Bruce asc wrIes shcrI sIcres,
bcck revews, desgn crIcsm, cpncn
ccumns, and nIrcducIcns Icr bccks rang
ng Ircm ErnsI 1unger Ic 1ues Verne. Hs
ncnIcIcn wcrks ncude Tnc Hockcr
Crockdcwn and Tcmcrrcw Ncw. He runs Ihe
Vrdan sI cn envrcnmenIa acIvsm and
pcsIndusIra desgn. He s a cngIme
ccnIrbuIng edIcr Icr Wred, Icr whcm he
asc wrIes Ihe Beycnd Ihe Beycnd
webcg. Bruce s a pcymaIh wIh a cve cI
anguage, an acIvsI wIh Ihe mesmerzng
presence cI a sIreeI preacher, a IuIursI
whc reay undersIands Ihe pasI and pres
enI, and Ic Icp I a cII, an abscuIe Iend
Icr desgn.
1usI aIIer he Inshed Ihe Ina draII cI
Ihs bcck, Bruce mcved Ic Pasadena Icr a
year Ic beccme ArI CenIer Ccege cI
Desgn's IrsI ever VscnarynResdence.
Nc cne was quIe sure whaI Ihe pcsIcn
requred, besdes mcvng nIc Ihe Meda
Desgn Prcgram's sIudc. BuI Bruce under
sIccd IhaI Ihe IrsI Ihng he needed was a
cgc, sc he mmedaIey crganzed a
Vrdan cnne ccmpeIIcn Icr a Vscnary
nResdence Iee shrI. Bruce came Ic ArI
CenIer Ic ve Ihe precepIs he ays cuI n
Ihs bcck, wcrkng wIh Ihe nexI generaIcn
cI desgners Ic address cne cI my cwn
ccncerns. IhaI Icr scme Ime - snce Ihe
end cI Ihe space race, maybe - cur cu
Iure's been runnng a vscn deIcI. We
haven'I been abe Ic see Ihe IuIure's Icr
esIs Ihrcugh Ihe presenI's Irees. lI Ihere's
cne Ihng we cughI Ic be abe Ic dc, I's
Iran a new generaIcn cI vscnares. pec
pe whc ncI cny can magne a beIIer
IuIure, buI can vsuaze and desgn I - n
cIher wcrds, shape Ihe Ihngs IhaI ccnsI
IuIe cur made wcrd.
1here's nc cne beIIer suIed Ihan Bruce
5Ierng Ic Iake a vscn deIcI and Iurn I
nIc a surpus. ln Ihs vcume, he's aded
and abeIIed by Ihe rencwned Lcrrane Wd.
Lcrrane [acng wIh her cceagues aI
Green Dragcn OIIce) pracIces desgn n
ccabcraIcn wIh archIecIs, arIsIs,
museums and pubshers. A prcIesscr aI
Ihe CaIcrna lnsIIuIe cI Ihe ArIs, she
pubshes her desgn crIcsm and hsIcry
wdey, mcsI recenIy |cnng Ihe edIcra
bcard cI desgncbserver.ccm. 5he s a
parIner cI Greybu Press, a Lcs Angees
based pubsher cI phcIcgraphy bccks, and
a prncpa n Ihe new desgn supergrcup,
Wd LuV. 5he's a wnner cI Ihe Chryser
Desgn Award Icr lnncvaIcn, was named
cne cI l.D. Magazne's l.D. 40, and has
been hcncred by Ihe 5mIhscnan/Cccper
HewII NaIcna Desgn Museum, Ihe
NaIcna Desgn Awards, Ihe New Ycrk ArI
DrecIcr's Cub, and Ihe AlGA, amcng cIhers.
Bruce and Lcrrane are Irends, havng
buI a muIua admraIcn scceIy aI Mke
and KaIhy McCcy's yeary Hgh Grcund
desgn ccnversaIcns n Cccradc. ln
CaIcrna, l gcI Bruce and Lcrrane IcgeIher
Ic shape 5nopng Tnngs, whch we cIIen
dd cver sush. Perhaps IhaI's Ihe cunary
expanaIcn Icr why - n Ihs rescuIey
raIcna bcck - Ihere's a hnI cI wabsab,
Ihe IranscendenI mpermanence sc
becved cI 1apanese arI and craII. Lcrrane
was abe Ic gc cII wIh Ihe raw IexI and
ccme back wIh Ihs exampe cI whaI l
Ierm radcay cassca desgn. 5he's an
expermenIasI whc vaues readabIy, a
depcyer cI dsccurse whc seduces wIh
Icrm. 1he Ihng she's shaped here has resc
nance.
l'd ke Ic ccse by cIIerng my sncere
apprecaIcn Ic Ihe Iwc greaI champcns cI
Ihs seres, Dcug 5ery aI Ihe Ml1 Press,
and 1can 5hgekawa aI Ihe RcckeIeer
FcundaIcn. Fnay, l wanIed Ic Ihank a cI
Ihe pecpe whc ccnIrbuIed Ic Medawcrk
prc|ecI, Ihe pampheIs, Ihe Web1akes and
Ihe Web 5uppemenIs. Fcr Utcpon
Entrcprcncur - Brenda Laure, Dense
GcnzaesCrsp, and 5ccII McCcud, Icr
Wrtng locnncs - N. KaIherne Hayes,
Anne Burdck, Erk Lcyer, and 5ean
Dcnahue, Icr Rngtnm 5ccncc - Pau D.
Mer aka D| 5pccky IhaI 5ubmna Kd,
Ccrnea BaIIer and Marce Hermanns
[COMA AmsIerdam/New Ycrk), PeIer
Haey, and Casey Reas, Icr 5nopng Tnngs
- Bruce 5Ierng, Lcrrane Wd, 5IuarI
5mIh [Green Dragcn OIIce), 1chn
1hackara, Anne Pascua and Marcus Hauer
[5chcenerwssen/OIIce Icr
CcmpuIaIcna Desgn). Ycu can Ind cuI
mcre and nIeracI wIh Iher wcrk aI mit-
press.mit.edu[mediawcrk. 5ee ycu n Ihe
IuIure.
Peter Lunenfeld
eoifonitL oinecfon
[ 148 j [ 149 j
designer's nctes
Fcr years ncw l have been aIIendng a gaIh
erng cI desgners aI Ihe scmewhaI
nccnvenenIy ccaIed Rccky McunIan
ccmpcund cI my cd Ieachers, Mke and
KaIhy McCcy. 1he McCcys nvIe a muI
dscpnary grcup Icr Iwc and a haI days
cI whaI cny can be descrbed as desgn
chaI, Ihcugh l guess l am beng a IIe ccy
here as Ic Ihe revIazng, I ncI dcwnrghI
necessary naIure cI Ihe dscusscn IhaI
ensues. whch s why year aIIer year we geI
cn Irans, panes and auIcmcbes Ic make
cur pgrmage Ic Ihe evenI caed Hgh
Grcund. Durng Ihe weekend, aIIendees
gve 10 mnuIe Iaks cn whaI IhaI Ihey are
Ihnkng abcuI, cr wcrkng cn, whch Ihe
grcup Ihen hashes cver. AI Ihe end cI Ihe
weekend, we anayze cur dscusscns as a
way cI Iakng Ihe puse cI desgn aI IhaI
mcmenI. Bruce 5Ierng has a been a Hgh
Grcund reguar Icr a whe, aways gvng
Ihe resI cI us Ihe dsIncI mpresscn IhaI
he was Ihere Icr anIhrcpccgca cbserva
Icn, Ic reccrd Ihe Ick habIs and Icbes
cI cur Irbe, Icdder Icr hs scIdesgn
IanIases. BuI he parIcpaIes, Icc, and n
Ihe summer cI 2004, he devered a ranI
abcuI Ihe IuIure, abcuI Ihe abscuIe
necessIy Icr reIhnkng Ihe way we dc
|usI abcuI everyIhng, I Ihe earIh s Ic
survve, I IuIure generaIcns w ncI
caIhe us. lI was cne cI Ihe mcre mcvng
sIaIemenIs ever devered up Ihere n Ihe
Ihn ar cI Buena VsIa.
Hs Hgh Grcund daIrbe was, l qucky
reazed, Ihe draII Icr Ihs bcck. lI was
Ihere IhaI hs anayss cI Ihe Iechncscca
ecccgy cI cb|ecIs and ca Icr Ihe devecp
menI cI spmes made Iher debuI. And
whe Ihere was an urgency Ic hs message,
a chaenge, and penIy cI back humcr [Icr
whaI ese can we dc n cur currenI predca
menI buI augh), Ihere was cpImsm aI Is
ccre. 5Ierng respecIs desgn Icc much Ic
magne IhaI I has nc answers. 5c l IeI
IhaI Ihe desgn cI Ihs IexI wcud have Ic
be drven by Ihe same aIIIudes expressed
by Ihe auIhcr, whch were sc humansIc
and sc hearIIeI. 1hs bcck had Ic ccnIan a
rpcsIe Ic Ihe regnng vsua cches cI
Iechnccgy. Ihe nImdaIng ccmpexIy,
mrrcred surIace cI cmnscenI vrIuaIy,
and ccrrcded surIace cI dgIazaIcn run
amck.
Durng IhaI same summer, Iwc Ieenag
ers [cne nece, cne ccusn) were hcuse and
sIudc guesIs cI mne Icr severa weeks.
1hey hung arcund scannng sIuII Icr me,
Iakng pcIures, lMng ncessanIy, pcsIng
cn Iher bcgs, and skscreenng IshrIs
cn Ihe awn behnd Ihe hcuse. l IhcughI
hcw Ihe IuIure Bruce spcke abcuI sc
urgenIy was Ihers, and ncIced IhaI Ihey
are ncI Ireakng cuI abcuI anyIhng quIe
yeI. Hcwever, Ihere s an urgency and an
agency n Ihe way IhaI Ihey ccnnecI wIh
Ihe wcrd IhaI IeI rghI. 1her aIIIudes
were ncI nave buI nsIead unIeIIered by
Ihe ccnsccusness cI crIque Ic cp Iher
wngs [and pcwered by a deIIness wIh
Iechnccgy IhaI we a kncw s Iaken Icr
granIed). 1he perscna denIIy and expres
scn vsbe n everyIhng Ihey prcduced,
Ircm Ihe cuIandpasIe websIes Ic sc
ence Iar graphcs [cn Ihe gencme, Icr
gawdsake!) were nspraIcna Ic me. l
wanIed Ic channe IhaI energy, IhaI ncu
baIcn cI Ihe IuIure, and brng I Ic
5nopng Tnngs.
Nc Imemachne w Iurn me nIc a
Ieenager, buI l am a perenna sIudenI. lI s
Ihe anguage cI Ihe hghIer and Ihe wrI
Iencver IexIbcck, Ihe embrace cI new
nIcrmaIcn IhaI l see n my neces's mark
makng, Ihe enIhusasm my daughIer
brngs Ic earnng Ic read, and my cwn sIu
dcusness IhaI l have Ired Ic nIuse nIc
Ihs bcck [wIh Ihe nvauabe and sIead
IasI asssIance cI 5IuarI 5mIh). l have had
Ic read I abcuI Ien Imes n crder Ic
desgn I, and 5nopng Tnngs has ncI gcI
Ien cd yeI. Mr. 5Ierng [has nc cne gven
hm a PhD yeI) has a way wIh wcrds, and l
was mcsI anxcus Ic shape Ihs bcck n a
way IhaI wcud enarge hs aready expan
sve vew cI Ihe prcmse cI desgn and Ihe
IuIure, sc IhaI I can be seen n mcre ways
Ihan cne.
As l wcrked cn Ihe desgn and mued
cver Bruce's Iypccgy cI cb|ecIs, I dawned
cn me IhaI Ihe bcck as a ccmmuncaIve
devce s cne cI Ihcse rare Ihngs IhaI
acIuay s, Ic use hs Ierms, an arIIacI, a
machne, a prcducI, a gzmc, and gcshdarn
I, a spme as we [cerIany Ihe barccde s
Ihe gaIeway Ic IhaI ccndIcn) a aI Ihe
same Ime. 5c, whe l accepI hs sIaIemenI
IhaI Icmcrrcw ccmpcsIs Icday and a
IuIIy IhaI IhaI mpes, l dc Ihnk IhaI Ihe
bcck, Ihe cb|ecI upcn whch l have avshed
sc much IhcughI and aIIenIcn, s scmehcw
an excepIcn n Ihe Iechncscca ecccgy
he descrbes. Whch s why, n Ihe end, Ihe
savvy PeIer LunenIed, upcn ccmmsscn
ng such an nIeresIng, Icrward cckng seI
cI IexIs he edIs Icr Ihs Medawcrk seres,
sI wcud have Ic crchesIraIe Ihe prccess
Ic Is cgca ccncuscn. as pages prnIed
cn recyced pup wIh nk, gued IcgeIher,
wrapped and bcxed and shpped and
unpacked and dspayed [cr maybe ncI)
unI I reached Ihe hands and eyes cI ycu,
dear reader, n a IcrmaI ncI Icc dIIerenI
Ihan IhaI devsed by Ihe varcus PanIns cI
AnIwerp whc, n Ihe sxIeenIh cenIury
decded IhaI I wcud be nce Ic have bccks
sma encugh yeI mpcrIanI encugh Ic
carry n cne's pcckeI.
Nc maIIer hcw Iarreachng Ihe deas,
n cIher wcrds, we are aways back Ic Ihe
reance cn a much cI aIccphysca
sIuII, cny here I has a Iespan IhaI way
cuIasIs cur cwn crganc seves. whch
scmehcw remnds me cI an nscrpIcn l
saw n HcusIcn, 1exas year agc, cn a Icw
Iruck panIed scd back.
A's AuIc McrIcan /
5ccner cr aIer, l' ccme and geI ya.
My wcrk cn Ihs bcck dedcaIed Ic
Rcsae Wd, 5arah Wd, Ana XacFe Wd
Kask, Bruce 5Ierng's daughIers, PeIer
LunenIed's kds, and a Ihe cIher ycung
cnes bcund Ic ve n Ihe wcrd we are busy
Iabbng everyday.
Lcrraine Wild
oesichen
[ 150 j [ 151 j
autbcr's nctes
As an auIhcr and |curnasI, l cwe debIs Ic
Ihe desgn wcrd Icr a ceaseess Icw cI
sImuaIng deas and greaI ccpy. 1hs s my
cppcrIunIy Ic Ihank a Iew pecpe n par
Icuar.
FrsI and IcremcsI, Mke McCcy and
KaIherne McCcy cI Ihe Hgh Grcund
Desgn CcnversaIcn. 1he McCcy desgn
sacn n Ihe sIear, carIyng heghIs cI Ihe
Rccky McunIans s Ihe mcsI ccnssIenIy
nIeresIng meeIng cI mnds IhaI l've ever
aIIended. l've never yeI eII Hgh Grcund
wIhcuI a IreghI cI ccncepIs enIrey new
Ic me. 1hs bcck ccud ncI have exsIed
wIhcuI Hgh Grcund.
5nopng Tnngs was parIcuary
shaped by a Hgh Grcund ccnversaIcn wIh
5ccII Knker cI Cranbrcck, whcse dsc
pned Ihnkng was cI greaI hep n
shcwng me where my nchcaIe ncIcns
cughI Ic gc.
AIIer many years cI admraIcn Ircm
aIar, l wcud ke Ic Ihank Brenda Laure Icr
her kndness, hcspIaIy and mpressve
energy durng my resdency aI ArI CenIer
Ccege cI Desgn. A my cceagues aI Ihs
Ine nsIIuIcn have been remarkaby sup
pcrIve cI Iher schcc's IrsI Vscnary n
Resdence, buI Brenda Laure s Ihe vscn
ary's vscnary.
PeIer LunenIed ccmmsscned Ihs
bcck as parI cI hs admrabe seres and
was acIvey nvcved n pracIcay every
aspecI cI every page. lI was deghIIu Ic
wcrk wIh Lcrrane Wd aIIer many years
cI admrng her ccmprehensve grasp cI
graphc desgn.
l cwe a debI Ic my many cnne Irends
and aes n Vrdandesgn.crg and Ihe
Vrdan Curaespecay Ihe hardcharg
ng BrghI Green acIvsIs cI
Wcrdchangng.ccm, ncudng 1amas
Cascc, Aex 5IeIIen, 1cn Lebkcwsky and
Dawn Danby.
lI cne scmehcw Iees a need Ic
beccme a desgn IhecrsI, I reay heps Ic
Ind scme pecpe whc [a) Iake Ihe deas
sercusy and [b) can puI Ihcse deas nIc
drecI pracIce. Few Ihngs n my Ie have
gven me as much saIsIacIcn as Ihe
advenI cI Wcrdchangng.
l have earned a cI n a hurry Ircm
Mm lIc and her 5cuIhern CaIcrna
DgIa CuIure Grcup. BeneaIh Ihe phcny
Inse cI Lcs Angees urks Ihe genune
Inse cI Lcs Angeesa gIIerng Iber
cpIc neIwcrk wIh mpressvey hgh
bandwdIh.
lI may scund a IIe cdd Ic Ihank pub
caIcns and nsIIuIcns such as Wred
magazne, MeIrcpcs, Ihe lD5A, ACM
5lGGRAPH, and Ihe AlGA, buI behnd Ihcse
masIheads and acrcnyms are a hcsI cI rea
pecpe whc acwed me wrIe arIces and
pcund pcdums. WIhcuI IhaI Ianged
nexus cI Iechncscca suppcrI, l wcud
never have been abe Ic wrIe a bcck ke
Ihs.
Adee WnsIe aways wcndered abcuI
my cdd auIhcry habIs n dedcaIng bccks.
EvenIuay bccks cI her cwn appeared. We
never cwn Ihe Icrch, Adee, we can cny
pass Ihe Ire. Brancy, speed, ghIness
and gcry, Adee. Ihs bcck s Icr ycu.
Bruce 5terling
tufhon
/o/
5nopng Tnngs was desgned by Lcrrane Wd
and 5IuarI 5mIh cI Green Dragcn OIIce,
Lcs Angees durng Ihe 5prng cI 2005. 1he
IypeIaces used IhrcughcuI Ihs bcck are
Apex 5ans, ex SeriI [desgned by chesIer and
Rck VacenI cI 1hrsI, Chcagc lncs, 2003),
and ....vu ::v: .1.:v. [Max R. KauIman Icr
Ihe Amercan 1ype Fcundry, 1939), ae tssss|
[desgned by PeIe Dcm, 1951-53), keedy $ons
[desgned by Mr. Keedy cI Lcs Angees,
CaIcrna, pubshed by Emgre, 19B9), Io-R:
[Zuzana Lckc cI Emgre, Berkeey CaIcrna,
19B5 |revsed 2001|), ||II||| [aIIer RcberI
Harng, 193B), ~.// ~..o/ [ancnymcus
Ireeware) and vAG Pounded [Adran Wams,
19/9) and was IypeseI cn a 1.B GHz Appe Pcwer
Mac G5 wIh a 1/ nch Appe LCD DgIa 5Iudc
McnIcr usng Adcbe lnDesgn C5 scIIware.
1he ccver phcIcgraph was Iaken usng a
Cancn DgIa Rebe 6.3 megapxe 5LR and
manpuaIed wIh Adcbe PhcIcshcp C5
[Ihe premnary phcIcgraphs capIured Icr Ihe
ccver cI Ihs bcck, usng a PamOne 1rec 600
smarI phcne |ncI Ihe 650 , dammI| were re|ecIed
by Ihe edIcra drecIcr Icr beng Icc cwres.).
1he charIs n Ihs bcck, based cn crgna nk
and graph paper drawngs cI Bruce 5Ierng, were
renIerpreIed by Hary Greenbaum cI Green
Dragcn OIIce, usng Adcbe lusIraIcr C5. 1hs
bcck was prnIed by prnIerIkIkI cn [paper
name) under Ihe supervscn cI 1he Ml1 Press.
2005
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