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abstract tentacly things

ARTICLES

some semi-formal writings on a limited range of subjects

Software development

Software Architecture For A New Economic System
A rough, high-level software description for a general economic system: an informational structure/means for organising cooperation. (Or an 'engineering fiction'.)
(2000 words, 15 min clock symbol 15 min read)
Tractatus Computo-Philosophicus
A brief philosophical expression of software development, in the style of Wittgenstein's Tractatus.
(550 words, 5 min clock symbol 5 min read)
Understanding Software Engineering Design
A brief description of what seem to be the abstract essentials of software engineering design.
(3000 words, 20 min clock symbol 20 min read)
On Naur's ‘Programming As Theory Building’
A problem in Naur's ‘Programming As Theory Building’ and the improved philosophical model it prompted.
(1500 words, 10 min clock symbol 10 min read)
Is 'Software Architecture' Really Architecture ?
The software world doesn't know what ‘architecture’ means. It needs to seek edification from other disciplines.
(550 words, 5 min clock symbol 5 min read)
A Building Industry Model For Software Development
A conceptual framework for understanding software development, modelled on the building industry.
(3000 words, 20 min clock symbol 20 min read)
Software Architecture And Engineering Definitions
well-founded definitions for the terms 'architecture' and 'engineering' in software
(750 words, 5 min clock symbol 5 min read)
A Software Engineering Symbol
a symbol for software engineering, evolved from the hacker emblem
(350 words, 5 min clock symbol 5 min read)
Software Engineering And Civil Engineering
abstracting civil engineering as a guide to software engineering
(3000 words, 20 min clock symbol 20 min read)
Software Technical Design Guide
a short guide for software technical design
(1200 words, 10 min clock symbol 10 min read)
Ruby Speed Guide
some simple ways to make Ruby code faster
(1300 words, 10 min clock symbol 10 min read)
USDP-Distilled eXtreme Documentation
a simple software technical documentation format
(1600 words, 10 min clock symbol 10 min read)
Open Augmentation Files
a very simple pattern for sharing marked-up/parsed augmentations of files
(400 words, 5 min clock symbol 5 min read)

Graphics software

Fast pow() With Adjustable Accuracy
a fast alternative to the standard C/C++ pow() function
(1400 words, 10 min clock symbol 10 min read)
General Octree C++ Component
the technical design for a generalised octree data structure in C++
(700 words, 5 min clock symbol 5 min read)
General Octree Ruby Component
documentation and code for a generalised octree data structure in Ruby
(700 words, 400 code lines, 5 min clock symbol 5 min read)
Perceptuum 3 Renderer Architecture
architecture description for the Perceptuum 3 renderer
(3000 words, 20 min clock symbol 20 min read)

Various

A reply to ‘Is efficient copyright a reasonable goal’
This is a counter to a recent (semi-) academic article on copyright ethics. It picks out the main moral thesis, shows it is inadequate and should be rejected, and shows how it is instead aligned with a self-interested motivation.
(1900 words, 15 min clock symbol 15 min read)
Tractatus Digito-Philosophicus
A translation of Wittgenstein's Tractatus into the domain of software development.
(6500 words, 45 min clock symbol 45 min read)
The Lockean Justification For Copyright: An Argument Against
This idea – we could call it ‘right to the fruits of labour’ – is at the root of an intrinsic moral argument for copyright. But on examination it appears inadequate to support that, and also a morally inferior rule.
(1200 words, 10 min clock symbol 10 min read)
Intellectual Property Ethics: Arguments Against
Ethical arguments against IP, based on: groundedness of laws and personal liberty, lack of harm being prevented, universalisation and co-operative benefit, and freedom of communication.
(4500 words, 30 min clock symbol 30 min read)
The ethical case against IP (transcription)
A rational, ethical argument against IP (Transcription of lecture by David Koepsell).
(5900 words, 40 min clock symbol 40 min read)
ErgoVim Key Mappings
A mostly comprehensive rearrangement of Vim's key mappings, to be more spatially ordered and modernised.
Anti-Copyright Summary
An outline of thoughts and arguments against copyright
(1800 words, 15 min clock symbol 15 min read)
Epub Format Construction Guide
a guide for making Epub ebooks/publications
(1900 words, 15 min clock symbol 15 min read)
Epub Format Construction Guide (ebook)
a guide for making Epub ebooks/publications, as an Epub ebook
(1900 words, 15 min clock symbol 15 min read)
Genetics Basics For Programmers
a summary of basic genetics, for programmers
(1700 words, 10 min clock symbol 10 min read)
2013-02-02