commit 37721304ed8ab8fb8889494a59cf2d87336db5a8
parent 3855c9c388b8e7415747889f5f046a6ce8333cc5
Author: Ville-Matias Heikkila <viznut@low.fi>
Date: Mon Aug 15 12:29:31 +0300
add pages
Diffstat:3 files changed, 63 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
diff --git a/IC.mdwn b/IC.mdwn
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
An **integrated circuit** (**IC**) or a **microchip** is a set of electronic circuits (usually consisting of MOSFET transistors) on a small flat piece of semiconductor material (silicon). It is currently the dominant technological basis for computers.
-**[[Moore's law]]** has succesfully described the history of semiconductor integration for decades: in every two years, the number of transistors in an IC can be doubled. However, Moore's law has depended on increasing economic investments: **Moore's second law**, also known as **Rock's law**, states that the
-cost of a state-of-the-art fabrication plant doubles every four years. The smaller the feature size, the more specialization and complexity is needed in equipment and processes. This has lead to extreme [[centralization]] of fabs.
+**[[Moore's law]]** and **Rock's law** have succesfully described the
+history of semiconductor integration for decades: while it has been possible
+to double the transistor density every two years, the cost of building a
+state-of-art fabrication plant has doubled every four years. This has
+[[centralized|centralized]] IC fabrication and distanced it from local and
+small-scale production.
Types of ICs:
diff --git a/Moore__39__s_law.mdwn b/Moore__39__s_law.mdwn
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+**Moore's law** is a historical trend of [[integrated circuit|IC]]
+development: the density of transistors can be doubled every two years. It
+was posited by Gordon Moore in 1965. Several experts, including Moore
+himself, have predicted that the trend will end by 2025.
+
+While there are definitely good aspects in Moore's law (including the
+improvement of energy and material efficiency), it has also come with
+economical, technological and philosophical side effects.
+
+Perhaps the most prominent of these is an extreme form of
+[[Jevons paradox]]: a dramatic increase in resource efficiency has led to a
+dramatic increase in resource use. In software, Jevons paradox manifests as
+[[Wirth's law]]: software becomes slower (more bloated, less
+energy-efficient) more rapidly than hardware becomes faster (more
+energy-efficient). Jevons paradox is also a major driver of
+[[obsolescence]].
+
+Moore's law is not a "law of physics" but depends on inreasing economic
+investments: **Moore's second law**, also known as **Rock's law**, states
+that the cost of a state-of-the-art fabrication plant doubles every four
+years. The smaller the feature size, the more specialization and complexity
+is needed in equipment and processes. This has lead to extreme
+[[centralization]] of fabs.
+
+Philosophically, Moore's law has given a lot of room to [[maximalism]],
+including the idea that technological progress is mostly increase of
+quantity rather than change of quality. The emphasis on quantitative
+maximization easily leads to maximization of energy and resource use.
+
+Permacomputing welcomes efficiency improvements without the afore-mentioned
+side effects. It therefore emphasizes [[lifespan maximization]], small-scale
+and local production, [[minimization]] and non-maximalist [[aesthetics]].
+
+Gordon Moore is not to be confused with Chuck Moore, the creator of
+[[Forth]], nor with Max More, a proponent of [[extropianism|maximalism]].
diff --git a/maximalism.mdwn b/maximalism.mdwn
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+**Maximalism** is, generally speaking, the idea that more is better. It
+often incorporates the idea that qualitative improvements are dependent on
+quantitative increases – that "progress" is not even possible without
+quantitative growth. Maximalism is prominent in many areas of modern
+technological civilization but is particularly so in computing, thanks to
+[[Moore's law]].
+
+Maximalist [[aesthetics]] strives for the maximization of resolution and
+detail. This leads to increased screen sizes and growing bandwidth
+requirements.
+
+Maximalism leads to an increasing use of artificial energy and other limited
+resources, even when the energy efficiency is dramatically improved (see
+[[Jevons paradox]]). This is extremely unsustainable, so permacomputing
+prefers to take an anti-maximalist, "small is beautiful" type of stance that
+emphasizes qualitative improvements and [[technological diversity]].
+
+**Extropianism**, as advocated by the [[transhumanist|Californian ideology]]
+philosopher Max More (sic), is an extreme philosophical stance based on
+maximalist ideals. It dreams of things such as human immortality,
+quantitative intelligence maximization and an endless expansion of the
+maximization-oriented "civilization" into the outer space.
