Open Source Low Tech(opensourcelowtech.org)
655 points by grep_it 5 days ago | 138 comments
tl;dr: Daniel Connell designs open-source, license-free low-tech tools that anyone can build from recycled materials and basic tools, aimed at enabling self-sufficient infrastructure for energy, food, water, and communications. The site hosts full construction tutorials, with a Facebook community for Q&A and build sharing. His work has been featured in Al Jazeera, The Guardian, Le Monde, and Makezine.
HN Discussion:
  • Sharing related historical precedents like Gingery Books and 1970s appropriate technology movements
  • Pointing to related contemporary projects and frameworks like Appropedia, Open Source Ecology, and Appropriate Technology
  • Endorsing the philosophy that local, self-sufficient solutions beat imported dependency-creating aid
  • Recommending foundational theoretical texts (Papanek, Illich, Pye) that ground this ecology of technology
  • ~Noting regulatory/legal barriers that hinder even simple DIY solutions in some countries