The Evolution of Useful Things A Book by Henry Petroski Here, then, is the central idea: the form of made things is always subject to change in response to their real or perceived shortcomings, their failures to function properly. This principle governs all invention, innovation, ingenuity. Spike and sponShaped and reshapedForm follows failureTheir wrongness is somehow more immediateA small corner of the world of things+23 More The evolution of devices formfunctioninventionprogressfailure
Interoperable Personal Libraries and Ad Hoc Reading Groups An Article by Maggie Appleton maggieappleton.com We would need a system that enables people to: Publish a list of books they would be willing to discuss with other people to the open web. Antilibraries – collections of books you haven't read yet but would like to read – are particularly well suited to this proposition. See which books people in their social network want to discuss, and/or subscribe to other people's lists Be notified when 4+ people in their network have the same book on their discussion list – possibly via an email thread? Coordinate and schedule a time to read and discuss the book with that group. readingbooksnetworks