The Arts & Crafts Movement 2.0

Much like the Industrial Revolution, the current move to pervasive computing
is increasing the speed of production and lowering the bars to entry. The Arts
& Crafts movement of was a reaction to the commoditization of resources and
division of labour. It is time to look again at the idea that craftsmen should
take pleasure in their work produce things which please their customers.

In the original Arts & Crafts movement, the most successful and well-known
designers were the ones who, in the Arts and Crafts spirit, combined
old-fashioned handicraft with the latest production techniques and design
theories. As C.R. Ashbee said “We do not reject the machine, we welcome it.
But we would desire to see it mastered.”

In this talk we’ll take a brief look at the ideas of John Ruskin, William
Morris, and others that provided the philosophical underpinning to the Arts &
Crafts movement. We’ll look at how these philosophies resonate with today’s
open source programmer’s environment. We’ll discuss what they may mean for the
future of development.