written by reni, september 2010

"You get a computer and a screwdriver.
There is no need to be shy; you're not likely to break anything."

This is probably the best and most accurate description one could give and get about something like an "etc-attitude". It is at the same time the first sentence in the description of the hardware course, one of the etc-classics, if you will.

In 2005, the /etc took place in Graz, in the south of Austria.
Two women, Urska and Maja, had contacted me via a mutual friend, Marina Grzinic, to host the /etc in Graz, at ESC im LABOR, an art center that deals with art in technological contexts, focusing on free technologies and experiments of all sorts. Therefore, /etc fitted and stil fits perfectly well into the ESC programming philosophy.

It happened in a strong collaboration with different other initiatives and institutions in Graz, that supported the meeting with their knowledge, infrastructure and engagement. Most important there was Nicole Pruckermayr, artist and teacher at the Institute for Contemporary Art at the Technical University, that offered their big hall for the main part of the workshops.
We also had meetings and gettogethers, dinners and parties at these locations:
the media art laboratory, at that time run by Franz Xaver; the SUB – a noncommercial venue for concerts, meetings and parties, run by a collective of people; and NIL/Baodo, run by Veronika Dreirer, a meeting place and small restaurant from and for the African Community in town.

Now, I dive into the programe that we set up for July 2005.
Here you can see our tentative skeleton schedule.

Computer Hardware
This workshop is an old favorite.
You get a computer and a screwdriver. There is no need to be shy; you're not likely to break anything. You will learn that basic PC hardware is just not that hard by opening and dissecting a computer, discussing and discovering all the different parts and then putting it all together again.

Networking
We can network computers and we can network ourselves. This year's /etc may focus around the theme of network building - 1. the tools we need to do virtual networking such as IRC chat software, gaim and email. We use these useful tools to organize near and far; 2. building computer networks like a LAN (local area network). For this we'll be crimping cables and connecting and configuring machines.

gnu/linux - What's all the fuss about linux?
There will be many different workshops about the linux operating system. You can take it as far as you like. We will have installation workshops, so if you bring your own laptop, it just might leave the /etc with a new and improved personality. However, you don't have to install it to enjoy it. A few linux distros run from a bootable cdrom and we will be sure to have some workshops using these. You can get a feel for linux with not too much hassle.
For women who may already be familiar with linux, we will be exploring some more advanced topics such as server installation, server administration, security issues and maybe more.

Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS)
There is more to free software than just linux. A lot of FLOS Software programs and utilities are also made to run on proprietary systems such as Windows and MacOS's. You don't have to be a slave to proprietoray products that really suck. There are some choices out there. We'll be sure to introduce some alternatives so you can install and use them to get you on the road to FLOSS.

building web pages from scratch with HTML
It seems everybody and everybody's org needs a web page these days. Learn how to use a text editor to build and edit web pages. Discuss basic design concepts and techniques. If there is interest we can also explore some FLOSS HTML editors.

advanced workshops in programming languages
Women programmers are coming and they are bringing their languages with them. We'll see what drops from the /etc ether: Perl, Python, Java who knows.UpStage is a web-based venue and tool for artists to compile different digital media for textual and audiovisual communication into a live performance, in real time, for online audiences. To work up to using this tool, there could be lead in workshops on sound collection and editing, image manipulation and maybe streaming methods.
and if that isn't enough we can juggle, stretch, eat, drink, talk, exchange ideas, dance, laugh, knit, crochet, weave and do embroidery ...

And here come the schedule in detail

monday, 11th of july:
1.Intro to /etc and history of /etc
2.Free software - the concept, plus examples for all operating systems
3.Introducing web-based content management
4.Ethnoblogging
5.Chat software (IRC, jabber, gnomemeeting)
6.Evening: linux install party

tuesday, 12th of july
1.Hardware
2.Introduction to using linux
3.Keyworx
4.Evening: keyworx-performance

wednesday, 13th of july
1.Hardware continued
2.HTML/css/website building
3.Live linux cds: dynebolic, ubuntu,...
4.Upstage
5.Upstage performance

thursday, 14th of july
1.Swimming and excursion to the country side
2.Pure Data (pd)
3.PD performance

friday, 15th of july
1.Hardware continued
2.Keyworx II
3.Upstage II
4.Live evaluation and stream
5.Party