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compost.cc is permacomputing[1] for common digital archives — a media art project by Zachary Furste and Diego Gómez-Venegas. The project restores discarded computing devices into servers that collectively preserve endangered archives. The network distributes files using custom software based on the BitTorrent protocol.

collections

collection #1

The first collection is documentation from Chile's Project Cybersyn (1971–1973) — a cybernetic system for managing the national economy, built under Salvador Allende and destroyed by the 1973 military coup. The archive has been scattered across institutions and private collections for fifty years.

This collection includes only documentation that was clearly produced — and therefore its rights are owned — by the state of Chile through one of its agencies — either extinct or still active. By international standards and Chilean law, these documents are public information.

collection #2

The second collection is the archive of Screen Walks, a collaborative project by Fotomuseum Winterthur and The Photographers’ Gallery investigating the changing role of the photographic image in its networked and digital forms. Artists, curators and researchers were invited to perform live-streamed explorations of the digital spaces where their core practice takes place. The first Screen Walk with Penelope Umbrico took place on 8 April 2020, and the last one with Ting-Chun Liu and Leon-Etienne Khür on 26 March 2025.

Across five rungs, the compost.cc collection holds original and compressed video recordings of the 86 Screen Walks and additional performances, a guided tour and a workshop, along with audio versions, transcripts, and preparatory and archival materials.

The programme was launched by Jon Uriarte, then digital programmes curator at The Photographers’ Gallery, and Marco de Mutiis, digital curator at Fotomuseum Winterthur.

allies

Here are some inspirations, as well as collaborators past, present, and (hopefully) future:

news

September 2026

Screen Walks collection now seeding

We are delighted to announce the second collection, and the first external deposit, on compost.cc: the archive of Screen Walks.

A pioneering programme that began during the COVID-19 pandemic, Screen Walks was a series of 86 live-streamed walks through the digital spaces where artists, curators and researchers work, recorded between 2020 and 2025. The programme was launched and curated by Jon Uriarte of The Photographers’ Gallery and Marco de Mutiis of Fotomuseum Winterthur.

The collection deposited on compost.cc is available across five rungs, from compressed video and audio to original recordings, transcripts and archival materials.

Watch the announcement video here and then install a node to join in on the fun.

upcoming

21–27 September 2026

Unplugged?

Participation in Bucharest, sponsored by Marginal and V2_ Lab for the Unstable Media.

Workshop: Bring Your Own E-Waste, Leave with an Archival Server The Legacy House, Bucharest, Romania

date: 13:00 26 September 2026

15 October 2026, 15:30 (Mexico City time)

Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR) Conference

Lecture-performance by compost.cc in Mexico City.

27 October 2026

University of Basel Digital Humanities Lab

compost.cc lecture and workshop.

past

17 September 2026

Open Tabs Club - The Web We Want - Error 417, The Photographer's Gallery

Presentation of compost.cc

24 June 2026

Critical Computing Online Gathering

Online presentation of compost.cc.

7–10 May 2026

[FUTURE] TERRITORIES Transmedia Exhibition — Das LOT × NODE Media Lab

compost.cc installation at das LOT, Vienna.

Bring Your Own Device workshop: Saturday, 9 May, 15:00-18:00.

about

the problem

Many important cultural archives lack visibility. Some are carefully preserved by archival staff without the knowledge or resources to host digital copies. Others disappear. Institutions lose funding, servers go offline, hard drives fail, political regimes change. When a digital archive depends on a single organization or a single server, it is only as durable as that organization’s budget or that server’s uptime.

compost.cc invites people to share in the work of preservation — distributing archives across many machines in many places, maintained by the people who care about them. Our interest is not in decentralization for its own sake, but in collective responsibility: more hands, more resilience, more of a sense for what it takes to keep shared knowledge alive.

how it works

Each node in the network runs a single small program that does everything: it checks a signed list of what the network is currently preserving, downloads the relevant files, and shares them with every other node using BitTorrent. The list is cryptographically signed, meaning that each node can verify it hasn’t been tampered with before accepting changes.

  compost.cc                          node (rescued device)
		
		  ┌──────────────┐                    ┌──────────────┐
		  │  registry    │── fetch+verify ──▸ │  compost     │
		  │  .json       │                    │  binary      │
		  │  + signature │                    │              │
		  └──────────────┘                    │  embedded    │
		  ┌──────────────┐                    │  BitTorrent  │
		  │  tracker     │◂── announce ────── │  engine      │
		  └──────────────┘                    │              │
		  ┌──────────────┐                    └─────┬────────┘
		  │  web seed    │◂── fallback ───────────┤
		  └──────────────┘                          │
		  ┌──────────────┐                    ┌─────▾────────┐
		  │  directory   │◂── status ──────── │  BitTorrent  │
		  │              │──▸ peer hints ───▸ │  swarm       │
		  └──────────────┘                    └──────────────┘

Once files are downloaded, nodes share them directly with each other, peer to peer. A tracker helps nodes find each other. The more nodes that join, the more resilient and available the archive becomes.

trust

Two separate cryptographic keys govern the network. An archive’s curator signs a manifest attesting that these are authentic documents with verified provenance. The network operator signs the registry that tells nodes what to seed and where to find it.

This separation means archival authority and infrastructure authority are independent. A new curator can take over a collection without needing access to the infrastructure, and a new operator can manage the network without needing access to the archive.

the devices

The network runs on rescued hardware like laptops pulled from e-waste, tablets in drawers, and phones with cracked screens, restored with lightweight Linux and turned into archival servers. We see turning discarded technology into infrastructure for preserving discarded knowledge as compost.cc's central gesture.

The node software is designed for these machines: a single ~20 MB binary using about 40 MB of RAM, x86/ARM/MIPS Linux, no technical configuration beyond the initial install. Node operators choose how much to seed based on their available disk space — even a minimal contribution from an old phone strengthens the archive’s resilience. The network also includes servers provided by eclips.is and the Digital Methods Initiative.

permacomputing the commons

compost.cc operates under the philosophy of the commons. These archives are not owned. Instead, they are collectively maintained. The project also draws from permacomputing — a framework for digital practices that takes seriously the material and ecological costs of computation, prioritizing care, repair, and the extended use of existing resources over replacement and upgrade cycles. compost.cc insists that hardware is worth repairing and that infrastructure should be legible.

concessions

in a spirit of transparency, we acknowledge the following concessions to the ideals laid out above:

--we have used LLMs, including those provided by major companies like Anthropic and OpenAI, while writing the code used in the compost.cc software and infrastructure (and also for the German, Dutch, and Romanian translations of this 'about' page);

--we have used ISPs, major cloud service providers, and video conferencing software that are out of step with permacomputing principles while developing compost.cc;

--we have used closed-source software for some tasks in producing and processing images related to the project;

--much of the development and creative work related to the project was carried out on machines which were purchased new within the last 6 years;

--we have booked roundtrip flights (including one transatlantic) for the purpose of presentations and workshops connected to the project.

we welcome suggestions and discussion about these choices and other tensions that we have not yet thought to list.

participate

Run a node. If you have an old machine — even a low-powered one — it can become part of the archive. Install the node software and send us an email for an invite code.

Bring a device to a workshop. compost.cc hosts hands-on sessions at cultural institutions where participants bring old devices and leave with a functioning archival server. No prior technical knowledge required.

Donate hardware. Old phones, tablets, or laptops — especially those that can run Linux. Get in touch.

Host a workshop or exhibition. If you run an institution and this interests you, reach out.

Browse the code. Everything is open source at codeberg.org.

Above all, reach out: hola@compost.cc.

sobre

sobre el proyecto

compost.cc es un proyecto de «permacomputing» para la preservación, soporte y distribución de archivos digitales bajo la lógica del procomún; un proyecto de arte medial de Zachary Furste y Diego Gómez-Venegas.

El proyecto restaura dispositivos computacionales desechados para convertirlos en servidores que, de forma colectiva, preservan archivos en riesgo. La red distribuye archivos a través de BitTorrent.

el archivo

La primera colección corresponde a la documentación del Proyecto Cybersyn de Chile (1971–1973), un sistema cibernético para la gestión de la economía nacional construido bajo el mandato de Salvador Allende y destruido por el golpe militar de 1973. El archivo ha estado disperso entre instituciones y colecciones privadas durante cincuenta años.

cómo funciona

Un nodo es un programa individual que recupera un registro firmado que enumera lo que la red está compartiendo actualmente, descarga los archivos correspondientes a través de BitTorrent y los comparte con todos los demás nodos.

  compost.cc                          nodo (dispositivo restaurado)
		
		  ┌──────────────┐                            ┌──────────────┐
		  │  registro    │── recuperar+verificar ──▸ │  compost      │
		  │  .json       │                           │  binario      │
		  │  + firma     │                           │               │
		  └──────────────┘                           │  motor        │
		  ┌──────────────┐                           │  BitTorrent   │
		  │  tracker     │◂── anunciar ──────        │  integrado    │
		  └──────────────┘                           │              │
		  ┌──────────────┐                           └──────┬───────┘
		  │  semilla web │◂── respaldo ───────────        ──┤
		  └──────────────┘                                  │
		  ┌──────────────┐                             ┌─────▾────────┐
		  │  directorio  │◂── estado ────────          │  enjambre    │
		  │              │──▸ sugerencias de peer ───▸ │  BitTorrent  │
		  └──────────────┘                             └──────────────┘

Dos llaves criptográficas controlan la red. El responsable de la mantención de la colección (en el caso de la colección Cybersyn, Diego, quien digitalizó el archivo) firma el manifiesto de archivos, dando fe de su autenticidad y procedencia. El operador de la infraestructura (Zachary, quien construyó y mantiene la red) firma el registro que indica a los nodos qué deben compartir (seed). Este diseño permite transferir la autoridad sobre el archivo, para el caso de la colección Cybersyn, a una institución chilena sin alterar la infraestructura.

  llave de mantención (Diego)            llave del operador (Zachary)
		        │                                  │
		        ▾                                  ▾
		  ┌────────────────────┐                  ┌────────────────┐
		  │  manifiesto de     │                  │  registo de    │
		  │  lista de archivos │                  │  configuración │
		  │  + hash            │                  │  de la red     │
		  │  + procedencia     │                  │  + fuentes     │
		  └──────┬─────────────┘                  └──────┬─────────┘
		         │                                       │
		         └──────────┐   ┌────────────────────────┘
		                    ▾   ▾
		              ┌──────────────┐
		              │  el nodo     │
		              │  verifica    │
		              │  ambos antes │
		              │  de compartir│
		              └──────────────┘

los dispositivos

La red funciona con hardware recuperado —portátiles, tablets y teléfonos móviles viejos restaurados con una versión light de Linux— junto a servidores proporcionados por eclips.is y la Digital Methods Initiative. El software del nodo es un único binario de unos 20 MB que utiliza unos 40 MB de RAM y funciona en sistemas Linux x86, ARM y MIPS.

súmate

El proyecto invita a la placentera y regeneradora práctica de construir infraestructura juntos y de descubrir, a través del archivo, iniciativas históricas que han hecho lo mismo.

Gestiona tú mismx un nodo del proyecto, trae un dispositivo a uno de nuestros talleres, dona hardware, organiza un taller o una exposición en tu institución, o dale un vistazo al código fuente.

Y, sobre todo, ponte en contacto con nosotros: hola@compost.cc.

über

das problem

Viele wichtige Kulturarchive sind kaum sichtbar. Manche werden von Archivmitarbeiter:innen sorgfältig bewahrt, denen das Wissen oder die Mittel fehlen, digitale Kopien zu hosten. Andere verschwinden. Institutionen verlieren ihre Förderung, Server gehen offline, Festplatten fallen aus, politische Regime wechseln. Hängt ein digitales Archiv von einer einzigen Organisation oder einem einzigen Server ab, ist es nur so beständig wie das Budget dieser Organisation oder die Laufzeit dieses Servers.

compost.cc lädt dazu ein, die Arbeit der Bewahrung zu teilen — Archive auf viele Maschinen an vielen Orten zu verteilen, gepflegt von den Menschen, denen sie am Herzen liegen. Uns geht es nicht um Dezentralisierung um ihrer selbst willen, sondern um kollektive Verantwortung: mehr Hände, mehr Widerstandsfähigkeit, mehr Gespür dafür, was es braucht, um gemeinsames Wissen am Leben zu halten.

wie es funktioniert

Jeder Knoten im Netzwerk führt ein einziges kleines Programm aus, das alles erledigt: Es prüft eine signierte Liste dessen, was das Netzwerk gerade bewahrt, lädt die entsprechenden Dateien herunter und teilt sie über BitTorrent mit allen anderen Knoten. Die Liste ist kryptografisch signiert, das heißt, jeder Knoten kann überprüfen, dass sie nicht manipuliert wurde, bevor er Änderungen übernimmt.

  compost.cc                          node (rescued device)
		
		  ┌──────────────┐                    ┌──────────────┐
		  │  registry    │── fetch+verify ──▸ │  compost     │
		  │  .json       │                    │  binary      │
		  │  + signature │                    │              │
		  └──────────────┘                    │  embedded    │
		  ┌──────────────┐                    │  BitTorrent  │
		  │  tracker     │◂── announce ────── │  engine      │
		  └──────────────┘                    │              │
		  ┌──────────────┐                    └─────┬────────┘
		  │  web seed    │◂── fallback ───────────┤
		  └──────────────┘                          │
		  ┌──────────────┐                    ┌─────▾────────┐
		  │  directory   │◂── status ──────── │  BitTorrent  │
		  │              │──▸ peer hints ───▸ │  swarm       │
		  └──────────────┘                    └──────────────┘

Sobald die Dateien heruntergeladen sind, teilen die Knoten sie direkt untereinander, Peer-to-Peer. Ein Tracker hilft den Knoten, einander zu finden. Je mehr Knoten beitreten, desto widerstandsfähiger und verfügbarer wird das Archiv.

vertrauen

Zwei getrennte kryptografische Schlüssel regeln das Netzwerk. Die Kurator:in eines Archivs signiert ein Manifest, das bestätigt, dass es sich um authentische Dokumente mit geprüfter Herkunft handelt. Die Betreiber:in des Netzwerks signiert das Register, das den Knoten sagt, was sie seeden sollen und wo es zu finden ist.

Diese Trennung bedeutet, dass archivarische Autorität und infrastrukturelle Autorität unabhängig voneinander sind. Eine neue Kurator:in kann eine Sammlung übernehmen, ohne Zugang zur Infrastruktur zu brauchen, und eine neue Betreiber:in kann das Netzwerk verwalten, ohne Zugang zum Archiv zu brauchen.

die geräte

Das Netzwerk läuft auf geretteter Hardware wie Laptops aus dem Elektroschrott, Tablets aus der Schublade und Telefonen mit gesprungenem Display, wiederhergestellt mit einem schlanken Linux und in Archivserver verwandelt. Ausrangierte Technik zur Infrastruktur für die Bewahrung ausrangierten Wissens zu machen, ist für uns die zentrale Geste von compost.cc.

Die Knoten-Software ist für diese Maschinen gemacht: eine einzige, etwa 20 MB große Binärdatei, die rund 40 MB RAM belegt, für Linux auf x86/ARM/MIPS, ohne technische Konfiguration über die Erstinstallation hinaus. Wer einen Knoten betreibt, entscheidet je nach verfügbarem Speicherplatz selbst, wie viel geseedet wird — selbst ein minimaler Beitrag von einem alten Telefon stärkt die Widerstandsfähigkeit des Archivs. Zum Netzwerk gehören außerdem Server von eclips.is und der Digital Methods Initiative.

permacomputing der commons

compost.cc folgt der Philosophie der Commons. Diese Archive gehören niemandem. Stattdessen werden sie gemeinsam gepflegt. Das Projekt schöpft außerdem aus dem Permacomputing — einem Rahmen für digitale Praktiken, der die materiellen und ökologischen Kosten des Rechnens ernst nimmt und Pflege, Reparatur und die verlängerte Nutzung vorhandener Ressourcen über Ersatz- und Upgrade-Zyklen stellt. compost.cc besteht darauf, dass Hardware es wert ist, repariert zu werden, und dass Infrastruktur lesbar sein sollte.

mitmachen

Betreibe einen Knoten. Wenn du eine alte Maschine hast — auch eine schwache — kann sie Teil des Archivs werden. Installiere die Knoten-Software und schreib uns eine E-Mail für einen Einladungscode.

Bring ein Gerät zu einem Workshop mit. compost.cc veranstaltet praktische Sessions an Kulturinstitutionen, bei denen Teilnehmende alte Geräte mitbringen und mit einem funktionierenden Archivserver nach Hause gehen. Technische Vorkenntnisse sind nicht nötig.

Spende Hardware. Alte Telefone, Tablets oder Laptops — vor allem solche, auf denen Linux läuft. Melde dich.

Richte einen Workshop oder eine Ausstellung aus. Wenn du eine Institution leitest und dich das interessiert, melde dich bei uns.

Schau in den Code. Alles ist Open Source auf codeberg.org.

Vor allem: Melde dich bei uns: hola@compost.cc.

over

het probleem

Veel belangrijke culturele archieven zijn nauwelijks zichtbaar. Sommige worden zorgvuldig bewaard door archiefmedewerkers die de kennis of de middelen missen om digitale kopieën te hosten. Andere verdwijnen. Instellingen verliezen hun financiering, servers gaan offline, harde schijven begeven het, politieke regimes wisselen. Wanneer een digitaal archief afhangt van één organisatie of één server, is het maar zo duurzaam als het budget van die organisatie of de uptime van die server.

compost.cc nodigt mensen uit om het werk van bewaren te delen — archieven te verspreiden over veel machines op veel plekken, onderhouden door de mensen die erom geven. Het gaat ons niet om decentralisatie omwille van zichzelf, maar om collectieve verantwoordelijkheid: meer handen, meer veerkracht, meer gevoel voor wat er nodig is om gedeelde kennis levend te houden.

hoe het werkt

Elke node in het netwerk draait één klein programma dat alles doet: het controleert een ondertekende lijst van wat het netwerk op dit moment bewaart, downloadt de bijbehorende bestanden en deelt ze via BitTorrent met alle andere nodes. De lijst is cryptografisch ondertekend, wat betekent dat elke node kan verifiëren dat er niet mee geknoeid is voordat hij wijzigingen accepteert.

  compost.cc                          node (rescued device)
		
		  ┌──────────────┐                    ┌──────────────┐
		  │  registry    │── fetch+verify ──▸ │  compost     │
		  │  .json       │                    │  binary      │
		  │  + signature │                    │              │
		  └──────────────┘                    │  embedded    │
		  ┌──────────────┐                    │  BitTorrent  │
		  │  tracker     │◂── announce ────── │  engine      │
		  └──────────────┘                    │              │
		  ┌──────────────┐                    └─────┬────────┘
		  │  web seed    │◂── fallback ───────────┤
		  └──────────────┘                          │
		  ┌──────────────┐                    ┌─────▾────────┐
		  │  directory   │◂── status ──────── │  BitTorrent  │
		  │              │──▸ peer hints ───▸ │  swarm       │
		  └──────────────┘                    └──────────────┘

Zodra de bestanden zijn gedownload, delen de nodes ze rechtstreeks met elkaar, peer-to-peer. Een tracker helpt nodes elkaar te vinden. Hoe meer nodes meedoen, hoe veerkrachtiger en beter beschikbaar het archief wordt.

vertrouwen

Twee afzonderlijke cryptografische sleutels beheren het netwerk. De curator van een archief ondertekent een manifest dat bevestigt dat dit authentieke documenten zijn met geverifieerde herkomst. De beheerder van het netwerk ondertekent het register dat de nodes vertelt wat ze moeten seeden en waar het te vinden is.

Door deze scheiding zijn archivarische autoriteit en infrastructurele autoriteit onafhankelijk van elkaar. Een nieuwe curator kan een collectie overnemen zonder toegang tot de infrastructuur nodig te hebben, en een nieuwe beheerder kan het netwerk beheren zonder toegang tot het archief.

de apparaten

Het netwerk draait op geredde hardware zoals laptops uit het e-waste, tablets uit de la en telefoons met gebarsten schermen, hersteld met een lichte Linux en omgebouwd tot archiefservers. Afgedankte technologie omvormen tot infrastructuur voor het bewaren van afgedankte kennis zien wij als het centrale gebaar van compost.cc.

De node-software is ontworpen voor deze machines: één binary van zo’n 20 MB die ongeveer 40 MB RAM gebruikt, voor Linux op x86/ARM/MIPS, zonder technische configuratie na de eerste installatie. Wie een node draait, kiest zelf hoeveel er wordt geseed op basis van de beschikbare schijfruimte — zelfs een minimale bijdrage van een oude telefoon versterkt de veerkracht van het archief. Het netwerk omvat ook servers van eclips.is en het Digital Methods Initiative.

permacomputing de commons

compost.cc werkt volgens de filosofie van de commons. Deze archieven zijn niet iemands eigendom. In plaats daarvan worden ze gezamenlijk onderhouden. Het project put ook uit permacomputing — een kader voor digitale praktijken dat de materiële en ecologische kosten van rekenen serieus neemt en zorg, reparatie en het langer gebruiken van bestaande middelen verkiest boven vervangings- en upgradecycli. compost.cc staat erop dat hardware het repareren waard is en dat infrastructuur leesbaar hoort te zijn.

meedoen

Draai een node. Heb je een oude machine — ook een zwakke — dan kan die deel worden van het archief. Installeer de node-software en stuur ons een e-mail voor een uitnodigingscode.

Neem een apparaat mee naar een workshop. compost.cc organiseert praktische sessies bij culturele instellingen waar deelnemers oude apparaten meenemen en vertrekken met een werkende archiefserver. Technische voorkennis is niet nodig.

Doneer hardware. Oude telefoons, tablets of laptops — vooral als er Linux op kan draaien. Neem contact op.

Organiseer een workshop of tentoonstelling. Leid je een instelling en spreekt dit je aan, laat het ons weten.

Bekijk de code. Alles is open source op codeberg.org.

Vooral: neem contact op: hola@compost.cc.

despre

problema

Multe arhive culturale importante sunt aproape invizibile. Unele sunt păstrate cu grijă de arhiviști care nu au cunoștințele sau resursele necesare pentru a găzdui copii digitale. Altele dispar. Instituțiile își pierd finanțarea, serverele ies din funcțiune, hard diskurile cedează, regimurile politice se schimbă. Când o arhivă digitală depinde de o singură organizație sau de un singur server, ea durează doar atât cât bugetul acelei organizații sau cât timp funcționează acel server.

compost.cc invită oamenii să împartă munca de conservare — distribuind arhivele pe multe mașini, în multe locuri, întreținute de cei cărora le pasă de ele. Nu ne interesează descentralizarea de dragul descentralizării, ci responsabilitatea colectivă: mai multe mâini, mai multă reziliență, un simț mai bun a ceea ce presupune menținerea în viață a cunoașterii comune.

cum funcționează

Fiecare nod din rețea rulează un singur program mic care face totul: verifică o listă semnată a ceea ce rețeaua păstrează în acel moment, descarcă fișierele corespunzătoare și le partajează cu toate celelalte noduri prin BitTorrent. Lista este semnată criptografic, ceea ce înseamnă că fiecare nod poate verifica, înainte de a accepta modificări, că nu a fost alterată.

  compost.cc                          node (rescued device)
		
		  ┌──────────────┐                    ┌──────────────┐
		  │  registry    │── fetch+verify ──▸ │  compost     │
		  │  .json       │                    │  binary      │
		  │  + signature │                    │              │
		  └──────────────┘                    │  embedded    │
		  ┌──────────────┐                    │  BitTorrent  │
		  │  tracker     │◂── announce ────── │  engine      │
		  └──────────────┘                    │              │
		  ┌──────────────┐                    └─────┬────────┘
		  │  web seed    │◂── fallback ───────────┤
		  └──────────────┘                          │
		  ┌──────────────┐                    ┌─────▾────────┐
		  │  directory   │◂── status ──────── │  BitTorrent  │
		  │              │──▸ peer hints ───▸ │  swarm       │
		  └──────────────┘                    └──────────────┘

Odată descărcate, fișierele sunt partajate direct între noduri, peer-to-peer. Un tracker ajută nodurile să se găsească între ele. Cu cât se alătură mai multe noduri, cu atât arhiva devine mai rezilientă și mai disponibilă.

încredere

Rețeaua este guvernată de două chei criptografice separate. Curatorul unei arhive semnează un manifest care atestă că documentele sunt autentice și au proveniență verificată. Operatorul rețelei semnează registrul care le spune nodurilor ce să partajeze și unde să găsească fișierele.

Această separare înseamnă că autoritatea arhivistică și autoritatea asupra infrastructurii sunt independente. Un nou curator poate prelua o colecție fără să aibă nevoie de acces la infrastructură, iar un nou operator poate administra rețeaua fără acces la arhivă.

dispozitivele

Rețeaua rulează pe hardware salvat, precum laptopuri scoase din deșeurile electronice, tablete uitate în sertare și telefoane cu ecranul crăpat, restaurate cu un Linux ușor și transformate în servere de arhivă. Transformarea tehnologiei aruncate în infrastructură pentru păstrarea cunoașterii aruncate este, pentru noi, gestul central al compost.cc.

Software-ul nodului este conceput pentru aceste mașini: un singur binar de aproximativ 20 MB, care folosește în jur de 40 MB de RAM, pentru Linux pe x86/ARM/MIPS, fără configurare tehnică dincolo de instalarea inițială. Cei care operează un nod aleg cât să partajeze în funcție de spațiul disponibil pe disc — chiar și o contribuție minimă de pe un telefon vechi întărește reziliența arhivei. Rețeaua include și servere puse la dispoziție de eclips.is și de Digital Methods Initiative.

permacomputing-ul bunurilor comune

compost.cc funcționează după filosofia bunurilor comune. Aceste arhive nu aparțin nimănui. În schimb, sunt întreținute în comun. Proiectul se inspiră și din permacomputing — un cadru pentru practici digitale care ia în serios costurile materiale și ecologice ale calculului, punând grija, repararea și folosirea îndelungată a resurselor existente înaintea ciclurilor de înlocuire și upgrade. compost.cc insistă că hardware-ul merită reparat și că infrastructura trebuie să fie lizibilă.

participă

Rulează un nod. Dacă ai o mașină veche — chiar și una slabă — ea poate deveni parte din arhivă. Instalează software-ul nodului și trimite-ne un e-mail pentru un cod de invitație.

Adu un dispozitiv la un atelier. compost.cc organizează sesiuni practice la instituții culturale, unde participanții vin cu dispozitive vechi și pleacă cu un server de arhivă funcțional. Nu sunt necesare cunoștințe tehnice.

Donează hardware. Telefoane, tablete sau laptopuri vechi — mai ales cele pe care poate rula Linux. Contactează-ne.

Găzduiește un atelier sau o expoziție. Dacă conduci o instituție și te interesează, scrie-ne.

Răsfoiește codul. Totul este open source pe codeberg.org.

Mai presus de toate, scrie-ne: hola@compost.cc.

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