introduction

Director of Compliance, SFC

Founder, JMP(.chat)

a history of personal tech autonomy

for a long time: inherent

1910s: personal transportation tech

1920s: planned obsolescence

1960s: software freedom for some

1970s: personal computers

1976: An Open Letter to Hobbyists

2020s: Sonos, Car Thing, Echo, ...

ongoing erosion of software freedom

software freedom is not keeping up with technology changes

only available to a small fraction of people

necessary but not sufficient

personal tech autonomy precedents

cars, trucks, tractors

a lot more history, a lot more (good!) precedent

maybe we can use these to help frame the discussion...

Box Theory

there should be no limitations on how you can
modify/change/adapt/repair/fix a device in your possession

within that box's four walls, you decide how it operates

to consider further

"possession"

liability - solved (thanks, cars!) already

Box Theory is a multi-pronged approach

what does Box Theory give us?

what's in a name?

Box Theory of Repair

Box Theory of Agency

Box Theory of Autonomy