Tech Learning Collective

Technology education for radical organizers and revolutionary communities.

  • September 8, 2020 4:00 PM (-0400) September 8, 2020 5:30 PM
  • Remote
  • Status: CONFIRMED

Tickets are no longer available for this event.

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Event description

Learn how to inscribe your thoughts, dreams, and desires into your computer and take your command line skills to the next level by learning how to write simple programs called shell scripts. In a way, invoking commands one at a time is like writing a program interactively, whereas writing a script inscribes that knowledge into a more permanent form. By learning how to turn commands into simple scripted programs, you can unlock the almost magical potential of your computer and more easily share that potential with others to whom you distribute your scripts.

Workshop Description

At their core, digital computers are very complex writing instruments. Like pen and paper, they allow us to record our thoughts, dreams, and desires for later review. Unlike pen and paper, they allow us to do this at the speed of electricity and at a scale never before imagined possible, and their ability to directly manipulate the physical world through servomotors, industrial control systems, biomedical devices, and other robotic prosthesis means they can potentially supercharge every facet of our humanity.

When a system administrator or programmer uses a computer, they often issue instructions one by one using a special-purpose, text-only interface called a command line. Individually, these instructions are called invocations. (Yes, that’s their technical term!) In this beginner’s workshop, you’ll learn how to write whole spells, rituals, or (sacred) texts called shell scripts to inscribe your own thoughts, dreams, and desires in the electrified silicon and minerals of your computer.

By saving your scripts in files, you can invoke arbitrarily complex routines to reproduce tasks or automate complex procedures with a single command. Writing scripts also makes it possible to share what you can do with others and, as such, are one the simplest forms of computer program that you can write and distribute. Come learn how the magic of digital inscription can help you do your work, and increase your power to accomplish your dreams.

As this is a remote/online-only event, there is no physical class space, but attendance is still limited to 15 students, so purchase your ticket now to reserve your spot.

To participate in our webinars, you will need access to a modern Web browser such as an up-to-date copy of Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome. You will also need a reliable Internet connection. We recommend disabling Wi-Fi and plugging your computer in to a hard-wired Ethernet network cable for the duration of the webinar, if possible.

If you would like to share your video screen or appear on camera, you will need to have and activate your own camera, such as the one built-in to many modern laptops. Similarly, to speak with the rest of the webinar participants, you will need a microphone. If you do choose to activate your microphone, we ask that you please plug in headphones/ear buds or use a headset in order to help reduce audio feedback loops that can degrade the webinar experience for other participants.

Please refer to our workshops and webinars FAQ for additional tips and advice before you join the video conference.

As with all Tech Learning Collective events, racism, queerphobia, transphobia, sexism, “brogrammer,” “manarchist,” or any kind of similarly awful behavior will result in immediate removal from class without a refund. Please refer to our lightweight social rules for details on our strictly enforced no-tolerance policy against bigotry of any kind.

About Tech Learning Collective

Tech Learning Collective is an apprenticeship-based technology school that trains politically self-motivated individuals in the arts of hypermedia, Information Technology, and radical political practice. We offer unparalleled free, by-donation, and low-cost computer classes on topics ranging from fundamental computer literacy to the same offensive computer hacking techniques used by national intelligence agencies and military powers (cyber armies). For more information and to enroll, visit TechLearningCollective.com.

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