A one-day workshop introducing students to cyberdeck design through a feminist lens. Students explore the intersection of cyberfeminism, solarpunk, and DIY electronics while prototyping their own conceptual devices using low-fidelity materials.
🌸 LOFI OPERATING SYSTEMS Alpine Linux & postmarketOS
Minimal systems that allow vintage phones, e-readers, or old microcontrollers to run beautiful offline code.
🌸 LOCAL DATABASES Kiwix Offline Mirrors
Kiwix downloads full local records of offline guides, herbal directories, or recipe catalogs onto simple SD cards.
🌸 MESH CHAT PROTOCOLS Meshtastic Low-Power Radio
Text your besties across miles without commercial cellular towers or paid ISP phone networks using small radio nodes.
[ GLITCH THE WORLD ]
START WITH CARDBOARD!
Do not let hardware intimidate you! Build the physical prototype out of paper and cardboard, make it adorable, and build confidence step-by-step.
PATCHWORK PROTOCOL // SPREAD WITH SPARKS PAGE 2 OF 2
Speaker Prompt: "Look at your smartphone. Can you open it? Can you change the battery? Why does commercial tech look like a sealed block of glass? Cyberdecks represent an exit from this passive consumption."
SLIDES 3 & 4 // PHILOSOPHY & CHASSIS TIME: 20 MIN
Key Concept: Hardware sovereignty and components. Introduce modular single-board processors (like the Raspberry Pi) and the idea of physical sensory custom keyboards. Explain why building interfaces out of materials like wicker or vintage wood is an act of reclamation.
Speaker Prompt: "When we stitch fabrics or use vintage clay with microcontrollers, we bridge the gap between traditional craft and silicon coding."
Key Concept: Directing creative layout flow. Establish that cardboard is not just a cheap container—it is a highly versatile conceptual sandbox. Direct students to first fill out Section 1 & 2 of the Workbook to define purpose before gluing anything together.
Speaker Prompt: "Don't rush to make it look 'cool' or technical. Think about what this computer does. Does it hold garden notes? Does it write offline love letters?"
Common Student Misconceptions
"I don't know how to code, so I can't design hardware." Reality check: Speculative layout design determines software limits. User Experience is physical.
"A custom computer is too expensive." Reality check: Recycling discarded office keyboards or building around a $15 Raspberry Pi Zero proves custom tech is deeply accessible.
GIRLY CYBERDECK FACILITATION PLAYBOOK // NOTES PAGE 2 OF 2
