Download - Future of the Internet – And how to stop it.

Table 4.1. Examples of generative tools
Generative
Less Generative
Tools/ Duct tape a Anchor bolts Jackhammers, while highly leveraging
Construction Hammer Jackhammer for demolition, have few other uses.
Hammers can be used for a greater
variety of activities. They are more
adaptable and accessible, and they
are easier to master.
Square tiles Patterned tiles Square tiles of different colors can be
laid out in a variety of different
patterns. Particularly shaped and
colored tiles aesthetically fit together
in only a certain way.
Paint Decals
Games/Toys Dice, playing Board games Dice and playing cards are building
cards
blocks for any number of games.
Board games are generally specialized
for playing only one particular
game. All, however are accessible:
just as with dice and playing
cards, one could make up entirely
new rules for Monopoly using its
board, game pieces, and money.
Lego bricks, Prefabricated Lego bricks can be assembled into
plastic dollhouse houses or reconfigured for varigirder
and
ous other uses. A dollhouse facilipanel
con-
tates variety in play by its users.
struction
While less reconfigurable than
sets, erector
Legos, it can be a platform for other
sets
outputs. Compared with a board
game, a dollhouse is thus a more
generative toy.
Chess, Connect Four Many variants on traditional games
checkers
involve chess and checkers. The
pieces can also be generalized to
create different games.
Etch-a- Coloring book,
Sketch, paint-bycrayons,
numbers
paper
(continued )
a
Duct tape has been celebrated as having thousands of uses. See, e.g., Duck Prods., Creative Uses
http://www.duckproducts.com/creative (last visited May 16, 2007). Interestingly, one of them is decidedly
not patching ducts. See PAUL PREUSS, SEALING HVAC DUCTS: USE ANYTHING BUT DUCT TAPE
(1998), http://www.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/duct-tape-HVAC.html.