155 - Summer of Protocols: Past, Present & Future with Venkatesh Rao & Tim Beiko
Oct 6, 2023
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Venkatesh Rao, Program Director of the Summer of Protocols, and Tim Beiko, Ethereum Foundation Leader, discuss the inception of the Summer of Protocols and their favorite projects. They explore the future of protocols, the best experiences from the program, and how to get involved. Learn about the importance of protocols and their role in advancing civilization. Plus, discover the Summer of Protocols website and engage with the research and talented individuals involved.
The Summer of Protocols program explored the power of negative definition in understanding protocols and their connection to memory.
The organizers aim to deepen engagement with protocols, expand protocol thinking, and explore future iterations of the program.
Deep dives
Summer of Protocols: Exploring the World Through a Protocol-Centric View
The Summer of Protocols program, led by Tim Biko and Venkatesh Rao, brought together researchers to study protocols in a broader sense. They questioned what the world would look like if history was viewed through a protocol-centric lens rather than an agent or institution-centric lens. Through various projects, the participants delved into the study of protocols in different domains, such as workplace safety, urban environments, and memory systems. The program revealed the power of negative definition in understanding protocols and the connection between protocols and memory. Moving forward, the plan is to deepen engagement with the world of protocols, expand protocol thinking across various industries, and explore the possibility of future iterations of the program.
Building Protocol Literacy: Engaging with the Research Output
The research output of the Summer of Protocols program will be published gradually on the Summer of Protocols website, which will be freely accessible. Readers will find a diverse range of essays and artifacts produced by the 33 researchers. The website will also contain a researcher tab with individual bios, allowing readers to further engage with the participants' work. Additionally, a newsletter, 'Protocolized', will provide regular updates on new publications and releases. The organizers are also exploring the idea of physical artifacts to provide a tangible engagement with the program's content. The aim is to build protocol literacy and inspire deeper engagement with protocols, expanding perspectives beyond narrow silos of understanding.
Expanding the Field of Protocol Research
The success of the Summer of Protocols program has led to discussions about the future of protocol research. While plans for Summer of Protocols 2024 are not set in stone, there is a desire to build on the program's achievements and explore new questions and formats. The goal is to continue expanding protocol thinking across different domains and industries, beyond the crypto space. This could involve partnerships with other organizations, deepening the exploration of specific domains, and finding ways to make protocol thinking more accessible and useful in practice. The focus will be on addressing important questions and finding the best approaches to advance protocol research and understanding.
The Impact and Significance of Protocol Thinking
The Summer of Protocols program has sparked a meaningful exploration of how protocols shape our world. It has highlighted how protocols can be applied beyond blockchain, such as workplace safety, urban environments, and memory systems. The unique perspectives and outputs of the researchers have allowed for a cross-pollination of ideas and connections across domains. Protocol thinking has revealed the power of negative definition in understanding protocols and the potential for simplification and ossification. By deepening engagement and increasing protocol literacy, the organizers aim to create a community of protocol thinkers, expanding the narrative culture and storytelling capabilities in various industries. Ultimately, the goal is to foster a broader understanding and appreciation for protocols as a fundamental aspect of human coordination.
Joining the podcast today is Summer of Protocols Program Director Venkatesh Rao and Ethereum Foundation Leader Tim Beiko. We cover the Inception of the Summer of Protocols as well as their Present Favorite Projects and what’s coming next.
0:00 Intro 3:24 Summer of Protocols Inception 11:26 Why Protocols Matter 12:29 The Future of Protocols 18:56 The Best of Summer of Protocols 25:48 The Protocol Experience 29:15 How to Get Involved 33:05 Closing Thoughts
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