The US's West was split up by the Public Land Survey System.

· Bits and Bobs 8/31/26
  • The US's West was split up by the Public Land Survey System.
    • Previously, land surveying would follow the contours of the land.
      • For example, if a property line cuts through a stream multiple times, you might need to build multiple bridges.
    • The PLSS was created to allow administering the vast territory, sight unseen.
    • It optimized for administrative efficiency, not situatedness to the actual contours.
    • Silos in our technology have the same shape.
    • They are black and white, smooth circles.
    • They are simple to administer, but fundamentally inhuman.
    • They also leave a lot of territory between the circles that can't be filled easily.
    • Computing that deeply fits into our lives requires flowing with the wrinkled, fractal contours of our lives.