after ivan illich. a tool is convivial if it enhances my capability without creating dependency or counterproductivity. the test i apply: does this tool make me more capable, or does it make me dependent on it?

this is the implicit filter behind my whole sse practice, named here as a standalone principle. rssprint is convivial; it runs on my machine, produces a file i own, and requires nothing external. a saas newsletter platform is not convivial; it holds my content, my audience, and my relationship to both.

conviviality is not about simplicity per se. a complex tool can be convivial if it enhances autonomy, and a simple tool can be anti-convivial if it creates lock-in.