ABSTRACT
This chapter lays out a number of concepts and terms that are necessary to understand arguments which appear later in the book. It provides context for elaborations of the subjects approached in later chapters and aims to create a common baseline of understanding, whether that is of alienation, mass customization, user-centred design, or relevant concepts from science and technology studies. It provides an initial overview of concepts such as “digital” and “digital goods” as they relate to the idea of digital fabrication. It also introduces a definition of “standards” as they relate to concepts which are brought up at more length in later chapters.
