# Intrinsically Multifunctional Artifacts and [[the Concept]] of Digital Platforms "In the case of other multifunctional artifacts, it no longer seems possible to identify a single function of this kind. Consider a blackboard. We can think about this artifact as a representational tool that permits us to instantiate visual representations, but in this way we avoid specifying how we use it, and instead focus on the kind of representations it provides. We can just as easily use a blackboard for playing a game, for drawing, or for solving a differential equation. There is no prominent function, and [[this seems]] to happen because the blackboard has been a multifunctional tool ever since its inception. However, sometimes we attribute more specific functions to artifacts in several ways, for instance by putting them in a particular location. A blackboard hung on the refrigerator is probably used as a [[shopping list]], at least most of the time, while a blackboard hung on a classroom wall is used for learning purposes. In this respect, personal devices seem comparable to the blackboard, but their multifunctionality appears much stronger. The PC is not a typewriter that also works as an mp3 reader or television that we can use for browsing the internet. It originated as an intrinsically multifunctional tool." - Page 595 "Intrinsically multifunctional artifacts have an indeterminate number of proper functions. Obviously, this does not mean they have infinite functions, insofar as we cannot confer on them any function we like. Inasmuch as new programmes and functions are constantly being created, we cannot determine a specific number of functions for personal devices." ## Brainstorm on Multi-functionality and Limitless Functionality One interesting aspect that isn't mentioned in the Fasoli paper is [[the idea]] of a digital platform. That is, to spit out a rough definition, something that is created so that other applications, systems, etc., can be built on top of it. This concept extends the notion of multifunctionality to a new level, where the artifact itself becomes a foundation for endless creative and functional possibilities. It's like moving from a tool to a toolkit, or even a workshop, where the primary function is to enable the creation of more functions. --- e**v**e_r_y_ `s` **e**_c_~~o~~**n**`d` c**o**`u`_n_`t`**s**