Editing Magnifica Humanitas: A Plain-Language Overview (section)

=== Subsidiarity and the independent craftsman ===

The idea of '''subsidiarity''' has particular importance for Perl Guilds.

Perl-Guilds.net exists in part to encourage independent programmers, small consultancies, specialists, maintainers, and other craftsmen who may work outside large technological institutions.

The principle of subsidiarity suggests that larger structures should support smaller actors when support is needed, but should not unnecessarily absorb work which individuals, families, local communities, small businesses, or voluntary associations can perform competently themselves.

This has a direct technological application.

Not every useful application needs to become a centralized cloud platform.

Not every service needs to require a permanent network connection.

Not every piece of data needs to be transferred to a large remote provider.

Not every programmer needs to become an employee of an enormous technology company in order to perform valuable work.

Not every customer needs to surrender control over his tools and information merely because centralized systems are technically possible.

The Perl Lazarus Project provides one practical example.

A capable desktop application can perform work locally when that work belongs naturally on the user's computer, while communicating with remote services when centralized resources are genuinely appropriate.

The question is not “desktop versus cloud” as an ideology.

It is:

<blockquote>
'''Where should this work properly be done?'''
</blockquote>

That is a question of Practical Wisdom and subsidiarity.