Metaware? - The quality/ability to change, combine, and encourage creation.

[shae]

There is this particular quality that I associate with the ability to change and create a particular artifact. In programming I'd talk about metaprogramming, where one bit of code can operate on other bits of code. Since this idea is typified by MAKE Magazine, my first thought was to call this word 'MAKEness' but I think that metaprogramming in hardware must be 'metaware'.

I want more metaware artifacts.

I want compositional hardware.

Multiple N800s can talk to each other over bluetooth, wifi or usb.
Multiple OLPC XOs form a mesh network.
Multiple BUGs could do triangulation and other neat stuff with GPS.

Arduinos are somewhat different. They're halfway between a solder-in electronic component and a full computer.
You can buy daughterboards for the Arduino that include TCP/IP over ethernet, bluetooth, XBee/ZigBee (think long range bluetooth), robot-oriented servo controller boards, etc.
Or you can just plug some LEDs into the board and make them flash.

So, multiple Arduinos are compositional in pretty much any way you want.

Ed said that using existing terms, this would be called a 'hardware mashup'. What do you think? Is there an existing word for this idea?

Edit: 'Hackability' is a good name for this quality, but I still want a better word.