OF THE LONG NOW
Designing something to be slow, not fast, has required a specific set of design
principles.
LONGEVITY: With occasional maintenance, the clock can be expected to
display the correct time for the next 10,000 years.
MAINTAINABILITY: Creators are using Bronze Age technology, not modern
electronics.
TRANSPARENCY: Because the clock will need to be rewound by anyone who
finds it, its mechanics are self-explanatory. There will be no comparable clock
as a reference point, so the Long Now clock can be reset using star fields.
ABILITY TO EVOLVE: Keeping all the parts and functions of the clock clear
and separate should allow the design to be improved over time.
SCALABILITY: Creators are making it possible to build working models
of the clock from table-top to monumental size, using the same design.