[Noisebridge-discuss] Block over email for noise pollution

Vlad Spears spears at 2secondfuse.com
Fri Apr 9 02:22:27 UTC 2010


I am partially in agreement with davidfine, so a few observations...

On Apr 8, 2010, at 6:11 PM, Ian Atha wrote:
>> If you can't raise $600 from the community for an idea, it's probably
>> not that good an idea.
>
> Corollary (1): nobody in third-world countries has good ideas.
> Corollary (2): no group of "starving artists" can have good ideas.
>
> Note that by community you're referring to the sub-community of people
> interested in music (and not the Noisebridge community at large).


A piano in the space is not limited to the sub-community of people  
interested in it.  It will impact the whole of the space.  If you  
can't get $600 of buy-in from the whole of the space, it's probably  
not a very good idea for the whole of the space.

In corollary 1, you've taken the idea out of monetary context.  In a  
third world context, with a third world Noisebridge (now there's an  
opportunity), the amount would, of course, be scaled.

In corollary 2, you've again taken the idea out of monetary context.   
In the context of Noisebridge in San Francisco, $600 of buy-in isn't  
very much.  In a community of only starving artists, the amount would  
obviously be different.  75 cents?  One dollar?


On Apr 8, 2010, at 6:17 PM, Ian Atha wrote:
> On the procedural, do people believe that, I, as a member of
> Noisebridge, may I say something like this:
>
> I'm very jumpy--many of you have witnessed the effects sudden noises
> to Z-axis coordinate. I tend to jump up a few feet.
>
> Being a member of Noisebridge, I block the the usage of any instrument
> that produces sudden noises. For example, dremels (as long as they are
> used for more than 2 seconds each time) are fine, but don't even think
> of using a staple-gun.
>
> Whether I'm around or not, it doesn't matter. As a member, I block
> their usage within the premises of Noisebridge.
>
> Would my block count? What effect does such a statement have,  
> pragmatically?

A block is for something brought up for consensus.  Preemptively  
stating an intention to block generally seems to serve as a notice  
that the discussion is going in a direction someone is unhappy with,  
even though it has not yet been placed on the agenda for consensus,  
and probably indicates that more discussion and compromise is needed  
or the person stating their intention to block will add it to the  
agenda for consensus.

So you can't just block the use of someone's noise polluting  
equipment.  It has to be put on the Tuesday agenda for discussion,  
discussed, then consensed on the following week or at some time after  
a committee explores it.

It's easy for everyone to knee-jerk on the mailing list.  He might  
have done a more friendly job of it, but I think davidfine was  
operating in the above mode of notifying the discussion that he is  
unhappy with the idea of a piano in the space and looking for  
compromise.    See that he started his statement with "For the time  
being I will block on any notion to bring an acoustic piano to  
Noisebridge."  This is not an immovable position.

I somewhat agree with davidfine that an acoustic piano in the space  
could be problematic, but I think shooting it down is solving a  
problem before it occurs.

Perhaps the real problem is that it has been brought up for discussion  
and some sort of group permission here at all.  It's too late now,  
since it's been brought up and drama-fied, but Noisebridge is a do- 
ocracy.  If people want to bring in a free piano, they can do it, at  
any time.  No need to ask for permission.  If we can't live with it  
after that, someone will bring it up for discussion at a Tuesday  
meeting.

Vlad


> -ian.
>
> On Thu, Apr 8, 2010 at 18:02, davidfine <d at vidfine.com> wrote:
>> For the time being I will block on any notion to bring an acoustic  
>> piano
>> to Noisebridge. It's not a good use of the space. I'd support a  
>> digital
>> keyboard because they can be played quietly, stored out of the way,  
>> and
>> they provide a handy midi interface.
>>
>> Checkout the Yamaha YPG-635, it has weighted hammers like an acoustic
>> and can be bought new for $560.
>> http://www.onlineluxury-shopping.com/product_info.php?products_id=4889&cPath=25
>> This keyboard has better tactile response than any cheap old upright
>> piano you're likely to find.
>>
>> If you can't raise $600 from the community for an idea, it's probably
>> not that good an idea.
>> --D
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