[Noisebridge-discuss] Charging for classes at Noisebridge

[David Yao]

Sorry, I also have only read about half the comments... but here's goes my 2
cents.

On Sat, Jul 17, 2010 at 12:49 PM, Leif Ryge <leif at synthesize.us> wrote:

> I haven't seen anyone in this thread asking anyone else to give their
> labor away for free, although almost all of the classes at NB so far
> have been made possible by many people's generous willingness to do so.
>

By reading a couple of your messages, I actually got the impression that it
was you who was against any fee (including labor compensation). This seemed
based on your feeling that having any classes for a fee would automagically
lead to all other classes to be for a fee, and that this would cause a mass
exodus from NB.


> I'm all for compensating skilled instructors who are trying to make
> their living teaching, which is why I'll bringing up the threshold
> pledge model of funding free classes for discussion at next week's
> meeting. I hope to see you there!


> ~leif
>

Glad see I was mistaken, because otherwise that view sounded way too closed
minded. I don't think the exodus is a bulletproof cause-n-effect
relationship at NB despite prior stated sentiments. See below.

The original poster already said his idea was to have essentially a
suggested donation system since he had no intention to enforce the fee (ie,
no way to enforce exclusivity for the fee-paying students). As others have
pointed out, there is no socially and/or physically viable way to enforce
exclusivity. Such exclusivity is not in nature of NB (architecturally and
socially). As long as that is understood by both students and instructors
(expectations are properly managed), then I think a suggested fee and some
unsolicited donation to NB by the instructor makes some sense.

Basically, regardless of whether class fees are good or bad for NB, I want
to say that enforcement of class fees is not viable in the NB environment. I
think instructors can ask for money, they just shouldn't expect it or demand
it. At the same time, students who give money cannot expect or demand that
their fellow students do the same. Any money that is given is at the whim of
each participants, which is how NB in general has appeared to run to my eyes
anyway (including membership fees). So I think a suggested fee system
shouldn't be such a big deal.

A few comments details:
I would not cap how much an instructor can receive. I would not collect the
fees, instead use an opaque donation box. I have the opinion that how much
an instructor receives is private, and should not be allowed to affect
future giving. However, a Kickstarter style pledge system sounds good too
since it relieves a lot uncertainties versus depending upon on-the-spot
donations.

-
DY
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