[Noisebridge-discuss] why would hackers come to noisebridge?

Gregory Dillon gregorydillon at gmail.com
Wed Mar 5 23:39:37 UTC 2014


It is a daunting task to bring coverage  to the space during less used
hours.   I live nearby and tried during the morning hours in  January and
first weeks of February and kept notes
here<https://noisebridge.net/wiki/User_talk:Gregorydillon>.
  But I realize that the space means more to those who sleep there then it
does to hackers, so its a difficult dynamic.


On Wed, Mar 5, 2014 at 3:25 PM, Ronald Cotoni <setient at gmail.com> wrote:

> Right, we need more people around all the time.  That is basically the
> solution to everything.  I would like to possibly propose that we setup a
> scheduling system where we can ensure 24 hour coverage of the space.  If we
> can't get 24 hour coverage, we need to figure out a way to deal with those
> situations.  I like having the space open but having the space open with no
> one excellent there is pretty much not excellent.  Perhaps it would also be
> nicer if we can take some time and convert more verbal tradition into wiki
> articles.  Put stickers on everything with a NBurl on it explaining what it
> is.  That could help prevent things from getting thrown out and such and
> walking off.
>
>
> On Wed, Mar 5, 2014 at 3:07 PM, Jake <jake at spaz.org> wrote:
>
>> well, you're doing more to fix the infrastructure than I have lately, but
>> that is not the kind of problems i'm talking about.
>>
>> my complaint is that the culture of noisebridge has become so
>> uninteresting and unrelated to hacking that it is bordering on irrelavent.
>> The fact that you are volunteering your time to maintain the internet at a
>> homeless shelter is quaint, but it doesn't change the fact that most
>> hackers don't want to go there anymore.
>>
>> there are two categories of reasons why a hacker would want to go to
>> noisebridge:
>>
>> 1> other hackers are there, and people they can relate to and share
>> interesting conversation with, or just be around while working on projects
>> of their own.  People are there experimenting on things, hardware software
>> and other, and one might learn something or teach something or make new
>> friends with similar interests.
>>
>> 2> there is a "safe space" with technical infrastructure.  This means
>> that people who refuse to be HIGHLY accountable for problematic behavior
>> are simply not permitted to be present (a much higher standard than we have
>> now).  Oh and lets not forget at least one usable bathroom with a decent
>> toilet seat and toilet paper.
>>
>> This also means that the technical infrastructure is in place and usable.
>> For software people this means the internet works and there are outlets,
>> clean places to sit (with decent posture, not fall-in couches) and tables
>> for laptops and room to work with others.
>>
>> For hardware this means that tools are more than just the bottom of the
>> barrel (try finding a pair of scissors or a phillips screwdriver) and that
>> there are actually nice things (a soldering iron with a temperature control
>> instead of $2 china disposable irons), AND more advanced tools are
>> available such as microcontroller programmers, blank microcontrollers, and
>> other electronic hardware for raw material.
>>
>> Noisebridge used to have a great collection of microcontrollers and
>> programmers and breadboards and jumper wires and advanced electronic tools,
>> but all of that stuff was REPEATEDLY taken down from the top shelf and
>> scattered into the e-waste piles, and then thrown away.  Yes, our
>> microcontroller and programmer collection has made its way to the trash.
>>
>> categories 1 and 2 are related;  if a hackerspace has one without the
>> other, hackers still may not decide to go.  Certainly I think both are
>> equally important.  I also feel that at this time, and for too long,
>> noisebridge has not had either.
>>
>> P.S. please notice that ONE OF THE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP IS TO GO TO
>> NOISEBRIDGE MORE OFTEN.
>>
>> -jake
>>
>> On Wed, 5 Mar 2014, Ronald Cotoni wrote:
>>
>>  You aren't.  We can totally improve it but it requires constant
>>> vigilance and new leadership to step up.  Right now, I am the point man for
>>> replacing stallion which I am doing a
>>> horrible job of since I have a ton of other things going on.   I was
>>> there on Thursday and knew of the door issues.  I was trying to get nohat
>>> (who claims to be a haxor) to take
>>> a look.  He spent a few minutes then gave up.   I suppose I could have
>>> helped and given him more direction but I didn't.   I should have also sent
>>> mail so this is 100% my fault.
>>>  I am sorry.   Speaking of that, I would like to write up a wiki page
>>> and put some stickers with a nburl on it so people can go to it if it is
>>> broken.  That way they can easily
>>> troubleshoot and completely understand the system.  I think there is
>>> already a wiki page but I haven't looked.
>>> Sorry I failed it :(
>>>
>>>
>>> On Wed, Mar 5, 2014 at 2:17 PM, Jake <jake at spaz.org> wrote:
>>>       On Wed, 5 Mar 2014, Torrie Fischer wrote:
>>>
>>>             On Wednesday, March 05, 2014 00:42:03 Jake wrote:
>>>                   someone cut the wires to the payphone that allows
>>> people to open the gate
>>>                   with a door code.  probably because they figured
>>> (correctly) that people
>>>                   would just jam the door open so it doesn't ever latch,
>>> rather than fix it.
>>>
>>>                   nobody capable of splicing eight wires has fixed it
>>> yet, as of last night,
>>>                   because the only people who go to noisebridge now
>>> think that wire is for
>>>                   tying a sleeping bag onto your backpack.
>>>
>>>                   nobody has posted a message to the discuss list
>>> because people who know
>>>                   how to use computers no longer go to noisebridge to
>>> know to post about it.
>>>
>>>                   also, one of the toilets at noisebridge is now for
>>> "liquids only" because
>>>                   the skill and will to repair a clogged toilet are not
>>> available.  The clog
>>>                   is likely due to lack of toilet paper causing someone
>>> to use a handy rag
>>>                   to wipe their ass rather than buy toilet paper.  There
>>> is a mop there, and
>>>                   a sign saying to mop up "when" the toilet leaks.
>>>
>>>                   until the beaurocrats and blockers use their marvelous
>>> power of consensus,
>>>                   blockage, grandstanding and bickering to do something
>>> to improve the
>>>                   overall culture at noisebridge to a point where
>>> hackers actually want to
>>>                   go there, i refuse to acknowledge the results of this
>>> sham election and I
>>>                   hope others do the same.
>>>
>>>
>>>             What would you suggest this "something" is?
>>>
>>>             I understand the sentiments presented here, but it isn't
>>> productive to go on
>>>             about "something being wrong" without constructive
>>> suggestions of what change
>>>             you would like to see at noisebridge.
>>>
>>>
>>> I would assume you are presenting this question to everyone, but it is
>>> worded as specifically addressed to me.  I have made plenty of suggestions
>>> and put plenty of time
>>> into trying to solve problems like this and i have not had sufficient
>>> cooperation or backing.
>>>
>>> If you don't think there's a problem at noisebridge, then there is no
>>> need for you to ask me or anyone to waste our time suggesting solutions.
>>>  But if you do think there
>>> is a problem, I urge you to solicit input from everyone and work toward
>>> getting people on the same page to agree on actions to take.
>>>
>>> maybe i'm the only one who thinks noisebridge has become a sad shadow of
>>> its former greatness and things should change?
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Noisebridge-discuss mailing list
>>> Noisebridge-discuss at lists.noisebridge.net
>>> https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Ronald CotoniSystems Engineer
>>>
>>>
>
>
> --
> Ronald Cotoni
> Systems Engineer
>
> _______________________________________________
> Noisebridge-discuss mailing list
> Noisebridge-discuss at lists.noisebridge.net
> https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss
>
>


-- 
Let's stay in touch.  Greg
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