Building a Hacker Space (2007) [pdf](fahrplan.events.ccc.de)
fahrplan.events.ccc.de
Building a Hacker Space (2007) [pdf]
https://fahrplan.events.ccc.de/congress/2007/Fahrplan/attachments/1003_Building%20a%20Hacker%20Space.pdf
25 comments
These inspired also us to open a hackerspace (or hacklab as we call them here). It has been interesting to see patterns happens in real life. Especially the Sine Wave pattern comes and goes by the time.
Also I recommend people to read through these.
Also I recommend people to read through these.
Hi Georgyo! :)
I was jumping on here to say the same thing - we shared these guidelines with new folks regularly, and they helped us avoid some mistakes along the way. We've iterated on them of course, but it was wonderful to have a sane starting place
I was jumping on here to say the same thing - we shared these guidelines with new folks regularly, and they helped us avoid some mistakes along the way. We've iterated on them of course, but it was wonderful to have a sane starting place
I wish I could've gotten the time off work for Hackers on a Plane. I helped Nick publicize it but couldn't myself participate. Only in wildest dreams would it have succeeded as it has.
Looking back at these patterns and stories, now 13 years into the i3Detroit hackerspace, is wild. They are not a strict prophecy, but they foretell a lot of the things we've encountered along the way. (Never had anyone try to live at the space, but pretty much everything else and so much more...)
I think the hardest problem has been shaking new members of the idea that they're just passengers. Obviously the founders and early members knew they were shaping things as they went along. But later members perceive the group as "fully formed" and don't seem as comfortable taking the reins.
Looking back at these patterns and stories, now 13 years into the i3Detroit hackerspace, is wild. They are not a strict prophecy, but they foretell a lot of the things we've encountered along the way. (Never had anyone try to live at the space, but pretty much everything else and so much more...)
I think the hardest problem has been shaking new members of the idea that they're just passengers. Obviously the founders and early members knew they were shaping things as they went along. But later members perceive the group as "fully formed" and don't seem as comfortable taking the reins.
I once visited a hacker space in Prague, I think it was brmlab. It left such a lasting impression on me, it's hard to qualify. I always wanted to set up a hacker space in my city but never quite felt up to the task.
The most impressive (maker)space I encountered so far was PumpingStationOne in Chicago [1]. Not only do they have a vast amount of space and tools, from metalworking, woodworking, jewelry, fabrics, cooking, electronics and more[2], they have a clever system of authorization and ownership, indicated by a sticker on each device with information and a QR link to their wiki, that ensures people using more advanced equipment are properly trained[3].
[1] https://pumpingstationone.org/
[2] https://pumpingstationone.org/equipment/
[3] https://wiki.pumpingstationone.org/Formlabs_Form_3_SLA_Print...
I wish more cities had a place like this.
[1] https://pumpingstationone.org/
[2] https://pumpingstationone.org/equipment/
[3] https://wiki.pumpingstationone.org/Formlabs_Form_3_SLA_Print...
I wish more cities had a place like this.
Find the others.
Related:
Building a Hacker Space (2007) [pdf] - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15998894 - Dec 2017 (10 comments)
Building a Hacker Space (2007) [pdf] - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12961105 - Nov 2016 (2 comments)
Building a Hacker Space (2007) [pdf] - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15998894 - Dec 2017 (10 comments)
Building a Hacker Space (2007) [pdf] - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12961105 - Nov 2016 (2 comments)
The problems I've had with them were about not feeling safe at the location, and often not getting the sense that the guys cared.
Probably exacerbated if it's a "capital-strapped hackerspace in an expensive city", as the cheaper places to rent will be far-flung.
The document has a refreshingly clear antipattern/solution structure, and it is wise in saying you need at least 4 people before starting one.
Probably exacerbated if it's a "capital-strapped hackerspace in an expensive city", as the cheaper places to rent will be far-flung.
The document has a refreshingly clear antipattern/solution structure, and it is wise in saying you need at least 4 people before starting one.
most important line
> Have fridges for Club-Mate
Yes please! (So sad that it seems no one outside of Germany likes Club-Mate) (pg: 30, 80-81)
Club-Mate: Mate tea soda with less sugar than most sodas but more caffine. (pronounced Klube (rhymes with Tube), Mah-tay)
> Have fridges for Club-Mate
Yes please! (So sad that it seems no one outside of Germany likes Club-Mate) (pg: 30, 80-81)
Club-Mate: Mate tea soda with less sugar than most sodas but more caffine. (pronounced Klube (rhymes with Tube), Mah-tay)
The wiki page seems outdated now, but at some point Noisebridge in SF spent an estimated $700/month on Club-Mate (compare to "other snacks" for $900): https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/Finances
> Guest are fine, but don’t let anyone live there. Kick them out if
necessary.
My friends spent years bootstrapping and maintaining a local hackerspace.
Most of their problems could be traced back to people trying to live at the hackerspace. 95% of people were trying to use it as a hackerspace, but 5% saw it as an opportunity to do some combination of sleep, shower, eat, and relax among interesting people for significantly less than it would cost to rent somewhere. It gets even harder when the person in question is friends with so-and-so, who will try to defend having them live at the space while they're down on their luck.
I was never heavily involved with the space, but having watched their struggles I would agree: Nobody lives there, nobody stays overnight, no exceptions. Maintain a hard line against this and enforce it early.
My friends spent years bootstrapping and maintaining a local hackerspace.
Most of their problems could be traced back to people trying to live at the hackerspace. 95% of people were trying to use it as a hackerspace, but 5% saw it as an opportunity to do some combination of sleep, shower, eat, and relax among interesting people for significantly less than it would cost to rent somewhere. It gets even harder when the person in question is friends with so-and-so, who will try to defend having them live at the space while they're down on their luck.
I was never heavily involved with the space, but having watched their struggles I would agree: Nobody lives there, nobody stays overnight, no exceptions. Maintain a hard line against this and enforce it early.
We had one van-dweller (who was otherwise homeless) that tried to live at our space. We tried to let it work for a while and added rules to deal with issues he created but he'd find a new way to antagonize other members every couple of days. Finally crossed some line and he took us up on an offer to refund his membership dues and go away. Bonus: he was working on a perpetual motion machine the whole time.
I've been intrigued by the concept of a co-living space combined with a hacker-space/co-working space (something similar to a boarding house with attached hacker/maker space) but it does sound like you would definitely have to have a hard separation between the "living" space and the "working" space.
I wonder if its something that could feasibly be organized or if hackerspaces should just stay hackerspaces.
I wonder if its something that could feasibly be organized or if hackerspaces should just stay hackerspaces.
Also worth seeing:
- Design Patterns 2.0: https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/Hackerspace_Design_Patterns...
- Mitch Altman's talk on the above: https://av.tib.eu/media/38105
- Design Patterns 2.0: https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/Hackerspace_Design_Patterns...
- Mitch Altman's talk on the above: https://av.tib.eu/media/38105
Always wanted to start a hackerspace!
What's interesting to me about this is that I used to run a student org, and the same principals apply. Was a great learning experience for me, and I think if you're interested in leadership and building social spaces like this it's something you should take if you get the opportunity.
What's interesting to me about this is that I used to run a student org, and the same principals apply. Was a great learning experience for me, and I think if you're interested in leadership and building social spaces like this it's something you should take if you get the opportunity.
ayyy, I started here when co-founding Baltimore Node (https://baltimorenode.org).
was very heavily involved in the birth and first few locations, say 2009 - 2012. tailed off as my family and work responsibilities grew. happy that it's still a going concern and that the maker scene in town has grown, shrunk, grown again, and stabilized.
they even have a law just waiting on the governor's signature establishing a fund to support more makerspaces: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/s...
was very heavily involved in the birth and first few locations, say 2009 - 2012. tailed off as my family and work responsibilities grew. happy that it's still a going concern and that the maker scene in town has grown, shrunk, grown again, and stabilized.
they even have a law just waiting on the governor's signature establishing a fund to support more makerspaces: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/s...
This is reminding me a lot of participating in and running the ACM chapter at my university. I miss those days of being surrounded by bright, interested people working on whatever sounded fun at the time.
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I missed the slide where it tells you what to do when your hacker space is taken over by militant communists who are more interested in organizing demonstrations about third toilets and the evil of leather shoes. German 'hacker' spaces are infested with people like this. Heaven forbid you just want to make something or are simply interested in experimenting with technology and don't follow the same political dogma. German hacker space? No thanks...
If they succeeded in taking it over then it's theirs now, so you just go on with your life as you see fit! hth!
That sounds so retro now. In Silicon Valley, TechShop and TheShop.build went bust. The gym pay-by-the-month model didn't work. I was a member through most of the life of both of those. Hacker Dojo turned into something like WeWork, then had a staffer ripoff problem, then closed, then reopened recently. The local public library is opening a "maker space", but it's heavy on sewing machines and crafting.
Maker spaces don't seem to work well in high-rent areas. For software-only projects, they aren't really necessary.
Maker spaces don't seem to work well in high-rent areas. For software-only projects, they aren't really necessary.
> Hacker Dojo turned into something like WeWork, then had a staffer ripoff problem
What happened with the staffer?
+1 to the other points. It's quite an interesting challenge trying to find product-market fit for a capital-strapped hackerspace in an expensive city these days.
What happened with the staffer?
+1 to the other points. It's quite an interesting challenge trying to find product-market fit for a capital-strapped hackerspace in an expensive city these days.
A good starting point is to not play it like VC funded startup
It inspired many, including me, to open a hackerspace and to this day is the document I refer people to when they want to start one.
What is amazing is that even after almost 15 years, these design patterns still matches how my hackerspace runs. This isn't because we follow them religiously, just that they are natural and very effective.
I would encourage anyone wanting to create a hackerspace, or any other social space for that matter, read these over.
It is also important to know that these are patterns and guidelines, not rules. If something doesn't fit with your community, your community should be empowered to change things that fit them better.