So I think this is a really interesting bill which I totally support but the skeptic in me wonders why gov funds are needed. Like if people want to do it, they should do it. If they need to raise funds I think that can be done (Techshop right?) but if it needs gov subsides then perhaps there really isn't a (sustainable) market for what we do.<div>
<br></div><div>Anyhow, if our stimulus dollars are going to pay for a lasercutter and CNC machine at the Node I'm not going to stop anyone but again I wonder to what effect the gov can understand that various fablab/techshop/hackerspaces etc needs and then meet them.<br>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Sep 23, 2010 at 5:06 PM, Far McKon <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:farmckon@gmail.com">farmckon@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
<div class="im">On Thu, Sep 23, 2010 at 3:53 PM, Jesse Krembs <<a href="mailto:jfk@893studio.com">jfk@893studio.com</a>> wrote:<br>
</div><div class="im">> I 've spent some time in the MIT fablab and difference between them and a hackerspace is pretty small. Both Neil<br>
> and Amy Sun are easy to talk to and easy to find.<br>
<br>
</div>I'm all for fab-labs (gov't or Uni funded) or tech shops (for profit)<br>
but my heart is in hackerspaces. Partially, because they are a lower<br>
bar to entry, as a member or creator, much like Open Source software,<br>
vs reasonably costing proprietary software.<br>
<br>
As hackers, people tend to be hands on, and often when things get tied<br>
to existing institutions, the ability to get involved, have a say, fix<br>
problems you see, become harder.<br>
<br>
IHMO, it would be both awesome and sad if there was a 'Kinkos' of<br>
hackerpsaces (which I think Tech Shop wanted to do in the 90's).<br>
Awesome on lowering the bar to innovation, play, and design. Not so<br>
awesome to opening up systems to getting into the guts, and improving<br>
them.<br>
<br>
hack on,<br>
- Far McKon<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.Hive76.org" target="_blank">http://www.Hive76.org</a> "Making things awesome, making awesome things!"<br>
<a href="http://www.FarMcKon.net" target="_blank">http://www.FarMcKon.net</a> "Creatively Maladjusted"<br>
<div><div></div><div class="h5"><br>
<br>
<br>
> If you'd like to know more a quick email to Neil might do the trick.<br>
> Isn't the AS220 space a hackerspace and fablab?<br>
> Jesse Krembs<br>
> 802.233.7051<br>
> Sent from MDT.<br>
><br>
> -----Original Message-----<br>
> From: Bryan Bishop <<a href="mailto:kanzure@gmail.com">kanzure@gmail.com</a>><br>
> Sender: discuss-bounces+jfk=<a href="http://893studio.com" target="_blank">893studio.com</a>@<a href="http://lists.hackerspaces.org" target="_blank">lists.hackerspaces.org</a><br>
> Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2010 14:32:53<br>
> To: Hackerspaces General Discussion List<<a href="mailto:discuss@lists.hackerspaces.org">discuss@lists.hackerspaces.org</a>>; Open Manufacturing<<a href="mailto:openmanufacturing@googlegroups.com">openmanufacturing@googlegroups.com</a>>; diybio<<a href="mailto:diybio@googlegroups.com">diybio@googlegroups.com</a>>; World Transhumanist Association Discussion List<<a href="mailto:wta-talk@transhumanism.org">wta-talk@transhumanism.org</a>>; Bryan Bishop<<a href="mailto:kanzure@gmail.com">kanzure@gmail.com</a>><br>
> Reply-To: Hackerspaces General Discussion List <<a href="mailto:discuss@lists.hackerspaces.org">discuss@lists.hackerspaces.org</a>><br>
> Subject: Re: [hackerspaces] National Fab Lab Network Act of 2010 (111-HR6003)<br>
> On Thu, Sep 23, 2010 at 2:04 PM, David Powell <<a href="mailto:davepow16@gmail.com">davepow16@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
>> When I think of Fab Lab I think of the commercial version of a Hackerspace.<br>
><br>
> Technically, you should be thinking of a fablab as that initiative out<br>
> of the MIT Media Lab. They are usually built under a grant from NSF or<br>
> some other academia/grant body. An example of a commercial hackerspace<br>
> might be TechShop. Most hackerspaces are community owned and operated,<br>
> although they tend to be their own organizations yes (like a co-op,<br>
> LLC, or 501c3).<br>
><br>
>> Although it would be non-profit would it also be inexpensive? I'm all for<br>
><br>
> The fablab initiative out of MIT is not entirely inexpensive. Last<br>
> time I checked they bought most of their equipment from suppliers.<br>
><br>
> <a href="http://fab.cba.mit.edu/about/fab/inv.html" target="_blank">http://fab.cba.mit.edu/about/fab/inv.html</a><br>
> <a href="http://diyhpl.us/cgit/skdb/tree/doc/BOMs/comparison/fablab.yaml" target="_blank">http://diyhpl.us/cgit/skdb/tree/doc/BOMs/comparison/fablab.yaml</a><br>
><br>
> For comparison, techshop's equipment usually includes:<br>
> <a href="http://diyhpl.us/cgit/skdb/tree/doc/BOMs/comparison/techshop.yaml" target="_blank">http://diyhpl.us/cgit/skdb/tree/doc/BOMs/comparison/techshop.yaml</a><br>
><br>
>> creating a network of Hackerspaces. But I don't feel educated enough to<br>
>> write congressmen in support of this bill. I don't think know the people<br>
>> behind the bill. How can I be sure they have my best interest in mind and<br>
><br>
> No, you're absolutely right. I have found that the MIT Media Lab can<br>
> be like a clique sometimes, and particularly avoiding of hackerspaces<br>
> in general.. I could be wrong, maybe they have hit on Nick Farr before<br>
> or something, who knows. But yeah, so far it has been primarily an<br>
> academic pursuit for them (Neil Gershenfeld wanting to answer the<br>
> question "what would people make?"). What would be really amazing is<br>
> having hackerspaces brought on board to this initiative- i.e., using<br>
> the already established hackerspaces in the United States, instead of<br>
> building everything from scratch.<br>
><br>
>> are not trying to make 7 figure living through this "non-profit" like many<br>
><br>
> :-)<br>
><br>
>> do in other non-profits in our country. How can I be sure this is really<br>
>> about the science and technology and not about money? I would need to be<br>
>> better educated before making a decision.<br>
><br>
> - Bryan<br>
> <a href="http://heybryan.org/" target="_blank">http://heybryan.org/</a><br>
> 1 512 203 0507<br>
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</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>-Matthew<br>
</div>