[hackerspaces] hacklabs.org

[Kris Gesling]

Hey I'm definitely the same in terms of enjoying and valuing both the
political and non-political sides of hacking. I do normally use the two
terms interchangeably myself but I suppose it has just been recent
experience particularly with the new Australian hackerspaces popping up that
they're more on the non-political side of things but the groups that I've
collaborated with overseas on campaigns or just checked out their website
for some reason and its been overtly political have been hacklabs or
hackbloc.

I know there is no set differentiation between the two as there is no
control over who can use the term, perhaps it is the other way around
whereby the more overtly politically minded are more likely to go with a
name like hacklab and the groups that at least want to downplay their
politics tend to be more attracted to calling themselves a hackerspace.

I definitely don't want to start splitting hackerspaces and hacklabs up or
making people think they should choose one name over the other because of
some random Aussies thoughts on whether that makes them political or not.
They've just been the thoughts floating around my head lately and I'm in a
contemplative mood spurred particularly by jaromil. It's also making me
think about how I'm going to be involved with the local hackerspaces. The
one we're starting in Newcastle has some strong political campaigns already
in the mix but it also has the random FOSS and playing around with robots
stuff for the hell of it so there'll hopefully be a nice mix. Many of the
other hackerspaces that I've been following in Australia though seem to be
focusing all their attention on personal projects, even a bit about doing up
cars and stuff which definitely isn't my kind of thing but still I'm hoping
they will thrive.
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