[hackerspaces] Inter-Hackerspace Cooperation and Membership

[Koen Martens]

On Thu, Jan 07, 2010 at 04:50:14PM -0800, Sean Bonner wrote:
> On Thu, Jan 7, 2010 at 4:40 PM, Deech <deech at ninjacow.net> wrote:
> 
> > but it seems
> > like it'd be a good community thing for the groups with spaces to
> > offer access for visiting hackers.
> 
> ...
> 
> 
> >
> > What does everyone else think?
> 
> 
> 
> I'm curious, have you ever been denied access to a hackerspace? I ask
> because in the 3 years or so that I've been visiting spaces all over
> the world not only have I never been turned away but I've always been
> welcomed with open arms. So I'm just wondering if there's a need for
> this, or if it's already happening unofficially.

Well, there's c-base, where basically if you're not a member you do not
get access to the members-only area (unless escorted, and really, in
off-times it isn't so strict).

Anyway, the whole idea has been tossed around Dutch hackerspaces for a
while now, although we still are not sure about the details. We came up
with a slightly larger membership fee. The additional fee would go into
some national hackerspace fund somehow, and participating hackerspaces
would then accept these 'members+' to their facilities and use their
equipment.

One area where this might be a difference: at revspace we plan to ask a
small fee for workshop participation from non-members. Members of other
hackerspaces could then be exempt from this fee.

Anyway, we are still mulling over the details, because we have another
category as well: people that want to support hackerspaces by becoming a
member but not one specific hackerspace. For example because they do not
live near one of the hackerspaces, but do travel the country a lot and
thus might want to visit any of the spaces from time to time. We're
working out some kind of 'roaming' membership, but again, details are
stil vague.

> I know at Crash Space anyone from any other hackerspace is already
> more than welcome to hang out here while they are in town..

Actually, it is the same with revspace, although we expect one to be in
the company of an established member. Just to be on the safe side
(anyone can come along and claim he is with hackerspace such and such
you know).

Gr,

Koen

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