[hackerspaces] Inter-Hackerspace Cooperation and Membership

[quemener.yves at free.fr]

----- "Koen Martens" <gmc at sonologic.nl> a écrit :

> Indeed.. The potential for drama is limited by the fact that this is
> largely a social thing.. An understanding between hackerspaces. .nl
> is small enough that we all have close ties with one-another. And in the
> end, the proposal only is that: an understanding between
> hackerspaces.

I understand that and it will probably work at the beginning but it would work about the same without this structure existing, as as you tell these hackerspaces more or less know each others.
But fast-forward in 5 years. Some guy at hackerspace A decided that real life was getting in the way so he gave the reign to another guy, another hackerspace slowly changed to focus primarily on political activism and keeps bugging others to join a militant movement of some sort and another hackerspace appeared that embarrass a lot of people because they surely have enthusiasm, a place and are very nice, but they aren't doing anything at all. The interest of making a structure that could last in the long term is to make one that could resist such conditions (which I exaggerate but not beyond plausibility)

> Anyway, i'm curious as to how to rework that part so as to avoid
> drama,
> without instating complicated schemes and conditions and all (ie.
> over-formalizing). One option would be to put the spending at the
> discretion of the Hxx foundation itself for example.. Nice and
> simple.

I think that a sort of federation that manages money is doomed into attracting people with a taste for politics. I think that a way in which the Hxx foundation would not be managing anything else than information and trust networks has far more chances of staying out of dissensions. Couldn't there be some sort of exchange program that tracks how much visitors have been greeted, or a sort of recommendation/reputation system where one person could say "this is a valuable member of our lab" ? 
Of course, anonymousness can be a concern with this system... Anyway, as long as it is not a rule...


> > So what prevents the same nasty guy to pretend he represents two
> hackerspaces ? Or to come with one of his friends ?
> 
> Social control. Plus, you actually have to be a hackerspace. A single
> guy/girl doesn't have a say, only a hackerspace (by way of its
> governing body, whatever that may be). But indeed, there is nothing formal in
> there that prevents someone from setting up two hackerspaces. Although
> I
> suspect that would be a lot of work (remember, it has to be a
> convincing
> enough job so that everyone else in the world really sees it as a
> hackerspace) for a limited pay-off..

Agreed, enough precautions could be taken to prevent a random guy being the head of a self-proclaimed hackerspace.