[hackerspaces] National Fab Lab Network Act of 2010 (111-HR6003)

[Matthew Forr]

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.

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.

On Thu, Sep 23, 2010 at 5:06 PM, Far McKon <farmckon at gmail.com> wrote:

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



-- 
-Matthew
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.hackerspaces.org/pipermail/discuss/attachments/20100923/ab34ab9c/attachment-0001.htm>