[hackerspaces] Removing non-hackerspaces from the hackerspaces.org list?

[Buddy Smith]

On Fri, May 6, 2011 at 1:24 AM, Rob Davy <rob at robdavy.com> wrote:
> At the end of the day, is it really a huge issue? So what, there's 3 places
> in Atlanta listed, whoopdy lala! If there was 300 and it was impossible to
> filter out the noise, then sure, but there's 3.
>

It's more a matter of clutter. If the list keeps growing, it'll become
useless. I'm starting the discussion now, because I'd like to prevent
that from happening.

> We (ENTS, Edmonton New Technology Society), conciously choose not to use the
> word 'hacker' in what we do because it has too many negative conitations and
> we get some funding from the City and corporate people, but we're still a
> hackerspace at heart (non-profit, member run, work benches, etc). But we
> also rent some offices to some businesses to fund ourselves. And some of our
> members are more interested in technology business than taking things apart.
>

No problem. You would still consider yourselves a hackerspace (or
makerspace, if you prefer), even if you don't use the word.

> Also, to whoever started this and is in Atlanta with the 'hackerspace' in
> question; have you reached out to them? There's probably a huge overlap
> between your potential users and you should be heavily cross-promoting and
> co-promoting in my opinion.
>

I've met some of the ignition alley people. They're fine, business
oriented people that have very little overlap with a hackerspace. I
did see my first makerbot at a presentation done at Ignition Alley. I
still don't think it belongs in the list of hackerspaces, because,
again, it is not a hackerspace.

If it smells like a hackerspace (it doesn't. it smells quite nice),
and looks like a hackerspace ( it doesn't. it's quite nice), and feels
like a hackerspace ( it doesn't, it's quite nice), then it is a
hackerspace. Ignition Alley is a great space and a great idea, but it
doesn't belong on the hackerspaces wiki.

> Hackerspaces and coworking spaces are very similar concepts. Don't be afraid
> of that, embrace it!
>

I'm not afraid. I just like my hackerspaces to be hackerspaces and my
coworking spaces to be coworking spaces. If a hackerspace wants to be
a coworking space as well, I have no problem with that. But a
coworking space listed on hackerspaces.org that follows none of the
motifs or ideals of a hackerspace? That bothers me.

--buddy