[hackerspaces] Out with the "hackers"... In with the "makers" and the "fixers"

[Justis Peters]

On 11/28/2011 12:01 PM, Phillip Rhodes wrote:
>> I'm sure there will be disagreement as to terms to use, but some change is needed lest we alienate too many people.
> Meh. If the people we alienate are people who are that clueless, short-sighted and/or uninformed (and unwilling to become informed) they weren't meant to be part of this in the first place.
Many of us want our spaces to be intentionally inclusive and even 
accessible. By that, I don't just mean wheelchair access -- I mean 
lowering the intellectual barriers to entry.

This issue of what we call ourselves may not be about accessibility, but 
it is about approachability. If we take a reproach about our 
approachability and turn it into haughtiness, we are moving rapidly 
toward "inaccessible".

Personally, I am happy with this approach:
+ we call ourselves a hackerspace by default
+ depending on who we're talking to or which media channels we are 
using, the terms "makerspace" or "community workshop" may be more 
approachable
+ always be willing to explain the terms "hackerspace" or "hacker" to 
anyone who seems curious or confused

Kind regards,
Justis