[hackerspaces] Failing/failed hackerspaces

[Jesse Krembs]

Hey Matt

I would argue that neither the HHH or the L0pht are good examples of failed
spaces.
The HHH was a residence first in my view and just happened to be populated
by hackertypes.
The L0pht predates the modern hackerspaces era, was private and was a
unique beast, also it  didn't so much as get bought by corporate interests
and sold out to (or bought in).

3rd Ward might be better example. (makerspace).



On Fri, Apr 4, 2014 at 12:35 PM, matt <matt at nycresistor.com> wrote:

> > 1.  What are some well known failed spaces to the discussion group, and
> > what caused them to fail?
>
> HHH ( all the things ), L0pht ( purchased by corporate interest ),
> Countless tiny unheard of spaces.
>
> > 2.  Are there any spaces that are "too big to fail", i.e. too much money
> is
> > invested in the space - so much so that it has become a disservice to
> the
> > community instead of an asset?  What are some of the common mistakes
> > that spaces make that keep them from growing or succeeding?
>
> Noisebridge.
>
> I'd ask you this.  Is growth success?  Start with what your own metric for
> success is.  If you are just building a physical edifice to your own
> interest, you've probably already failed.  If you are trying to start a
> movement to support a crusade... again you've failed.  If you are just
> trying to find a group of people you want to hack with... then all you need
> is enough people to be happy and survive.  What keeps people from success
> generally, is failing to identify what their metric for success is.  Or
> trying to do too many things.  You can't be all things to all people.  The
> other big one is believing there is a community to support your goals when
> sometimes there just isn't.  And the last and worst... thinking you can
> turn running a hackerspace into a career.
>
> > 3.  Has anyone taken failed models and used them as sort of a "this is
> what
> > not to do" list?  Where could I source that info?
>
> http://hackerspaces.org/images/8/8e/Hacker-Space-Design-Patterns.pdf
>
> > 4.  For people new to this industry, what are some of the common
> > newcomer mistakes in starting up a makerspace/hackerspace that you would
> > have liked to been made aware of so you could have avoided them and
> > saved yourself a massive headache?
>
> Trust every member of your space as if they had keys to your home.  If you
> can't do that, you've already failed.
>
>
>
>
>
> On Fri, Apr 4, 2014 at 12:13 PM, Mark Henderson <mhenderson683 at live.com>wrote:
>
>>  I have some questions about failed or failing hackerspaces and
>> makerspaces.
>>
>> 1.  What are some well known failed spaces to the discussion group, and
>> what caused them to fail?
>>
>> 2.  Are there any spaces that are "too big to fail", i.e. too much money
>> is invested in the space - so much so that it has become a disservice to
>> the community instead of an asset?  What are some of the common mistakes
>> that spaces make that keep them from growing or succeeding?
>>
>> 3.  Has anyone taken failed models and used them as sort of a "this is
>> what not to do" list?  Where could I source that info?
>>
>> 4.  For people new to this industry, what are some of the common newcomer
>> mistakes in starting up a makerspace/hackerspace that you would have liked
>> to been made aware of so you could have avoided them and saved yourself a
>> massive headache?
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> Mark Henderson
>>
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>
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>


-- 
Jesse Krembs
802.233.7051
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