[hackerspaces] Failing/failed hackerspaces

[matt]

3rd ward wasn't even a co-working space... it was basically a tech shop
like company that was for profit.  And failed because the owner was
terrible at accounting.


On Fri, Apr 4, 2014 at 12:45 PM, Jesse Krembs <jessekrembs at gmail.com> wrote:

> 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
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Discuss mailing list
>>> Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
>>> http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>>>
>>>
>>
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>> Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
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>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Jesse Krembs
> 802.233.7051
>
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