[hackerspaces] Failing/failed hackerspaces

[Crawford Comeaux]

Would a failing space be one that may be locally successful, but viewed
negatively in the global hackerspace community?


On Fri, Apr 4, 2014 at 2:22 PM, Mark Henderson <mhenderson683 at live.com>wrote:

> I define a failed space as one who's no longer in business.  Doors closed,
> memberships cancelled, 100% out of business.
>
> ------------------------------
> Date: Fri, 4 Apr 2014 12:50:39 -0400
> From: 4phlebas at gmail.com
> To: discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
> Subject: Re: [hackerspaces] Failing/failed hackerspaces
>
>
> Define failed hackerspace- if a nasty space keeps on chugging along
> through geographical/media clout despite severe issues, is it a successful
> space?
>
> -sung
>
>
> 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
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Discuss mailing list
> Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
> http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>
>
>
>
> --
> Jesse Krembs
> 802.233.7051
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.hackerspaces.org/pipermail/discuss/attachments/20140404/5f0ce03a/attachment-0001.html>