[hackerspaces] Does the maker culture get the step on the hackers culture?

[Torrie Fischer]

On Thursday, July 03, 2014 16:26:17 Mark Janssen wrote:
> >> I'm going to attempt to settle the matter.  A makerspace has machines
> >> makes physical objects.  A hackerspace doesn't necessarily have
> >> machines, but has computers and wifi.
> > 
> > What do you call a space which has machines for making physical objects,
> > which also has computers and wifi, which was founded primarily by software
> > people who wanted a place to use their angle grinders, which is neither
> > about politics nor entirely non-political, which does not have a community
> > of its own but which emerged out of a larger, existing,
> > semi-political-semi-artistic community, which it continues to serve but no
> > longer precisely overlaps, which has no interest in becoming a 501(c)3
> > style nonprofit and basically doesn't run any educational programs, but
> > also has no intention of ever making any money, which has a group of.
> > non-democratically-elected managing members who bear formal political
> > authority, but which in practical terms runs as a good-natured anarchist
> > DIY do-ocracy...?
> > 
> > We call it ALTSpace. I don't care whether you call it a hackerspace or a
> > makerspace, it's a cool place either way.
> 
> You can call it what you want, friend, but without a business plan or
> a larger economic/political agenda, I call it a clubhouse, which is
> spelled: D-O-O-M-E-D.

Doomed in what sense? I feel that there are many examples of successful spaces 
that don't have a business plan or larger agenda.

> 
> > I believe there is something *inherently* political in the practice of
> > self-organization for mutual benefit, whether or not the group has broader
> > and more explicit political goals.
> 
> Without more *explicit* goals, you can go the way of sf_x which had a
> great credentialed team of PhDs and committed individuals, yet
> nonetheless dissipated by the power of entropy.
> 
> > I believe that the distinction between software and hardware hacking is
> > growing steadily less meaningful as our civilization continues the process
> > of automating everything in sight.
> 
> The distinction between hardware and software is more important than
> you know, regardless of all those who would blur that distinction for
> purposes of conflict and power.
> 
> > Diversity in forms and goals of hackerspaces is a good thing. No one box
> > can hold us all. Why fuss about labels?
> 
> Well, consider corporations who protect their trademarks with
> million-dollar legal teams.  I mean, no need to re-invent the wheel
> here.  There must be something to it.
> 
> Marxos
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