[hackerspaces-theory] ping

[Yves Quemener]

On 05/12/12 09:41, Andrew Schrock wrote:
> That's a very exciting idea. Hackerspaces are already constantly
> self-publishing information as how-tos, presentations, image streams, blog
> posts and so on. It seems like a natural jump to put that information into
> a more formal document. 

Scientific articles writing is a skill by itself. It requires to make a
bibliography (daunting task especially when one encounters paywalls),
verification, publication of data. It takes some document-hunting and
writing skills.

Alternatively, the hackerspace movement could have its own journal with its
own criterion, for instance : no pay-walled references, published data and
open licences on software and hardware created. There, it becomes the
journal that needs to grow a reputation. This is totally possible also.

These endeavour have a possible financial interest : they can open the door
to research grants and possibly get public money to finance full-time or
part-time researchers. That puts DIY research at another level.

Right now, hackaday.com is almost our journal, and fulfills a similar goal
: to publish what is possible to create cheaply and how to do it, and let's
face it, it also serves as a reputation booster, but its criterion are
somehow lax. Instructables has better criterion but no set theme and lacks
the habit of referencing other articles to provide incremental improvements.