OpenKollab

Group: http://groups.google.com/group/openkollab/topics

• An Update of a More Personal Nature [8 Updates]
• The Role of Money… [1 Update]

John Griessen <john@industromatic.com> May 23 02:35PM -0500 ^


 
Suresh Fernando wrote:
 
> the following presentation
> (http://www.slideshare.net/sureshf/ecosystem-collaboration-platform2)
 
> That my thinking is the convergence of all of this is the problem!
 
I've been helping a local makerspace start, and have not posted here in a while,
but saw the above and write since we have seen some odd friction in the starting group
of people as things got going towards physical effort rather than just talk.
 
The enDesign makerspace has been an idea in the space's leaseholder for
a good five years and got triggered to action when some people wanting to
start a hackerspace contacted him. The friction came from some of the
hackerspace folk wanting to create structure and identity so the hackerspace
group could be anywhere eventually, but the enDesign makerspace leaseholder
was thinking of tenants that he would be final arbiter over when it comes
to uses of building and equipment. enDesign was also thinking of types
of use differently — mainly making, manufacturing, where the hackerspace
folks are interested in education, events, entertainment, and only superficial
dabbling in manufacturing.
 
In light of what's happened, where the rules were laid down by enDesign
about scheduling, and terms of use of equipment, (make a deal with it's owner,
essentially), overruling the hackerspace desire for vague communal access privileges,
infrastructure seems necessary. Without the "one person in charge" action,
no agreement would have been reached yet, and not much would be going on
at the space. Now, it's got 5 rooms with doors and electric wiring built since February
and machines like CO2 lasers (two) and CNC routers are going online, and more
on the way and discussion of coop buying more.
 
As far as tech infrastructure for collab… we have a calendar and it's on a wiki.
Not very developed, but inline with your ideas.
 
Any more progress on creating your
Ecosystem Collaboration Platform (software-service-via-subscription)?
Whatever you create will carve out a group of people who like
it's terms and benefits and leave the rest behind still looking.
That's unavoidable. Some like loose structure, some like tight.
Some like to talk 6 hours a day, some need 6 hours of aloneness per day.
 
Collaboration across distance and not face to face is hard. I feel lucky
to have stumbled across the group I'm describing in Austin Texas.
We get to collaborate face to face often.
 
Whatever you do, it needs videoconferencing working well to get people
to try it. If it has rent it needs some instant "almost tangible benefit"
and video is the level you should be aiming at, not just skype audio.
 
John Griessen