61–70 of 126 posts
Real Estate. So many quirky things are viable when there's cheaper rent, cheap buying opportunities, or underutilized space. If I could buy space for $150/sq ft, I might have some extra cash, like the idea of investing in real estate, and like the idea of having a cool community hackerspace. If it's going to cost me $1,000/sq ft, I'm barely going to be able to afford the space I want to live in. If a group of us can…
Real Estate. So many quirky things are viable when there's cheaper rent, cheap buying opportunities, or underutilized space. If I could buy space for $150/sq ft, I might have some extra cash, like the idea of investing in real estate, and like the idea of having a cool community hackerspace. If it's going to cost me $1,000/sq ft, I'm barely going to be able to afford the space I want to live in. If a group of us can…
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It can get messy, especially because the very thing the city can offer (real estate) ends up being a political pawn. With no provision in the city’s charter to protect it, anything the city provides is going to be quick to the chopping block. The better way for a city to help is let the local library system manage the relationship or itself be the steward of the space.
This is what my municipality does. There's a maker space run out of the main library with 3d printers, CNCs, laser cutters etc. Just need a library card and to pay some usage fees for materials to access it.
My local library system offers a limited “makerspace” program[0] that does some of this stuff within the library, but I think something that should be more integrated is their Library of Things[1] program which allows patrons to take home all sorts of tools and equipment that are just not used very often.
I think more library systems should be granted the freedom and funding by their governing bodies to create a makerspace.
Footnote: The other option I didn’t address was to have schools/universities maintain them, but those are always reserved for student and faculty.
[0]: https://www.saclibrary.org/Education/Tech-Creation/Makerspac...
[1]: https://www.saclibrary.org/Books-Media/Specialty-Checkouts/L...
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This is what my municipality does. There's a maker space run out of the main library with 3d printers, CNCs, laser cutters etc. Just need a library card and to pay some usage fees for materials to access it.
I honestly think a library is the best place for a general public makerspace for 90% of cases. That last 10% encompasses famous ones in specific cities like Noisebridge in SF or c-base in Berlin (all of which can only exist in that city’s culture scene) and also smaller, niche spaces such as Curious Forge, DIY or die (sadly defunct), etc. My local library system offers a limited “makerspace” program[0] that does some…
Unfortunately I think hackerspace on gov property are doomed to never be cool.
Most hackerspaces I've been a part of couldn't or barely could afford their rent. Memberships were already too expensive, and they were constantly just getting squeezed between membership revenue and hard costs. Ultimately it doesn't add up.
I think a lot of what used to happen at makerspaces has transitioned to libraries. Lots of libraries have 3d printers, et. Now, are free, and don't have the problem with affording space.
Maybe you'll get as many answers as there are hackers here but from my own perspective it seems it went the same way as all other communities. Internal strife, odd personalities, personal differences tore them apart slowly. It's not all bad. In my city it seems the hacker spaces organized by individuals were replaced by maker spaces funded and organized by the city. At least two that I know of, that are now basically…
City funded(subsidized?) maker spaces is such a great idea
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I honestly think a library is the best place for a general public makerspace for 90% of cases. That last 10% encompasses famous ones in specific cities like Noisebridge in SF or c-base in Berlin (all of which can only exist in that city’s culture scene) and also smaller, niche spaces such as Curious Forge, DIY or die (sadly defunct), etc. My local library system offers a limited “makerspace” program[0] that does some…
I disagree, I’ve never found a library hackerspace that I liked. I think the problem is in liability. A real hackerspace has insane liability issues, and city govs are about the most risk averse groups there is. Unfortunately I think hackerspace on gov property are doomed to never be cool.
What do you mean what happened? "Most are gone"? Do we live in different realities or just different places? Every major European city I visit has its own, or multiple, nice hackerspaces. Often smaller cities as well. Most/many of them are coming out of the pandemic more enthusiastically than before.
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Do you live in the wealthiest city in America? I've been to 11 libraries and absolutely none of them have anything on that list.
America is a third-world country in multiple ways. It's just most Americans don't have passports and don't know how bad we have it.
I wonder if it's that the people go who to these places tend to like to build for themselves and tinker rather than build with a customer in mind (nothing wrong with that), and similar people run the spaces in a similar way, so they're run more like hobbies than businesses.