Assuming that some hackers were using "Workspace" in Vancouver, you should know that it closed in August for lack of business. "The Network Hub", however, seems to be alive and well. I think it's an interesting idea, but I also think lots of research needs to be done - especially finding out how hardware startups like to work. How do we contact you?
My Dad Asks HN: Should I Build A Hackerspace?
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Re: My Dad Asks HN: Should I Build A Hackerspace?
#12If I was still in Vancouver, I know I’d be there for sure! While you’re researching, check out Montreal’s Foulab: http://www.foulab.org/ http://makekw.org/montreals-foulab-featured-documentary-shor...
Foulab was actually the impetus for this conversation. I used to live in Montreal, although I only heard about it after I left (from an old friend). It's a great, lean, model and I definitely intend to visit next time I am in Montreal.
Saturday House was my other inspiration. I used to attend religiously when I lived in Seattle, and was always impressed with the level of discussion and the collective intelligence of the members. It seemed like it should have been the center of something bigger.
Re: My Dad Asks HN: Should I Build A Hackerspace?
#13I would say it's not a good business decision, even though it sounds cool. Just like internet cafes, I just can't see there being enough paying customers to make it worth it.
Indeed. See this for an example: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberport The idea was to build a complex with shared resources for high-tech companies. They built the complex, but nobody is renting. I was there last week, as I have a friend that works there, and there was absolutely nobody there. It is probably the least populated point on Hong Kong Island, including the mountains :)
Their mistake was going too high-end. Expensive glass buildings, deluxe residences, high-end malls. I want something lean, dirty, and productive as hell.
Re: My Dad Asks HN: Should I Build A Hackerspace?
#14Here's an article from Entrepreneur magazine this month that talks about people who are successfully doing it.
http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/entrepreneur/2009/octob...
It would be hard to imagine being profitable (or sustainable) just focusing on hardware. It can sustain itself if you broaden your audience.
Re: My Dad Asks HN: Should I Build A Hackerspace?
#15I would say it's not a good business decision, even though it sounds cool. Just like internet cafes, I just can't see there being enough paying customers to make it worth it.
My hope would be that the educational side of things would draw people in and build a local market. The space would be able to hold seminars and workshops, which would hopefully inspire people to come back and work on their own. The tenants of the building would also guarantee some use of the hackerspace.
Re: My Dad Asks HN: Should I Build A Hackerspace?
#16Here's an article from Entrepreneur magazine this month that talks about people who are successfully doing it. http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/entrepreneur/2009/octob... It would be hard to imagine being profitable (or sustainable) just focusing on hardware. It can sustain itself if you broaden your audience.
Well, if you have a desk you can have a software company. It might be possible to offer memberships that have limited access to the lab but still have access to conference rooms, desks, printers, reception, etc.
Re: My Dad Asks HN: Should I Build A Hackerspace?
#17Assuming that some hackers were using "Workspace" in Vancouver, you should know that it closed in August for lack of business. "The Network Hub", however, seems to be alive and well. I think it's an interesting idea, but I also think lots of research needs to be done - especially finding out how hardware startups like to work. How do we contact you?
iam (at) nicholasmolnar dot com
Love to hear from you. I am hearing good things about The Network Hub all over the place. I'm going to pay a visit next week. I also did hear about Workspace. I'd love to dig deeper and see if there are some lessons to be learned.
Re: My Dad Asks HN: Should I Build A Hackerspace?
#18It's a great idea in theory, but I don't think that the execution would go too well. IMHO, startup founders and hackerspace users have much different requirements for the space. If I'm working on a startup, I'd be coming to the space when I need to get work done, first and foremost.
That's very different from the hackerspace environment, which is largely a project space. You don't know what will be worked on there or when; it might just be guys hacking code, maybe a little soldering, but maybe not. Someone might start up a robotics project; now you'll have welding / metalwork noise going on. To get an idea of how widely hackerspace projects can range, check out our project list: http://wiki.freesideatlanta.org/project-list.
The only way I could see this working is if you severely limit the type of activities that can be done in the hackerspace. But if you do this, I'm not sure you'd get enough support for it to be sustainable.
EDIT: missed the fact that this is for hardware startups. In that case, I could see this working if the startups / hackers have separate workspaces as well. That way, you wouldn't have to worry about separate hours.
Re: My Dad Asks HN: Should I Build A Hackerspace?
#19> The idea would be that the tenants of the building would be hardware startups who would use the space during the day, and it would be open for hacking and workshops by night. So you're going to look for startups where all the employees leave by 5pm? ...and you're further going to tell them that their space is not secure, and anything that they leave out on a desk will be seen by hundreds of strangers? That sounds r…
These are fair concerns. I think they can be engineered around, however.
There would be lockers available, as well as secured office space. Also, the office workers wouldn't have to leave by 5pm, it would just become more crowded. There would need to be an efficient registration system to make sure the shared resources were fairly allocated in these busy times.
Re: My Dad Asks HN: Should I Build A Hackerspace?
#20It's a great idea in theory, but I don't think that the execution would go too well. IMHO, startup founders and hackerspace users have much different requirements for the space. If I'm working on a startup, I'd be coming to the space when I need to get work done , first and foremost. That's very different from the hackerspace environment, which is largely a project space . You don't know what will be worked on there…
I would imagine that some companies would start in the open hacker space with a project and a locker and then grow into a closed office space/work-space. Some others might already need their own space, but would just like to go down to the hackerspace and occasionally borrow/use equipment. Others might have a workshop and use the space as an ancillary lab.
I don't see why we couldn't accomodate all of those use-cases. The noise is an issue, but hopefully we could have some areas that are far enough away/sufficiently insulated from the heavy equipment/socializing to be relatively quiet.