[757labs] DARPA likes maker spaces

[Eric G]

On Thu, Dec 1, 2011 at 4:01 AM,  <telmnstr at 757.org> wrote:
> There was a local named Enferex who collaborated (and still does talk all
> the time in IRC for those that use it.) He wrote some pretty awesome stuff
> that was published under the 757 Labs name. PDFResserect was one and MP3nema
> was another. Plus we collabed on the start of a UAV project that never fully
> got off the ground. During those days I guess we were more productive. It
> seems like all my effort lately has gone into running the hackerspace in
> general and less into doing the cool projects that I'm always dreaming up.
>
> Enferex moved to Melbourne Austrailia to work on his PhD. And really there
> hasn't been anything major to actually come out of the lab.
>
> So at the time, I think we pretty much got passed up.
>
> The odd thing is, the goal for me of the lab was to have a place to work on
> new exciting projects, and it's kind of been the opposite in some ways. It
> has slowed me down.

How has it slowed you down? Did you kind of "step into the role (or
get dragged into the role...)" of running the lab more than hacking on
cool stuff? What's the solution to that problem? (is there one?) Can
you maybe delegate some of the more mundane details so that you can
get back to having fun? (the tone of your email implies you regret
"the old days when collaboration and cool stuff happened)

I like offering solutions instead of just commenting on problems, so
I'll go out on a limb here and say I'm not that great as an
"engineer/hardware hacker," maybe the biggest contribution I can make
to the lab is offloading some of the more mundane lab responsibilities
from you?

I think the whole concept of hackerspaces is great, I agree with Mudge
that they're the "spiritual successor" to the Homebrew computer clubs
of the 1970s... finding 757labs literally influenced my decision to
move back to the Hampton Roads area in a positive way.

--
Eric