[757labs] DARPA likes maker spaces

[Trevor Lewis]

My wife recently asked me who runs the lab. Honestly I had no good
answer. I mumbled something about Ethan being the bossy sort, and the
rest happening by committee.

It's obvious that the committee part isn't really happening (except
when it comes to filling the fridge with soda), and that E is doing
things not necessarily because he wants to, but because nobody else is
doing them. I've been in this situation before, and it stinks.

The problem with groups of people is everyone starts talking, everyone
gets excited, and nothing gets done. Maybe it's time to make some
official officer types (pres, vp, secretary, treasurer, board members,
etc) and delegate some of the responsibilities out.

Simply put, I'm willing to help in any way I can. Hell, even if there
is just one day out of the month set aside for maximum participation,
a lot will get done. First part of the day go over what needs to
happen in the next month, next 6 months, the next year. Then go over
all the projects in progress, and get a status update. Anything to old
or stale goes in the pool for garbage collection. Next 4 or 5 hours of
the day spend it working as a lab on the projects, see if any can be
finished right then and there, see what's just dead, and what should
be saved. 2 hours the first month dedicated to clearing the shelves,
swiffering behind the servers, and replacing light bulbs and I think
things will be rockin.

Okay, so I'm not officially a member. Nobody wants my money. But I'm
in a picture on the website, so I exist damnit. Anyway, I'm willing to
take the time to help figure this out, the lab is too cool of a place
to lose.


On 12/1/11, Eric G <eric at nixwizard.net> wrote:
> 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
> _______________________________________________
> 757labs mailing list
> 757labs at 757labs.org
> http://757labs.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/757labs
> If we knew what we were doing it wouldn't be research.
>


-- 

Failure is just success rounded down. - T-Rex

Sent from your iPhone.