[ELECTRON] The Electron Club's Fifth Birthday.

[Andrew Back]

Hi Clive,

On (21:06 26/06/11), Clive Mitchell wrote:
> On 26 June 2011 12:34, Andrew Back <andy at smokebelch.org> wrote:
> > PS. Glasgow may well boast having had the UK's first hackerspace (if you
> > don't count Access Space in Sheffield) back in 2004. With thanks to, IIRC
> > Kenny Duffus and other ScotLUG folks, who helped get this off the ground.
> >
> 
> Electronics clubs have been around all over the world since the 70's
> or before.

I was a member of amateur radio etc clubs over 20 years ago, so I appreciate
that grassroots technical communities of interest have been around for quite
some time.

This is not the same as a hackerspace.

Mention textiles at a 1970s ham radio club meet and you'd have likely been
met with sexist remarks about "the wife", and if male had your sexuality
crudely called into question. Model engineers often had little interest in
electronics. Etc etc...

Hackerspaces are multidisciplinary and, as the name suggests, the hacker
ethic is central to them. It's not just about technology for its own sake,
and they are at the nexus of this _and_ art and politics etc. Were this not
the case, and were it not for the inclusive nature and wider participation,
the EC would very likely not be around now. Think for a moment who hosts it
and what their remit is. I can't imagine the room being provided rent free
for five years for use for a single, narrow purpose.

The EC, and ChIT before it, were set up explicitly as hackerspaces; not
electronics or computer clubs; not amateur radio societies; not new media
art collectives; not independent media organisations; not technology
recycling groups; not green initiatives. But as a home to all these things
and more. They are not simply part of a continuum of people periodically
coming together for a spot of tech talk (which is not to say that I do not
enjoy this!)

>  A modern hackerspace should really boast some modern
> CAD-CAM manufacturing equipment.

Of course, this sort of thing would be extremely useful. I guess that the
availability of space is the main issue. And if we're talking machine tools
the fitness for purpose of that space. Floor loading, appropriate power
supply, room finishings and noise might all present challenges at the CCA.

I do remember hearing about efforts to set up a Fab Lab in Glasgow. Did this
get anywhere? If not, it might be worth speaking with the Manufacturing
Institute, as they were instrumental in setting one up in Manchester and, I
believe, are hoping to spread them across the UK.

Cheers,

Andrew

-- 
Andrew Back
a at smokebelch.org