• Registered: 2007-06-17
  • Posts: 17

Topic: New Orleans Hacker Space?

I listened to an inspiring interview from the international version of the CCC podcast.  In that interview, Bre Pettis talks about all the cool hacker spaces he saw in Germany and how they inspired him to start a hacker space in NYC.  He also mentions a book/how-to-guide about creating hacker spaces.  Created by a group of people involved with the hacker space in Cologne, Germany.

Bre then went on to create a hacker space called NYC Resistor with a bunch of folks in NYC.

I have a dream that we can create a space like this in New Orleans.  I've been mulling this over for a while and have been making a mental list of people that would be interested in founding something like this with me.  This is my first time making public mention of it.  If you're interested, please leave a comment.

  • Registered: 2007-06-17
  • Posts: 17

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

The latest issue of 2600 just arrived in my mailbox and I was happy to see an article by Bre Pettis all about rapid prototyping.  I've scanned it and put it online here (3.6MB PDF):
http://la2600.com/pix/HackerPerspective … 9small.pdf

Here are some audio files related to starting hacker spaces that someone on the Linux User Group mentioned (I haven't listened to these yet):

Here is the talk from Last Hope:
http://www.thelasthope.org/media/audio/ … tterns.mp3

And another one on creating Hack Spaces:
http://www.thelasthope.org/media/audio/ … nvalid.mp3

And from the latest Chaos Communication Congress:
http://dewy.fem.tu-ilmenau.de/CCC/25C3/ … cesorg.mp3

Last edited by SimonDorfman (2009-02-10 01:37:05)

  • Registered: 2007-06-17
  • Posts: 17

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

I just bought the domain name HackerHive.org and put up a quick page of text with a link to this forum.

  • Registered: 2008-02-09
  • Posts: 5

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

sup man.  hey if you need help with anything let me know.  although i'm in lake charles i frequent nola every month.

but about the article....i have yet to get my issue in but i just read over the pdf you posted.  i'm short on time right now but i'll be back later to offer up my take on hacker space.  it's a good idea and i commend you for the idea. 

on a side note, i just finished my article on westec securities.  if your interested in reading it i could really use the help in getting this thing published.  i just need an opinion or two.  thanks in advance and good luck.

  • mike
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-02-06
  • Posts: 6

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

I like the idea.  There are obviously numerous ways to implement something like this.   I would be happy to contribute.

  • Registered: 2009-03-07
  • Posts: 1

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

Hiya -- I'm a member of NYC Resistor, and I used to live in Baton Rouge (and before that, Gonzales). I'd love to hear of a hacker space in New Orleans! Has there been any progress? Keep an eye on hackerspaces.org to see when there are the monthly (or so) phone-ins -- you're welcome to participate there, and you may get some ideas about how to proceed.

I know there are lots of reasons why New Orleans might be a challenge -- but I also think there are a hundred reasons why New Orleans would be a wonderful location for a shared hacker space. It's become a kind of community center, teaching space, and clubhouse for us in Brooklyn; our pals at HacDC are doing a lot of community wifi work from their space, too.

Getting a jabber account on jabber.hackerspaces.org is another way to connect with the community and ask questions; there's an IRC channel as well, of course.

Good luck! Message me if I can help in any way.

  • Registered: 2009-03-19
  • Posts: 2

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

Simon,

  I am very interested in helping. I just moved to New Orleans from Baton Rouge and I think Louisiana really needs a space like this. I heard the other day that 7% of area jobs are in the IT field. Although IT is a rather general term, I think it speaks to the growing tech culture in our state. I am guessing, and hoping, that having a hackerspace involves access to equipment, space, knowledge, and people. I think finding the funding to get a project like this going is completely possible, especially in these generous post-katrina times. Please get in touch with me.

  • Dan
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-03-20
  • Posts: 1

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

If you are looking for inspiration on what to build (or otherwise) you might want to go to the FIRST competition this Saturday.
http://www.bayouregional.org/2009welcome.html

  • mike
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-02-06
  • Posts: 6

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

I've toyed with the idea for years of some kind of "computer museum" in the New Orleans-area.  My vision would be to secure some sort of building and have part of it be a museum of technology, with a section for classes and instruction.  It always struck me as exactly the sort of thing the local community needs -- granted, places like the WWII museum are cool, but they wouldn't make the same kind of impact upon the educational community as a technology museum.  It would seem like a natural thing to incorporate some sort of "hacker space" into such a project.  In fact, a small core group of technology-nerds like us could be the driving force behind such a project.  Right now they're opening a "museum of food"... I understand why they're doing it, but New Orleans doesn't even have a decent culinary institute any more.   I really think some sort of grass-roots project to bring a technology space would be a big draw, both in terms of community interest and grants and donations.

  • Registered: 2007-06-17
  • Posts: 17

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

I've been inspired seeing all the different hacker spaces starting up around the world.  Here are two:

http://hackerdojo.pbwiki.com/

http://vancouver.hackspace.ca/

HackerSpaces.org lists bunches and bunches of them.

I plan to participate in a telephone conference with other hacker spaces:
http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/Call-in/2009.04.05

  • n0fx
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-03-30
  • Posts: 2

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

found out about this from a Wired.com article i just read.

504 // 337 hacker/spammer here.


seems interesting way to meet new people who are interested in the same type of technology.

:]

aim - punkRocks
skype - killpolice

msg me if anyone wants to chat!

  • Registered: 2007-06-17
  • Posts: 17

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

Yeah, I just saw the wired post about hacker spaces too:
http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2009/03/hackerspaces.html

Glad to see the idea get more publicity. Hopefully, it'll get people to google "hacker space new orleans" and find hackerhive.org and get involved.

  • Registered: 2009-03-30
  • Posts: 1

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

Just went over to Hackerspaces.org and found my over here. I was very excited to see a space here in New Orleans. I will definately try and make the meeting Friday and get more info and the like. I know of a few people who might be interested as well from programmers to machinists. I really hope this gets off the ground!

  • Registered: 2009-03-30
  • Posts: 1

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

More food for thought:

(Please excuse me if y'all already know about this and I'm being redundant.  For whatever reason, this is something that has just hit the tipping point for me and I see it being discussed everywhere now, the latest example being this thread.)

At this year's SXSW was a panel "Regional Whuffie Building: Attracting Innovation to Your City."  Ostensibly, it was about attracting talent and making successful startups, but mostly they discussed collaborative working spaces.  I didn't attend, but here's a synopsis:
http://groups.google.com/group/coworkin … c7e1?pli=1
and a full video if you're REALLY interested (35 min):
http://www.viddler.com/explore/tonybgoode/videos/54

Now, coworking spaces aren't necessarily the same as co-hacking spaces, but there is undoubtedly some overlap and some inspiration to be had from there.  A new coworking space for entrepreneurs is about to open up here in NOLA:
http://www.voodooventures.com/launchpad/
http://www.vimeo.com/3401999 (promotional video, 5 min)

More on coworking:
http://groups.google.com/group/coworking
http://wiki.coworking.info/

  • Registered: 2009-03-30
  • Posts: 1

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

As a resident of NOLA and person who prefers to DIY when it comes to things of a technical nature, the Hackerspace article was incredibly interesting. I look forward to seeing a Hackerspace in New Orleans. Is there a meeting/planning or some such in the works currently?

  • Registered: 2009-03-30
  • Posts: 1

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

Just wanted to pop my head up and say interested also.  (arrived here via the recent wired article)

  • Registered: 2009-03-19
  • Posts: 2

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

I am seriously ready to try to put this together. Anyone who is interested please email me at benjamin[dot]temporary[at]gmail[dot]com . I figure if we can get 8-10 motivated people together, we can get this thing started. It seems interest has really piqued in the past couple days.

  • ilea
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-03-31
  • Posts: 2

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

Hi! I'm Ilea. I found you all via boingboing/hackerspace.org so popping in to say I'm extremely interested in a hacker space. (I could get some of my projects off the kitchen table!)

Sadly I won't be able to make the meeting on friday my husband works that day and I have the watch the baby. sad

Maybe next time though.

  • Registered: 2009-03-31
  • Posts: 1

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

Hello... I'm here via hackerspace.org and the current boingboing article (and some of simon's recent twitterings as well), but i've been wishing that there was a hackerspace in NOLA for a while now, since I first read about them in MAKE, I think... anyway, I'm absolutely interested and I'd love to be a part of making this happen here. I really think it will flourish in our new DIY post-K New Orleans...

I'll try to make the meeting Friday, if I can! Either way, count me in.

Last edited by unapologetic (2009-03-31 03:30:36)

  • Registered: 2007-06-17
  • Posts: 17

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

Thanks to Mike Heckman, we now have a wiki! Woot!
http://wiki.hackerhive.org

I set up the dns to point to his server a couple hours ago.  Working fine for me.  Might take a while to propagate...

  • Registered: 2009-04-03
  • Posts: 1

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

just a post to say im interested as well.

  • Registered: 2009-04-04
  • Posts: 4

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

I was a first timer at the 2600 meeting last Friday and my interest was really peaked at the idea of a "Hacker Hive" in New Orleans. This group appears to have a lot going for it and a lot more potential and I want to be apart of that.

At the meeting we went over the pros and cons of locations.
I'm interested in more of a warehouse than a corporate type building. In a warehouse building, we would have more space and freedom to do want we want (to an extent), making noise wouldn't be a real problem, and we could construct air-conditioned rooms built exactly to our needs. I'm particularly interested in the ability to make noise. For some time now, I've wanted to work on some DIY instruments, but I haven't been able to at my apartment, because my neighbors are all old and complain to the landlord everytime I play my drums.

A warehouse might be a little out of the way for those who don't live near by, but no place will be perfect for everyone.

  • Registered: 2009-04-07
  • Posts: 2

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

Good afternoon.... Just want to offer any assistance we can provide from here in Houston.

We have incorporated as a non-profit, now working on funding our 501c3 submission. We have our eyes on a warehouse space in downtown Houston and looks like a great deal.

We aren't there yet, but will be happy to share what info we can.

Thanks,
Chris
http://www.houstontechnologycollective.org

P.S. WIKI is not working as of this posting time.

Last edited by 66block (2009-04-07 17:56:26)

  • Registered: 2009-04-02
  • Posts: 3

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

66block wrote:

P.S. WIKI is not working as of this posting time.

Are you talking about your wiki or our wiki?  Both appear to be working.

  • Registered: 2009-04-07
  • Posts: 2

Re: New Orleans Hacker Space?

Your wiki...it kept trying to reload. Appears to be working fine now. It may have been on my side.

Chris