

Are hackerspaces growing because companies don't tap their engineers' creativity? - waderoush
http://www.xconomy.com/national/2009/05/22/people-doing-strange-things-with-soldering-irons-a-visit-to-hackerspace/

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tjic
The total number of people involved in hacker spaces, world wide, rounds to
zero.

It's an interesting little meme, but when there are more people following the
most obscure rock band you've never heard of, you can't really call it a big
deal, or wonder what it all means about the state of the world.

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wmeredith
Haven't RTFA yet, but want to answer the question posed in the headline: yes.
Passionate creatives are often very protective of their idea and unless an
exceptional corporate culture exists (Google 20% projects back in Goog's glory
days, etc...) most of them that I've met would be loath to turn over something
they love to _the commitee._

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spoiledtechie
I completely agree. I love my current start up and I would never turn it open
to committee unless I was able to control where it goes.

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joezydeco
I just take it as an indication that people in the IT/computer fields just
don't have any exposure to this kind of work, and they are curious about it.

How many kids graduating with a CS or IT degree today have ever wired up a
circuit? Or played with a microprocessor and hooked something up to it? I bet
that number is smaller than you think.

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umjames
That's true. When I was in college as a CS undergrad, the only hardware-themed
course we were required to take was an Intro to Computer Engineering class
that was mostly done on paper (think logic gate circuit diagrams and truth
tables).

There was an end-of-term lab requirement where you inserted wires into a board
full of tiny holes (I forget its actual name) to demonstrate certain basic
circuits, but that was it. I remember that there was no professor or TA for
the lab so you were completely on your own.

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hugs
"board full of tiny holes" ---> breadboard? (I'm too lazy to include the link
to wikipedia.)

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umjames
Yes! I knew there was something food-related in the name but could think of
it. Thanks.

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euroclydon
I think it's just human nature to want to be free and independent. Let's not
forget how low the barriers to starting a software company are these days.
These low barriers are just a factor enabling people to quite working for big
companies.

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sp332
Yes, of course! And that's the way we like it.

Remember, not everyone works for a startup. Some people have lives, and
hobbies, apart from their day jobs.

~~~
steveklabnik
And some people work for a startup and are starting their own hacker spaces.
;)

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triplefox
Hackerspaces now are what computer clubs were in the 1970's.

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dsingleton
I work with a couple of guys who've been doing a lot of work to organise UK
(specifically London) hack spaces.

<http://hackspace.org.uk>

I think the reason for the popularity is a mix of work discontent and people
wanting to do radically different things than their day job may offer them.

~~~
CalmQuiet
I think that's a great way to support on-the-edge innovators (or potential
innovators).

Not everybody can launch their startup in a garage (or, esp. in UK) has a
garage.

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pj
One of the driving forces behind hackers is that they (we) want to solve
problems. Larger companies don't let us solve problems because of politics and
bureaucracy. They don't have enough "interesting" problems, so we invent our
own.

We also have a much higher risk tolerance than most corporations, perhaps for
good reason! Look how many startups "fail." Part of the difference is how
hackers vs. corporations define fail. If the problem is solved, the hacker
believes it is a success. If the solution makes money, the business believes
it is a success...

