coworking  

[Coworking] Re: press in businessweek.com

dowdsy
Fri, 02 Mar 2007 05:13:55 -0800

not a problem. I would love to give anyone a tour of the space anytime you are 
in toronto. Thanks again for so much inspiration

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry  

-----Original Message-----
From: "Tara Hunt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2007 19:35:37 
To:coworking@googlegroups.com
Subject: [Coworking] Re: press in businessweek.com

That's awesome! We actually had the chance to meet John McGann and work at 116 
Houston (thanks to Noel) when we went to NYC in December. It's a nice space. 
Too bad you didn't get on the program, Mark! I can't wait until we get to Tdot 
and can come check out Indoor Playground (sorry for not recognizing your email 
earlier...of course I know who you are! I didn't connect ABC with Toronto for 
some reason). 

T.




On 3/1/07, Mark Dowds <[EMAIL PROTECTED]: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: 
 The ABC News just covered the article
 I just blogged the links
 
http://markdowds.typepad.com/weblog/2007/03/abc_world_news_.html: 
<http://markdowds.typepad.com/weblog/2007/03/abc_world_news_.html> 
 
 
 
 On 3/1/07 1:20 PM, "Tara Hunt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 
> wrote:
 
 I'm still trying to figure out if all of this press is a good thing right now 
or not. :|
 
 We are still quite unprepared, although there seems to be tonnes of spaces set 
up as businesses around North America who were featured, coworking itself is 
still trying to find it's legs. I feel that this big mainstream market push is 
too early. I suppose we can see it as a 'let's get cracking' thing, though. 
 
 ABC Global news? Who are you dowdsy? What space are you from? (Sorry...I don't 
recognize the email...). Make certain you mention a couple of things that 
aren't found on the wiki...
 
 - Silicon Sentier in Paris (the coworking space there) is due to be launched 
in the next month or so in the Montmartre area. It will be three stories, a 
cafe on the main floor, offices on the second floor and an event space/meeting 
spaces on the third floor. All free or inexpensive...just to cover the costs, 
really. It is partially funded by the local Paris government to help out the 
tech economy. 
 
 - Toronto is abuzz with coworking spaces as well as throwing a conference, 
OpenCities, that will address coworking amongst other things - contact Mark 
Kuznicki on this one
 
 - We are encouraging people who currently have an excess of space to donate 
parts of it to coworking. This is a strong model. Even British Telecom in 
London, UK is considering opening their cafe in the downtown office to vagabond 
workers to come and use during the daytime. It isn't just about starting your 
own cafe...it's also about making use of space that is already there. The 
advantages of new energy that enters the space and talent recruitment is 
obvious. 
 
 - Even NASA is getting into the act and has joined our space (Citizen Space) 
because they recognize the power of being part of these collaborative spaces. 
They now have a desk here and may take desks in other centers if it goes well. 
 
 Some of the issues everyone is facing:
 
 - How to balance these collaborative spaces with actual work spaces? How do we 
get stuff done as well as encourage interaction? As many startups are coming 
into these spaces, it becomes an issue. 
 
 - Intellectual Property has been an issue. Most of these spaces encourage an 
open plan, even for meeting spaces...with the idea that discussions should be 
public to allow for many minds to get involved and help one another out. This 
has been extremely fruitful for everyone involved, but many companies still 
have a tough time wrapping their minds around getting rid of NDAs and keeping a 
shroud of secrecy. 
 
 - Is this a collective or should their be space leaders? Ideally, these spaces 
are run by the community, but thusfar, it has been a problematic model. We are 
looking at a hybrid model described in the book by Ori Brafman, The Starfish 
and the Spider, which looks to 'catalysts' and 'guides' to lead these spaces, 
with the community members being semi-detached, but given the ability to become 
'deputized' within the meritocratic system. Very much an Open Source 
development model. 
 
 - Keeping the spaces populated and buzzing daily. When it isn't 'your office', 
impetus to go to the coworking spaces is lowered, so the attendance at some 
spaces has been sporatic...much like a coffee shop (go when you feel like home 
is driving you stir crazy). If there isn't critical mass in a space, it loses 
the advantage of the collaborative. Do we encourage more 'office-like' spaces 
so people are encouraged to leave their workstations there and, thus, driven to 
their office each day? How do we keep from becoming those sterile 'office' 
setups? 
 
 Amongst other issues. Each city and each space within each city has a unique 
problem, too, as more questions arise within different cultures and contexts.
 
 Tara
 
 
 On 3/1/07, [EMAIL PROTECTED]: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>  <
[EMAIL PROTECTED]: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote:
 Folks, I got a call today from ABC Global news who are going to cover this on 
the back of the business week article. It is to air online tomorrow. 
 
 
 Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
 
 -----Original Message----- 
 From: nonecknoel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >
 Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2007 10:24:21
 To:coworking@googlegroups.com: <mailto:To:coworking@googlegroups.com> 
 Subject: [Coworking] Re: press in businessweek.com: <http://businessweek.com>  
&lt;http://businessweek.com&gt;: <http://businessweek.com>  
 
 
 i believe that the article is only on the web, but we as time moves on
 BW does plan on covering this subject in more detail.
 
 noel
 
 On 2/28/07, Riccardo Cambiassi < [EMAIL PROTECTED]: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 
> wrote:
 > No idea, but I'll try and have a go at Borders to get it tomorrow.
 > See you tonight at the Market Porter
 >
 > On 2/27/07, Simon L < [EMAIL PROTECTED]: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote:
 > >
 > > Is the article in the print edition, or is it just on the web-site?
 > >
 > >
 > > On Feb 27, 6:49 am, "Chris Messina" < [EMAIL PROTECTED]: <mailto:[EMAIL 
 > > PROTECTED]> > wrote:
 > > > Awesome! Great coverage!
 > > >
 > > > Chris
 > > >
 > > > On 2/26/07, nonecknoel < [EMAIL PROTECTED]: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > 
 > > > wrote:
 > >
 > >
 > >
 > >
 > >
 >
 >
 >
 > --
 > Riccardo CAMBIASSI
 > mailto: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>  <mailto:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > 
 > http://www.codewitch.org: <http://www.codewitch.org> 
 >
 >  >
 >
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


-- 
Sincerely,

Tara
-----------------------
tara 'miss rogue' hunt
agent provocateur
Citizen Agency (www.citizenagency.com
: <http://www.citizenagency.com> )
blog: www.horsepigcow.com: <http://www.horsepigcow.com> 
phone: 415-694-1951
fax: 415-727-5335
  
 
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups 
"Coworking" group.
To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
For more options, visit this group at 
http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---