John, The library system/startup hybrid you described sounds very much like the community portion of coworking that sets it apart from "traditional desk shares". Simply being around likeminded people in a combination work/social setting is one of the greatest draws for myself, and a lot of the people who work at our office.
Sounds like you have a really great grasp on some of the most exciting values of this movement. The fact that you work for IBM and remark about the "coolness factor" of that is something interesting to me, ultimately because I think that a part of what this movement isn't just defining *where* people work, but *how* (from a number of perspectives, including social, functional, spacial, management techniques...etc). I'm out of town right now but wanted to respond while the thought was fresh in my mind. I'm going to try to elaborate on this concept, since it's been on my mind a fair amount, in the near future. I'll be stopping by Office Nomads this afternoon, if Jacob and Susan are interested perhaps we can engage this conversation on video and get some of our thoughts out for the group in something a little easier to share than a really lengthy email. Cheers! -Alex, IndyHall, Philadelphia. On Dec 9, 2007 4:41 AM, jfg17 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Thanks for the considered replies and reflections. I think the point > about the "new-ness" of the phenomenon is apt. I also get that there > is a special element of community that can't be replicated at a place > where there are *always* new people, although some change among faces > is a positive. My job involves a lot of face-to-face interaction and > deep (online and offline) relationships, so I get the human > connections I need. That said, were there a space that I could drop > into, for a reasonable cost, where I could meet like-minded, > interesting folks, I would. For me, when I think of coworking, I > envision some combination of a start up and my college library system > and variety of study spaces around my college campus. There was a > place open all night, for instance, for night owls (i.e., cramming). > You could pick from a couple locations, meet a friend, bump into > people you know. Talk, in some. That's part of my ideal for this > concept. I also love the idea, which I have read about here and > elsewhere, of making better use of dead building space. With the > sudden (it seems to me) popular embrace of an environmental ethic, the > time seems to be right for that concept. By the way, I live in the > Boston area and work for IBM, but I'm actually cooler than that makes > me sound. Really. John > > > > -- ----- -- ----- Alex Hillman web.developer.innovation.consultant vocal: 484.597.6256 digital: [EMAIL PROTECTED] | skype: dangerouslyawesome visual: www.weknowhtml.com | www.dangerouslyawesome.com local: www.indyhall.org --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
