On Tue, Jun 3, 2008 at 9:15 PM, Dusty <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi everyone! > > After many discussions about what coworking entails (including things > like non-profit vs for-profit), I've been feeling a bit like there's > some confusion about what exactly coworking is. > > I'd like to propose that coworking is not a noun but a verb. So, > coworking is not a space, a community, a set of values, a business > model, or any combination of those things. It's an activity like > swimming is an activity. > > If we look at the definition of coworking on the Coworking Wiki, we > read that "coworking is a cafe-like community/collaboration space for > developers, writers and independents." This defines coworking as a > noun and as a type of community space. Wikipedia does a bit better at > defining coworking in my mind, but still places a lot of emphases on > "the space." > > From my experience with Jelly, coworking is something you are doing. > For example, I'd use it in a sentence like this: "Today I am coworking > at Jelly." Or, "I might go to Citizen Space to cowork." From this > usage I'd like to propose the following definition. > > - Coworking is two or more individuals working independently or > collaboratively who are socially interacting while they work. > > As a verb you can cowork with people, you can be coworking, or you may > have coworked. You may even go to a designated coworking space. > > Also note, that this definition does not mention anything about a > space or even proximity. This leaves the possibility to cowork > remotely. Second Life and Yahoo! Live come to mind. > > When we talk about creating a "coworking space," "coworking > community," or having a specific set of values, we're really talking > about how to create an environment or community that will encourage > the activity of coworking. Arguments over values, profits, business > models, and furniture can neither undermine nor enhance the definition > of coworking. Build a pool and I may go swimming. Is it a free pool? > Do I have to pay to swim? Is the water clean? Are kids allowed in the > pool? Is there a swim team that meets at this pool? Is the pool's > owner honest? All of these thing may affect my decision to swim in the > pool, but are ultimately a matter of taste. > > In this vein, the coworking movement is a movement of coworking > enthusiasts. We participate in, promote, and discuss the activity of > coworking. > > In summary, I'm proposing that coworking is NOT a cafe-like community/ > collaboration space. That's like saying swimming is a pool. And > arguments such as for-profit versus non-profit need not become heated. > Coworking is coworking regardless of where it's at, what values people > share, or how big the community is. If you're working and socializing, > you're coworking. > > What do you think? > > PS. I originally wrote this on my blog: > http://dustyreagan.com/redefining-coworking/ > but I wanted to bring the discussion here. > > Dusty
I gotta say that you can use the word however you want. I couldn't stop you anyhow. But If you decide you want to chill at a coworking, or start a coworking, or arrange a mutiny at a coworking, I'll know what you mean. "Define" it however you want, I won't be referring to your dictionary when next I hear the word. Further, you're welcome to pretend you have no idea what I mean when I say I'm trying to start a coworking. But don't tell me I'm "wrong." If I was wrong, either you'd have no idea what I meant, or misinterpret my meaning. If you know what I mean & refuse to acknowledge it, then that's pretty pedantic. Almost at pedantic as writing a critique on the internet wherein your subject is deemed pedantic. Almost as bad as that last sentence. Anyway: I don't care how you define things. How about we agree that if I don't know what you mean, I'll ask for an explanation nicely. http:// Joseph Holsten .com PS If I misunderstood anything, sorry. But I've abused the right to "define" things to great (that is, ill) effect over the years. It lets me be both formally correct and an asshat all at once. I try to stick to purely consensus definitions whenever possible now. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
