Joseph, I'm not trying to be a poop head. I agree you can use the word however you want. No need for a vote. Just discussing semantics. :)
On Jun 4, 11:05 am, "Joseph Holsten" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
