A quick question for the group. Would you consider hacker spaces coworking facilities? Hacker spaces are physical locations that are a shared workshop for people interested in making things. Most are non- profit and community owned, but private ownership is becoming more common.
Hacker spaces share many attributes with coworking. They provide shared access to space and equipment. They provide and encourage a social environoment and community. They provide training classes and support services. Their membership plans are similar. Many self- describe as coworking for hackers or makers. Hacker spaces have traditionally been targeted at amateurs, but are increasingly being used by professional freelance artisans and other small business people. The professional users of hacker spaces use them for pretty much the same reasons people use traditional coworking spaces. Hacker spaces are linked to the broader Maker/DIY movement, which is chronicled by Make Magazine (www.makezine.com). Examples include Alpha One in Brooklyn (http://www.alphaonelabs.com/), Hack DC in DC (http://hacdc.org) and Noisebridge in SF (https:// www.noisebridge.net). We're not sure how many hacker spaces exist, but it is likely in the 30-50 range in the U.S. and their numbers appear to be growing pretty rapidly. We've included a few hacker spaces in our coworking facility count so far (Tech Shop being a good example - www.techshop.ws). But after spending some time researching these spaces we are considering adding more. What do you think? Thanks, Steve -- 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.
