What person in question?
On Fri, Dec 6, 2013 at 7:46 PM, Torrie Fischer <[email protected]>wrote: > On Friday, December 06, 2013 14:54:16 Philip P. Patnode wrote: > > *Suggestions for consideration by SYNHAK members -* > > > > *To avoid confusion, disappointment, and wasting time on projects that > will > > never happen, I suggest that the JUNK PILE (clearly marked with a sign, > > usage policy established) be separated from the RECENT DONATIONS PILE > (not > > marked, no policy) and I suggest **a formal SH policy be established for > > donations.* > > > > *In my opinion, two things need to happen at SYNHAK regarding future > > donations.* > > > > *One*, *the SH policy* on all donations - from any source, of any kind - > > needs to be clearly stated and communicated to all members and > non-members, > > in print or by email or as added text on the SH webpage or all three. > > Yeah, totes. We need to figure out something we can all agree on as a > protocol > for receiving donations at the space. > > > > > *Two*,* the physical location* at SH for recent hardware donations needs > to > > be clearly marked with a sign/appropriate comments. For example, "Don't > > Take" or "Not Available" or "Death by Laser" or "To Be Evaluated" might > be > > used to convey the message. > > Huh? Thats a bit restricting. Given time, I think the recent donations pile > would quickly become a second junk pile, but with people staying away from > it > because hacking is not allowed. I know that I don't usually sort through > new > donations that show up because I'm not really sure where things would fit > in > the space. > > See also: my mail earlier this week to encourage more funds for a bigger > space > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > -------------- > > > > Here is the back story behind the suggestions. My apologies for the > length > > and details necessary to tell the story. > > > > At about 7.15pm last night, because of the delay over the turkey cooking > > experiment, I spent some time taking a casual look at the contents of the > > hardware junk pile near the entrance to the main room. Looked at and dug > > through lots of boxes and shelves full of stuff, all under a sign > > indicating that all of it was in the correct place - the Junk Pile. > > > > Much to my surprise, I found a HP g7 series laptop that was very similar > to > > the HP g7-1019wm that I had brought with me to SH last night, in the hope > > of finding someone to help me diagnose/identify the problems and guide me > > through the repair process. The HP I brought is a personal laptop and > not > > an item I plan to sell on eBay or Craigslist. It has a bad cooling fan > > (does not rotate - ever), a glitchy on/off switch, and two keys damaged - > > the K and the L, and maybe other problems. > > > > A long-time full member of SH (not to be named) stopped by to chat and > > discuss the situation with me. During the conversation, he made it very > > clear that I could "claim" the donated item I found in the junk pile and > > use parts from it to fix my laptop. He was aware that I am not a > sponsored > > member of SH, only a recent interested person who likes the concept of SH > > and has made an effort to swim with the rolling tide. As the turkey > frying > > situation was still developing out on the loading deck, I spent the next > 45 > > minutes doing some online research about the specs for both HP laptops > and > > going through the HP support forums to read the comments about similar > > problems. I was on page two of my notes when a dark cloud appeared on the > > horizon. > > > > My joy of finding a possible solution to my laptop problem turned to > > serious disappointment and frustration when another long-time full member > > of SH (again, not to be named) approached and summarily declared that the > > donated item was not available to me or anyone else, but would be > retained > > by SH to be diagnosed and possibly repaired and used by SH or sold for > > cash. There was no room allowed for any further discussion about the > > donated laptop. Do'ocracy in action? > > Wowzers. That is highly unexcellent. Whoever did that should've heard your > claim to it and understood that they can't just take things from others. > The > junk pile isn't the exclusive property of SYNHAK members. It never has > been. > > > > > As a non-member, with no power, no influence, no ace-in-the-hole, and > > definitely no say about anything regarding anything at SH, I tried to > > minimize my comments and watched as the member picked up the laptop off > the > > work area where I had it and proceeded to disassemble it on another > bench, > > check out a few items, and put it back together again. He then moved to > a > > back room, out of sight and out of reach, as if he was concerned that it > > would find a way back to the junk pile, or worse, out to someone's car > and > > disappear forever. The series of actions by the member almost appeared > as > > if he was worried I would run off with the donated HP moment he turned > his > > back on it, although I might be entirely in error about his thoughts on > the > > matter. > > Nah, the back room is our member storage closet. If someone finds a > donation > to be useful, they'll pick it up and start hacking on it. If they've got > plans > for it, it goes into the storage room or gets a Do Not Hack sticker. Still > though, they have no right to take it away from someone who has laid claim > to > it, regardless of membership status. > > There are only four benefits to SYNHAK membership: > > 1. You can participate in our self governance > 2. You get to use the member storage room > 3. An option to have a lock on a member bin in the storage room > 4. Apply for a key > > I'm still a bit shocked that the laptop was just taken without any > discussion, > *especially* for an impromptu donation that nobody else knew about unless > they > happened to be in the space in the last two days or were particularly > observant. I would appreciate it if the person in question contacted Philip > and discussed a solution. > > > > > The names of the SH members who were involved are not essential to the > > issue and are not the basis for the suggestions. Personalities play no > > part in my suggestion to take action on the matter of donations to SH. > > Only turkey feathers should be ruffled, as I am not making this an issue > > about any particular member. > > > > On a final note, I would consider buying the donated HP g7 series laptop > > from SH at a reasonable price to use for parts or repair, if it is > > available now or becomes available in the near future. > > > > In the meantime, I will avoid even looking at anything within 10ft of the > > combo donations/junk pile. I don't want to get my hope up and then have > it > > dashed again. > > > > Philip > _______________________________________________ > Discuss mailing list > [email protected] > https://synhak.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss >
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