*I'm not happy with SYNHAK's image and our interpersonal communication. I feel that some members of the community are trying to treat SYNHAK as a faceless corporation that caters to people who pay dues. I often hear of strong delineations between Members and non-members, where Members have first pickings for certain things or other rights that are not given to non-Members. Over the weekend, I saw someone say "SYNHAK is starting an ISP!". SYNHAK, Inc has a handful of tax exempt accounts at various local establishments with no clear rules on how to use them. We're sacrificing hacking space to one person through a real lease, with legalese and everything. I can't count how many times I've heard the phrase "SYNHAK is going to do X" as if it were some official statement that everyone is obliged to follow.*
SynHak, Inc. Does indeed have tax exempt accounts at a number of retailers and while we have not explicitly stated how these accounts are to be used there are explicit rules, with penalties for non-compliance. The summary is that they are to -only- be used in furthering the mission statement of Syn/Hak, inc. http://www.tax.ohio.gov/faq/tabid/6315/Default.aspx?QuestionID=433&AFMID=11354 The point about us being an event center is an important one. While members may use the space for events it must be explicit that SynHak, inc. is not a host of events unless they are educational in nature or otherwise further our goal as defined in the articles of incorporation. This is very important when it comes to retaining our tax exempt status. * My last full day of Champion is 6 days away, on February 27th. I'm not running for the Board or re-running for Champion. I'm not doing those because I want to finally step back and enjoy the fruits of my labor as a member. I'm lately finding it hard to enjoy, as I feel that the collaborative culture of SYNHAK is being slowly eroded away in favor of behind-the-back communication channels, assumptions that others who disagree with you are acting in bad faith, and "Professionalism". * There have been a number of disagreements and arguments that could have been avoided simply by talking about what people are doing. Some of this was simply because there had been discussion with sub-groups of people about a given decision but never a discussion with the body whole. This results in surprise and confusion as people think there is consensus when there is not. Further there has been a rise in people using 'do-ocracy' as a cover for unilateral action. There is a fine line between doing something because it needs to be done and no one is stepping up, implicit approval, and doing things that an individual wants done while no one is around to tell them no. This line is often blurrier than we care for and people may not realize they have run afoul until there is public outcry seemingly from no where. Just because we are a hackerspace does not mean we can't be professional. Likewise we don't have to be professional at all times, but SynHak, Inc. is a company and if we want to keep working with the local government, schools, and library it would make things easier if we considered our surroundings when conducting ourselves. * To me, SYNHAK is a community that wants to build a space for hackers. As part of that mission, there is a limited infrastructure that is used by the community to collect rent, pay bills, and protect that limited infrastructure against legal hassles. It isn't a machine shop, a computer lab, an event space, a datacenter, a warehouse, a garage, a classroom, or even a kitchen. 48 S. Summit has those features. 48 S. Summit is a side effect of SYNHAK that is a result of that limited infrastructure's mission to provide a space for hackers to accomplish what they want to accomplish. 48 S. Summit isn't SYNHAK. It is our community's largest group project that many of us are working on in whatever ways we think are the most helpful way to carve out a space for hackers like ourselves. The electronics lab isn't SYNHAK, Inc.'s electronics lab. It is a tool that the community we have come to call "SYNHAK" can use and in exchange maintains. Much of it is on loan from members, some of it is even owned by the limited infrastructure set forth in our bylaws and incorporation document filed with the State of Ohio. The same can be said about our kitchen, data center, etc, etc. If someone wants to run an educational program out of 48 S. Summit, they are more than welcome to. SYNHAK, Inc does not and *should not* run educational programs. I do not want anyone to feel obligated to contribute to running an educational program. The global community of hackers or a subset thereof are welcome to use SYNHAK to run an educational program in the City of Akron, but that is their own endeavor. *This part I must disagree with. As we are currently established SynHak, Inc. is a charitable organization with educational and instructional endeavors. Our mission statement, state, and federal tax exemptions are all contingent on SynHak, Inc. providing some form of education. This does not mean that every member must participate in public outreach but it does mean that as a company SynHak must provide educational value if it wants to continue operating under the exemptions it is currently enjoying. The requirements are not specific in how we meet this educational goal. The speakers bureau is one way, the childrens outreach known as the Young Aristotles is another way, the reference library we maintain is a third way. These methods were chosen because there was community interest in supporting them. While every member is not required to contribute it is unrealistic to expect the entire educational requirement to be met by one or a few members. * I live outside mainstream culture. The world is full of interesting problems to be solved. Attitude is no substitute for competence. Freedom is good; I have an instinctive hostility towards censorship, secrecy, and the use of deception to compel others. I'm always willing to act on those beliefs. * Perhaps this is in regards to the 'back-channels communication' referenced before, I don't see censorship or intentional deception to compel anyone at synhak. I have been less active than others though so perhaps I'm just not there to see it. * When I'm done as Champion, I will continue to use our limited governance infrastructure to carve out a space for hackers in the City of Invention. SYNHAK is a hacker space. A space for hackers. Not a space for corporate bullshit.* I mentioned this in another discussion. Like it or not the state and federal government see us as a corporation. There will be times when SynHak, Inc. must behave as a corporation particularly if we intend to get preferential treatment in the form of tax exemption and tens(hundreds?) of thousands of dollars in grant money as is currently being discussed. Regards, Andrew L On Fri, Feb 21, 2014 at 7:53 PM, alex kot <[email protected]> wrote: > As a somewhat newer member, I find Syn/Hak to be a community not a > corporation. I find the concept of it being an open source hackerspace is > a great thing. The foundation of open source is to share and collaborate. > I find education is an important part of a community. Not everyone is an > expert in every field, why having a diverse group to share knowledge is > part of the concept. Of course there is going to be disagreements on what > people think, it is human nature. As the person who sparked the idea of > this place, I believe you an extreme value to this place. > > > Sincerely, > Alex Kot > > > > > On Friday, February 21, 2014 7:07 PM, a l <[email protected]> wrote: > I'm on my phone so I'll be briefer than is warranted for the topic. > Regarding the sublease of space to a member. I was under the impression > that this activity had been discussed and mentioned in the list a few > times. I don't recall any intentional hiding of this arrangement. I > thought, perhaps erroniously, that this had been brought up as a proposal. > I agree with parts and disagree with others but I'm glad you brought it > up; I'm sure if one person gets an impression others have it as well. > Regards, > Andrew L > On Feb 21, 2014 6:03 PM, "Torrie Fischer" <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Hi, hakkers. > > This is something thats been bothering me for some time, so I want to > discuss > it with everyone. This is a mail that I've edited and re-edited over the > last > few months, so it isn't in response to recent bizops@ discussion. > > I'm not happy with SYNHAK's image and our interpersonal communication. > > I feel that some members of the community are trying to treat SYNHAK as a > faceless corporation that caters to people who pay dues. I often hear of > strong delineations between Members and non-members, where Members have > first > pickings for certain things or other rights that are not given to > non-Members. > Over the weekend, I saw someone say "SYNHAK is starting an ISP!". SYNHAK, > Inc > has a handful of tax exempt accounts at various local establishments with > no > clear rules on how to use them. We're sacrificing hacking space to one > person > through a real lease, with legalese and everything. I can't count how many > times I've heard the phrase "SYNHAK is going to do X" as if it were some > official statement that everyone is obliged to follow. > > My last full day of Champion is 6 days away, on February 27th. I'm not > running > for the Board or re-running for Champion. I'm not doing those because I > want > to finally step back and enjoy the fruits of my labor as a member. I'm > lately > finding it hard to enjoy, as I feel that the collaborative culture of > SYNHAK > is being slowly eroded away in favor of behind-the-back communication > channels, assumptions that others who disagree with you are acting in bad > faith, and "Professionalism". > > To me, SYNHAK is a community that wants to build a space for hackers. As > part > of that mission, there is a limited infrastructure that is used by the > community to collect rent, pay bills, and protect that limited > infrastructure > against legal hassles. It isn't a machine shop, a computer lab, an event > space, a datacenter, a warehouse, a garage, a classroom, or even a > kitchen. 48 > S. Summit has those features. 48 S. Summit is a side effect of SYNHAK that > is > a result of that limited infrastructure's mission to provide a space for > hackers to accomplish what they want to accomplish. > > 48 S. Summit isn't SYNHAK. It is our community's largest group project that > many of us are working on in whatever ways we think are the most helpful > way > to carve out a space for hackers like ourselves. The electronics lab isn't > SYNHAK, Inc.'s electronics lab. It is a tool that the community we have > come > to call "SYNHAK" can use and in exchange maintains. Much of it is on loan > from > members, some of it is even owned by the limited infrastructure set forth > in > our bylaws and incorporation document filed with the State of Ohio. The > same > can be said about our kitchen, data center, etc, etc. If someone wants to > run > an educational program out of 48 S. Summit, they are more than welcome to. > SYNHAK, Inc does not and *should not* run educational programs. I do not > want > anyone to feel obligated to contribute to running an educational program. > The > global community of hackers or a subset thereof are welcome to use SYNHAK > to > run an educational program in the City of Akron, but that is their own > endeavor. > > I live outside mainstream culture. The world is full of interesting > problems > to be solved. Attitude is no substitute for competence. Freedom is good; I > have an instinctive hostility towards censorship, secrecy, and the use of > deception to compel others. I'm always willing to act on those beliefs. > > When I'm done as Champion, I will continue to use our limited governance > infrastructure to carve out a space for hackers in the City of Invention. > > SYNHAK is a hacker space. A space for hackers. Not a space for corporate > bullshit. > _______________________________________________ > Discuss mailing list > [email protected] > https://synhak.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss > > > _______________________________________________ > Discuss mailing list > [email protected] > https://synhak.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss > > > > _______________________________________________ > Discuss mailing list > [email protected] > https://synhak.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss >
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