Guides/Getting started: Difference between revisions

[[Category:Guides]]

This page is intended to help people who have never been to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackerspace Hackspace] before.  

Everyone should read [[Rules| the rules]] which covers things you can/can't do, as well as [[Faceplant| the faceplant list]] which details things you can do but would probably regret (mainly concerned with common tool related gotchas).

Not sure you want to be a member? Check our [[IRC|IRC]] channel (Warning: maybe NSFW) or [http://groups.google.com/group/london-hack-space mailing list] to get a feel for us; come along on a [[Weekly_meetings| Tuesday]] or arrange (via IRC or the list) to come along at another time.

[http://london.hackspace.org.uk/signup.php This] is the website to go to to become a member, for detailed information how to sign up as well as why you should go [[Membership|here]].  

Once you've set up the standing order please allow a couple of days for it to clear then come along to the space and ask someone to get you access (best to check on IRC that someone will be there).

Join one of our mailing lists - [[Mailing lists|the list of lists]] has all our lists but the main options are:

These mailing lists don't require a Google account - if you don't have one, email london-hack-space+subscribe@googlegroups.com, or equivalent for other groups.

* [[IRC|IRC]]. As well as the mailing list there is a fairly lively (although at times NSFW) IRC chat room that is used for more general discussion, feel free to join in, members get ops (just ask).

* [[Weekly_meetings|Our Tuesday socials]] every Tuesday we have a social meet at the space from about 19:30. There is normally a large pizza order (currently £5 / person) for food, drink is BYOB (or buy donate to a beer-run). This is an excellent time to meet people and look about.  

* [http://twitter.com/londonhackspace Twitter]

* [http://www.facebook.com/londonhackspace Facebook]

* [http://blog.london.hackspace.org.uk/ Hackspace project blog]

The space hosts a variety of events, from [[GettingStarted#Workshops|workshops]] and [[Projects:Lockpicking|lockpicking]] to [[Space_Extension_Party|parties]] and [[Project:Young_Hackspace|young hacker's]] days.

All of these are announced on the [http://groups.google.com/group/london-hack-space list] and are put our [http://london.hackspace.org.uk/events/ events calendar].

The main project page is [[Projects| here]], as well as this there are assorted members projects [http://wiki.hackspace.org.uk/w/index.php?title=Special:AllPages&namespace=100 here]. In general projects progress when people work on them; if there is a public project you are interested in read the wiki page for it, ask around on [[IRC| IRC]] or the [http://groups.google.com/group/london-hack-space mailing list] then go for it.  

* [[Workshops|Our workshops page]] covers upcoming workshops as well as those passed; the individual pages often contain much useful information (as well as possible contacts), for more see below.

Workshops are organised by our members, they are announced on the [http://groups.google.com/group/london-hack-space mailing list] and the [[Workshops]] page. Most workshops are free but for some (especially those that supply equipment) you will have to pay for them although members will receive a discount. It's also worth noting that some of these workshops will have limited places or other constraints so make sure you check.  

The process is similar if there's a workshop you would like to see: ask about it on the [http://groups.google.com/group/london-hack-space list], and then put it on the [[Workshops#Workshops_Requested| request list]].

For more information on other hackspaces in the UK there is [http://www.hackspace.org.uk this site] which has a list of most of the UK hackspaces. There is also an associated [http://groups.google.com/group/uk-hackspaces google group/mailing list]