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Mostly taken from email interview with O'Reilly and [[User:b3cft|b3cft/Bob]] | Mostly taken from email interview with O'Reilly and [[User:b3cft|b3cft/Bob]] | ||
=== How long have you been involved in London Hackspace?=== | |||
About 18 months | About 18 months | ||
=== Where is it?=== | |||
Cremer Business Centre, Shoreditch, right next to Hoxton Station. | Cremer Business Centre, Shoreditch, right next to Hoxton Station. | ||
http://wiki.hackspace.org.uk/wiki/Laboratory_24 | http://wiki.hackspace.org.uk/wiki/Laboratory_24 | ||
=== You've just found new premises - how is it working out?=== | |||
Very well, we've more than doubled our available space and now have | Very well, we've more than doubled our available space and now have | ||
separate rooms. A dirty room for welding, metal working, cutting things | separate rooms. A dirty room for welding, metal working, cutting things | ||
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work. Plus a lounge and a kitchen! | work. Plus a lounge and a kitchen! | ||
=== How is the space paid for?=== | |||
The rent and service charges are paid for by member subscriptions. | The rent and service charges are paid for by member subscriptions. | ||
If you are a paying member you get 24/7 access (which is granted via an | If you are a paying member you get 24/7 access (which is granted via an | ||
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=== How many other hacker spaces are there in the UK? Where did the idea originate?=== | |||
There are about 20 active Hacker Spaces in the UK. | There are about 20 active Hacker Spaces in the UK. | ||
http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/List_of_Hacker_Spaces | http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/List_of_Hacker_Spaces | ||
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justify on your own. | justify on your own. | ||
=== Do the different hacker spaces liaise with each other?=== | |||
Yes, we meet up at events tech events such as the Maker Faire, we also | Yes, we meet up at events tech events such as the Maker Faire, we also | ||
hang out on IRC channels on freenode.net (#london-hack-space & #hackspace) | hang out on IRC channels on freenode.net (#london-hack-space & #hackspace) | ||
=== What's your background? How did you get into technology?=== | |||
I did most of a degree in electronics and then went on to be a software | I did most of a degree in electronics and then went on to be a software | ||
engineer, but always kept tinkering. A few years ago I started seriously | engineer, but always kept tinkering. A few years ago I started seriously | ||
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I've run training courses for beginners, one for the Space, others for Yahoo! and Skills Matter. | I've run training courses for beginners, one for the Space, others for Yahoo! and Skills Matter. | ||
=== How did you get into hardware hacking and making?=== | |||
Ever since I was a small boy, I took stuff apart. Quite often things | Ever since I was a small boy, I took stuff apart. Quite often things | ||
that my parents weren't finished with :-) I gained a reputation at school | that my parents weren't finished with :-) I gained a reputation at school | ||
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fried. I guess I've just never stopped since then. | fried. I guess I've just never stopped since then. | ||
=== Did you have much of a learning curve to get started?=== | |||
With microcontrollers/arduino, not so much, as being a software engineer | With microcontrollers/arduino, not so much, as being a software engineer | ||
by day, most of the things are reasonably easy to pick up. At the | by day, most of the things are reasonably easy to pick up. At the | ||
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tell you or point you in the right direction. | tell you or point you in the right direction. | ||
=== Did you have much of a history of soldering etc?=== | |||
My granddad bought me my first soldering iron when I was about 10. So | My granddad bought me my first soldering iron when I was about 10. So | ||
almost 30 years! (damn that makes me feel old) | almost 30 years! (damn that makes me feel old) | ||
=== What projects have you worked on?=== | |||
An RFID catflap that reads the vet embedded chip in their necks. | An RFID catflap that reads the vet embedded chip in their necks. | ||
A childs mobile for my son. | A childs mobile for my son. | ||
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very shortly be internet connected. | very shortly be internet connected. | ||
=== What are you currently working on?=== | |||
The mobile for my son is still under construction. | The mobile for my son is still under construction. | ||
A beer monitoring system, that tells you (via IRC) when someone pours a | A beer monitoring system, that tells you (via IRC) when someone pours a | ||
pint of beer in our hackerspace (and how much has been served in total etc). | pint of beer in our hackerspace (and how much has been served in total etc). | ||
=== What are you most proud of?=== | |||
Currently, the thing I'm most proud of is my son's mobile. As I designed | Currently, the thing I'm most proud of is my son's mobile. As I designed | ||
the circuitry, wrote the code and designed the physical presence and | the circuitry, wrote the code and designed the physical presence and | ||
interaction from the perspective of a small child. | interaction from the perspective of a small child. | ||
=== Do you have a favourite bit of kit you always find yourself reaching for?=== | |||
An Arduino, mainly for its ease of use and quick setup time to get some | An Arduino, mainly for its ease of use and quick setup time to get some | ||
physical interaction device working. Combined with the fact there are | physical interaction device working. Combined with the fact there are | ||
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ethernet interface or RFID reader. | ethernet interface or RFID reader. | ||
=== What tools do you use?=== | |||
Anything from tweezers and a fine tipped soldering iron, through to a | Anything from tweezers and a fine tipped soldering iron, through to a | ||
laser cutter, metal lathe or angle grinder. More often than not, I use a | laser cutter, metal lathe or angle grinder. More often than not, I use a | ||
basic breadboard to layout circuits, before cracking out the soldering iron. | basic breadboard to layout circuits, before cracking out the soldering iron. | ||
=== Do you work on projects on your own or do you work together on bigger projects?=== | |||
I tend to work on personal projects, but occasionally will work in a | I tend to work on personal projects, but occasionally will work in a | ||
team or help beginners with their problems. (especially on our open | team or help beginners with their problems. (especially on our open | ||
Tuesday Nights, which are open to all comers) | Tuesday Nights, which are open to all comers) | ||
=== How did you find Maker Faire? Any plans for Maker Faire 2011?=== | |||
I loved it! I'm very jealous of the American's for the number of Maker | I loved it! I'm very jealous of the American's for the number of Maker | ||
Faires and such they have, I love that kind of thing. I think London | Faires and such they have, I love that kind of thing. I think London | ||
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2011. | 2011. | ||
=== Why is hardware hacking important?=== | |||
A lot of today's consumer electronics are not designed to be repaired or | A lot of today's consumer electronics are not designed to be repaired or | ||
even taken apart. This has turned us into a disposable culture. | even taken apart. This has turned us into a disposable culture. | ||
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I could probably talk for hours on this subject. | I could probably talk for hours on this subject. | ||
=== What is the value of having a shared space?=== | |||
Collaboration, a sense of group identity and access to knowledge and | Collaboration, a sense of group identity and access to knowledge and | ||
sharing. | sharing. | ||
=== If someone wanted to set up a hacker space, what advice would you give?=== | |||
Try and find groups of similarly motivated people, meet online or in | Try and find groups of similarly motivated people, meet online or in | ||
pubs first, before trying to look for venues. | pubs first, before trying to look for venues. | ||
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patterns to help hackerspaces cope with issues that crop up. | patterns to help hackerspaces cope with issues that crop up. | ||
=== What are the requirements for the venue?=== | |||
The people are the most important part, everything else is secondary. | The people are the most important part, everything else is secondary. | ||
Hackerspaces have been run from garden sheds or vast commercial | Hackerspaces have been run from garden sheds or vast commercial | ||
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budget. | budget. | ||
=== What tools are essential?=== | |||
I would say that depends on your members, but generally soldering irons, | I would say that depends on your members, but generally soldering irons, | ||
power supplies and multimeters. Build up to larger items when you can | power supplies and multimeters. Build up to larger items when you can | ||
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things they couldn't afford individually. | things they couldn't afford individually. | ||
=== What are the Health and Safety requirements?=== | |||
Health and Safety? What's that? | Health and Safety? What's that? | ||
Generally as Hackers are not employees of the space but members, | Generally as Hackers are not employees of the space but members, | ||
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before diving in and trying things out. | before diving in and trying things out. | ||
=== How would someone join London Hackspace? Are you looking for new members?=== | |||
New members are always welcome. Come along to one of our Open Nights, | New members are always welcome. Come along to one of our Open Nights, | ||
every Tuesday evening from 7pm. | every Tuesday evening from 7pm. | ||
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http://london.hackspace.org.uk/signup.php | http://london.hackspace.org.uk/signup.php | ||
=== Do you have plans for the future of London Hackspace?=== | |||
Hackerspaces are organic beings. We're always changing. At the current | Hackerspaces are organic beings. We're always changing. At the current | ||
rate of membership growth we may need to start looking for more space | rate of membership growth we may need to start looking for more space | ||
but no plans right now. | but no plans right now. | ||
