[HacktionLab] fractal+html5 workshop idea for BarnCamp

Adelayde Skidmore adelayde at riseup.net
Thu May 12 11:53:34 UTC 2011


 Hi Dan,

On 12/05/2011 12:46, dan.threadme wrote:
> This really resonates with me. My first exposure to Hactionlab was the
> one up in Bradford, where I was introduced to the command line. By no
> means was I hand walked through it but efforts were made to give a
> very quick introduction that made what followed (a guide to
> hyperactive) seem achievable.
>
> The gathering placed an emphasis on being mindful of using unnecessary
> technical language, but did not feel like it was gagged. I feel clear
> and accessible excitement is contagious, which is what I experienced
> up in Bradford.
>
Ah but the difference is:

There is NO nerd gag applied to the HacktionLab city gatherings, such as
the Bradford one you speak of.

There IS a nerd gag applied to the BarnCamp rural gatherings, which is
partly why we give them a different name to distinguish them.

To sum up:

HacktionLab city gatherings are intended as geek get togethers, a forum
for UK tech activists.  Everyone is welcome of course, but they need to
be forewarned :)

BarnCamp is an open outreach event intended to cover a range of topics,
loosely based around an improved and more targeted use of technology
within activism and social movements, but not limited to covering any
topic, such as food foraging, making slingshots and wool technology.

Hope that clears up any confusion there.  Do you think we should make
this clearer on the web site?

> So I agree with the points that Adelayde has made.
>
> D
>
> On Thu, May 12, 2011 at 10:42 AM, Adelayde Skidmore
> <adelayde at riseup.net <mailto:adelayde at riseup.net>> wrote:
>
>      On 12/05/2011 00:27, Ben Green wrote:
>     > Quoting "Mike Harris" <mike at mbharris.co.uk
>     <mailto:mike at mbharris.co.uk>>:
>     >
>     >> Be interested to hear what people think about it, and if anyone's
>     >> interested in doing it.
>     >
>     > I might watch from afar, but not a developer so not so relevant for
>     > me. I think it's a bit techie for a nerd gagged gathering too,
>     > soooooo, please people on this list pledge your support to let
>     me know
>     > I'm wrong.
>     My understanding of the nerd gag is for techs to refrain from using
>     unexplained jargon in workshops, and also diverting/perverting
>     discussions down a jargon-infested avenue that can isolate other
>     people
>     involved in the discussion.  Personally this applies as much to
>     computing related topics as it does for others.  So, for example, if
>     we're chatting about social movements and two people get talking about
>     the comparison of Marxist doctrine verses the recent writings of Noam
>     Chomsky, that would also require a nerd gag imho.
>
>     I kind of therefore think that if a workshop is honestly presented
>     as a
>     techie workshop and no qualms are made about it being anything
>     else, to
>     wit: this one really needs people who know some maths past GCSE level
>     and also have a handle on programming, then that might be okay.
>
>     Obviously we need to schedule workshops closely to make sure there are
>     alternatives running in parrallel to give everyone something to do.
>
>     My aim here I guess was doing a proper geeky one to give those who
>     like
>     that kind of stuff something to get there hands into.  Although I also
>     promise lots of very pretty pictures of fractals, so it would also
>     appeal to those into freeform jazz art!
>
>     >
>     > The canvas element is a great new web technology, with amazing
>     scope,
>     > so from that perspective it would be good to see some people stick
>     > their hands up for it. Otherwise I think we should save it for
>     one of
>     > the other no nerd gag Hacktionlab Gatherings.
>     >
>     > Cheers,
>     > ==
>     > From Ben Green
>     >
>     >
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>
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>
>
> -- 
> *Dan Hassan*
> threadme member
> // http://www.threadmarket.co.uk
> // http://www.threadme.co.uk/
> // /http://blog.threadme.co.uk//
> // http://twitter.com/threadmecoop
> // skype: sal.streets
> /07714 289 235/
> /dan at threadme.co.uk <mailto:rory at threadme.co.uk>/
> /
> /
>
>
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