[sudo-discuss] Someone brought up electronic kits as a funding idea?

I can't remember exactly from last week, but maybe you brought this up, Marc? I think this is a really great idea, which could bring in revenue (from the kits), more revenue (from workshops focusing on building the kits, and not necessarily for adults [sudo-kids?]), and members (from people who enjoy the workshops thoroughly). Though it is currently being done: If I remember correctly, I think people in the community - Mitch Altman? - do workshops like this. And though an internet "competitor" exists - Maker Shed's kits (http://www.makershed.com/) - and I haven't yet done a significant amount of research about the kind of kits that they offer and so forth, I think it'd be really neat to purchase the parts, design really fun, age-appropriate packaging, sell the kits at some kind of minimal markup online, then above and beyond that have donation-suggested workshops where we guide people through the process of assembling whatever the kit is. Even if other hackerspaces / non-hackerspace entities / for-profit corporations are doing a similar concept, we'll have people interested who are geographically proximate to Sudoroom. Also, we have ideas: the lock picking class brought in great PR (in my opinion), and I'm guessing that the listserv would have a bunch of great ideas that are quirky, exciting, feasible, etc. I've always wanted to build a bunch of modular synthesizer modules, but that's kind of a fringe / eccentric interest. It'd be great to use Sudo-fund for this discussion, if people are interested. ----------------- Thomas Riley York (杨德民) 510.926.0510 http://www.linkedin.com/in/tommyyork