Meeting Notes 2017-12-13

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Sudo Room Meeting-Flavored Party - Dec 13, 2017

attendees

  • Rayc. Really awesome yet casual (describes his love life). He belives in copying floppies and informatino.
  • Jan. Wants to declare intent to become a member. Kind of likes floppies. He feels happy whenever he uses them. Still has USB floppies (3.5; he's never used 5 1/4).
  • Melissa Crow (ctrl-z in IRC). Meeting note taker (purple on my screen). Also wants to be member. Floppy stance: used to play (and enjoy) Math Blaster.
  • David R. Prefers casettes to floppies.
  • Eric. Also wants to be member. Pro floppy.
  • Adam. Also wants to be a member. Pro floppy. Was his earliest removable storage medium. Used to draw good luck symbols on his floppies as a child to prevent data loss.
  • Andy (?). Visiting from Austria. Eating pizza.
  • Charlie. Anti-floppy. Doesn't miss having to explain that floppy disk != hard drive.
  • Dante. "When I think of floppies, all I think of is that really, really old anti P2P commercial where the guy sings 'don't copy that floppy, yo!'"
  • Jake. Learned to program using floppies.
  • Grant. No opinion on floppy drives - never seen one, never used one.
  • Pato. Meeting note taker (blue on my screen). Also wants to be a member. Anti floppy, but pro glitch art made from scratching floppies.

(Also, there is a fly on the wall deep into making an artistic representation of the meeting.)

finances

  • roughly $3.5K in the bank, currently averaging $1350 income monthly with $2012 in expenses.
  • should we sell our BTC?
    • 0.17372185 BTC = ~$3,000
  • ~$500 short each month
  • expenses:
    • rent $2000
    • utilities  ??
    • income ~$1500

"There's nothing that we're not paying"

  • Rayc: what's the trajectory of bitcoin?
  • Charlie: nobody knows. In favor of just selling it all.
  • Dante suggests selling 75%. Get some cash immediately but stay on the safe side in case it continues to skyrocket.
    • Table seems to like Dante's idea.
  • Melissa: how much for utilities montly?
    • Nobody knows.
      • Jenny: no utilities since early this year when sudo and ccl both requested rent reductions. our only additional expense is for web hosting and domains, ~200/year
  • Rayc: I think we should only sell 50% of the Bitcoin & supplement w/ a fundraising campaign
  • Charlie: If we sell half we make $1500 (from ~3500 in the bank to ~5000)
  • Andy (?): by selling bitcoin and/or raising funds we're only buying time.
  • David: should change donation system from ($10 minimum / $30 recommended) to some sort of tier-based system.
  • Melissa: need more monthly recurring donations. Maybe set up a Patreon?
  • Eric: what about a clandestine sweatshop disguised as a children's education center?
  • David and Rayc volunteer to head a fundraising committee.
  • Charlie: fundraising commitee sanctioned!
    • Spirits are noticeably elevated.
  • Rayc: maybe we can do hackathons to bring ppl in & try to get donors and/or members
  • Melissa: teaching classes with entry fee is a win-win-win for space, teacher & students.
  • Pato: Noisebridge is also trying to get fundraising going. Maybe we could collaborate with them in our efforts? Very similar communities & missions.
    • People seem to like the idea.
  • (Rob joins the fundraising committee)
  • Melissa: can we use the ballroom for events?
    • Charlie: ya. no price.
  • Rayc to Jake: vending machine. Effort level to get those repaired? Could be another source of income.
  • Jake: probably not that much money. Possible.
  • Dante: I'm sick and I gotta go. Want to go ahead and cast a vote to sell a portion of bitcoin and also a 'yes' for the cafe proposal.
  • Charlie: in the interest of time, let's schedule a weekly fundraising meeting to keep this discussion going and move on.

VOTE: sell 50, 75, or 100% of bitcoin?

  • 75% agreed on.


omni affairs

  • Charlie: anybody know what "omni affairs is about?"
  • Nobody seems to know. (it's just the heading for kitchen & cafe)
  • Sierk & Rayc volunteer for cleaning the common spaces.
  • Anyone else interested can look on the website/some door somewhere.
  • Rayc suggests a kiosk system at the front w/ a sign-up list. Lowers barrier to entry for volunteers.
  • Charlie: are we satisfied with omni affairs being settled?

kitchen fundraiser

https://omnicommons.org/kitchen

  • Sierk: In a few days a fundraiser starts to build a new kitchen in the commons.
  • People made a video & online campaign - deets & video at https://omnicommons.org/kitchen . $75k goal.
  • Pls contribute & ask friends to help. Rich uncles would be nice.
  • Sudo room should probably send an announcement on mailing list.

cafe

  • (Jenny joins the meeting)
  • Sounds like there's a proposal for a community-run cafe.
  • She suggested via email that they do a quarterly review of their earnings & be transparent.
  • Not all collaboratives have approved it yet.
  • This is just an update; nothing to vote on now. Maybe next meeting.
  • If we want a business in here that brings in ppl off the streets, we'll need a door.
  • Doesn't need to solved now, but should start a timeline to get it in the works.
  • Melissa volunteers to help install it. Pato also volunteers. Sierk half-heartedly raises his hand.

New prospective members

  • Adam Bredenberg (BREE-den-berg)
  • Melissa Crow
  • Pato
  • Adam
  • Eric
  • Jan

1) Jan

  • 1.2 Would you like to very briefly introduce yourself?
    • Jan
  • 1.3 What brings you to sudo room?
    • I think it's a cool space; cool people here; have a lot of projects that I've been wanting to work on for a while -- don't have the space at home. It all works better with community, tools, knowledge, etc.
  • 1.4 What do you want to hack or learn at sudo room (if you know)?
    • Yesterday I worked on a synthesizer -- dormant 5 years. It's an analog synth that's mostly finished. I also have an old Atari I want to restore.
  • 1.5 What do you want to share or teach at sudo room (if you know)?
    • Knowledge, experience. I can help people with software. I've been helping Rayc during this very meeting. I am happy to contribute financially where I can.
  • 1.6 What's your plan to abolish sexual violence, police brutality and white supremacy? in 10 words or less
    • Always be kind.
  • 1.7 What's your plan to end the anthropocene extinction, world hunger, global warming and global inequality? in 10 words or les
    • Think global. Act local.
  • 1.8 What's your plan to ensure freedom and privacy of communication for all? in 10 words or less
    • Promote open standards.
  • 1.9 expectations
    • Jenny reads expectations*
      • Jan agrees to expectations*
  • 1.10 Have you ever been banned, asked to take a break, or similar, from a hackerspace or any other collective?
    • No
  • 1.11 What are the best ways to contact you?
    • email
  • 1.12 What is your schedule like? Do you have particular times that you think you'll be around? You should check out our regular events!
    • Probably during evenings when there are most likely to be other people around. Maybe every once in a while on the weekends. Maybe Tuesday, Wednesday.
  • 1.13 Explain the next steps in the membership process and what they should expect
    • I explain it. He says he's already done it.*

2) Eric

  • 1.2 Would you like to very briefly introduce yourself?
    • Eric. Very excited. I like nerf guns.
  • 1.3 What brings you to sudo room?
    • A desire for community and a place to learn more technical skills. I'm just discovering this place is here after living in the area for 4 years.
  • 1.4 What do you want to hack or learn at sudo room (if you know)?
    • Want to make 3D printer more functional & also work on robotic arm making that more functional. Planning on making some 3D-printed, wifi-enabled Nerf guns.
  • 1.5 What do you want to share or teach at sudo room (if you know)?
    • 3d printing
  • 1.6 What's your plan to abolish sexual violence, police brutality and white supremacy? in 10 words or less
    • Not to tolerate it. Call it out when I see it. Not to be passive.
  • 1.7 What's your plan to end the anthropocene extinction, world hunger, global warming and global inequality? in 10 words or less
    • Privilege is like a magic eye poster. If someone makes you stare at it for a while you finally realize it.
  • 1.8 What's your plan to ensure freedom and privacy of communication for all? in 10 words or less
    • I don't know how. I don't have a plan. Nerf guns.
  • 1.9 expectations
    • Yes, totally, word.
  • 1.10 Have you ever been banned, asked to take a break, or similar, from a hackerspace or any other collective?
    • no
  • 1.11 What are the best ways to contact you?
    • email or phone
  • 1.12 What is your schedule like? Do you have particular times that you think you'll be around? You should check out our regular events!
    • Super crazy! After Feb I will be around more frequently.
  • 1.13 Explain the next steps in the membership process and what they should expect


3) David R.

  • 1.2 Would you like to very briefly introduce yourself?
    • David R. Been here 10 years. I work in the city. I'm not a coder per se although I know how. I'm interested in everything that's going on. (DOn't worry I am an engineer.)
  • 1.3 What brings you to sudo room?

Waiting for the right project. Finally have one I'm excited about and it would be good here.

  • 1.4 What do you want to hack or learn at sudo room (if you know)?

Giant matrix out of individually programmable Christmas lights. A beautiful lightboard.

  • 1.5 What do you want to share or teach at sudo room (if you know)?

Electronics. Cleaning! Super detail-oriented.

  • 1.6 What's your plan to abolish sexual violence, police brutality and white supremacy? in 10 words or less

Getting invovled at the community level.

  • 1.7 What's your plan to end the anthropocene extinction, world hunger, global warming and global inequality? in 10 words or less

It was a great ride, while it lasted. At least we created value for share-holders.

  • 1.8 What's your plan to ensure freedom and privacy of communication for all? in 10 words or less

Share 'dat floppy.

  • 1.9 expectations
    • Down
  • 1.10 Have you ever been banned, asked to take a break, or similar, from a hackerspace or any other collective?

no

  • 1.11 What are the best ways to contact you?

text

  • 1.12 What is your schedule like? Do you have particular times that you think you'll be around? You should check out our regular events!

weekends and evenings

  • 1.13 Explain the next steps in the membership process and what they should expect


4) Melissa Crow

  • 1.2 Would you like to very briefly introduce yourself?
    • Melissa Crow - control_z in IRC - always in there!
  • 1.3 What brings you to sudo room?
    • I love computers. and... that's it!
  • 1.4 What do you want to hack or learn at sudo room (if you know)?
    • Number of cool projects - secure scuttlebutt, mesh network - anything that's new to me I'm interested in. Haven't been behind a machine for the past 4 years so that's a lot of things.
  • 1.5 What do you want to share or teach at sudo room (if you know)?
    • Would love to share whateveer I have knowledge about - good at teaching and coding in mathematics, and in general helping people understand things. Techniques in crypto for individuals to use.
  • 1.6 What's your plan to abolish sexual violence, police brutality and white supremacy? in 10 words or less
    • Cryptography can do more than you think there.
  • 1.7 What's your plan to end the anthropocene extinction, world hunger, global warming and global inequality? in 10 words or less
    • Been living offgrid for past 3-4 years, started in a uhaul. Right now in a car. Learned a lot about providing power for myself and how to change your paradigm of energy usage. Just changing that can really revolutionize how much nrg you have available. Living in RV and working with solar charging and power storage system using boost and buck converters to take power directly from my battery bank.. folks in vehicles, needing offgrid power, have stuff to offer there.
  • 1.8 What's your plan to ensure freedom and privacy of communication for all? in 10 words or less
    • Cryptography. Teaching people about secure communication.
  • 1.9 expectations
  • 1.10 Have you ever been banned, asked to take a break, or similar, from a hackerspace or any other collective?
    • no.
  • 1.11 What are the best ways to contact you?
    • irc or text
  • 1.12 What is your schedule like? Do you have particular times that you think you'll be around? You should check out our regular events!
    • am around a lot. have a lotta free time right now.
  • 1.13 Explain the next steps in the membership process and what they should expect
    • next steps:

5) Adam

  • 1.2 Would you like to very briefly introduce yourself?
    • Member of First They Came for the Homeless. Right now camping on Berkeley City Hall's front lawn. I do game design.
  • 1.3 What brings you to sudo room?
    • Always liked computers. Never really been a hacker, but I'm interested. Especially in the liberation aspect of technology.
  • 1.4 What do you want to hack or learn at sudo room (if you know)?
    • Want to learn how to take a phone w/out an OS and put an OS on it (short-term goal). Also want to figure out ways to help People's Open efforts
  • 1.5 What do you want to share or teach at sudo room (if you know)?
    • Interested in sustainable development. If questions of how to get tech to people or make it easy for people to use without knowing how it works - would be interested in that kind of project.
  • 1.6 What's your plan to abolish sexual violence, police brutality and white supremacy? in 10 words or less
    • Disarm the cops and kill all men. But i could scale that back a bit.
  • 1.7 What's your plan to end the anthropocene extinction, world hunger, global warming and global inequality? in 10 words or less
    • if we scaled back on the pollution thing. don't know about ending it but mitigating would be nice ... if we tried really hard. am a writer so participating in a cultural battlefield whether i want to or not. inequality is the hardest thing - the least powerful the hardest hit. equalizing(?) the technologies... getting people on the internet... consensus-based communication, something like that.
  • 1.8 What's your plan to ensure freedom and privacy of communication for all? in 10 words or less
    • nothing is ever actually private, just always assumed that everything i write everyone will eventually be able to read it. guess freedom is more important. encryption good. FCC going to fuck us whether we fight it or not. hafta find the way around it.
  • 1.9 expectations
    • sounds great.
  • 1.10 Have you ever been banned, asked to take a break, or similar, from a hackerspace or any other collective?
    • Nope
  • 1.11 What are the best ways to contact you?
    • email
  • 1.12 What is your schedule like? Do you have particular times that you think you'll be around? You should check out our regular events!
    • mostly nights and weekends
  • 1.13 Explain the next steps in the membership process and what they should expect

6) Pato

  • 1.2 Would you like to very briefly introduce yourself?
    • Live in Emeryville. Been coming for a few months. Between jobs but background in data science.
  • 1.3 What brings you to sudo room?

Looking for like-minded community. Share ideas and collaborate.

  • 1.4 What do you want to hack or learn at sudo room (if you know)?

I'm not so politically knowledgable but I still value them. I'd like to work on art and music. Factoring in more policitcs and hardware.

  • 1.5 What do you want to share or teach at sudo room (if you know)?
    • Background's in data science .. sierk mentioned there were folks interested in learning about machine learning - would be hppy to share my knowledge in that area. python/javascript/scala. recently getting into hardware hacking.
  • 1.6 What's your plan to abolish sexual violence, police brutality and white supremacy? in 10 words or less
    • just be a friendly person and keep a level head
  • 1.7 What's your plan to end the anthropocene extinction, world hunger, global warming and global inequality? in 10 words or less
    • i will recycle. i bicycle.. and generally cycle things.
  • 1.8 What's your plan to ensure freedom and privacy of communication for all? in 10 words or less

be skeptical. ask questions.

  • 1.9 expectations
    • on board
  • 1.10 Have you ever been banned, asked to take a break, or similar, from a hackerspace or any other collective?
    • have not.
  • 1.11 What are the best ways to contact you?
    • email.
  • 1.12 What is your schedule like? Do you have particular times that you think you'll be around? You should check out our regular events!
    • schedule is pretty irregular. don't have any set times/days as of yet.
  • 1.13 Explain the next steps in the membership process and what they should expect

action items

  • set up one-time stripe donation button [jenny]


Are we disproportionately subsidizing a for-profit by offering below-market rate for rental