[clug] Artist Colonies: Why "Coder Colonies?"

[steve jenkin]

Paul Wayper wrote on 11/11/08 7:58 AM:


> Do we need to have a permanent location?

If you have 'fixed equipment' or want to give people quiet space to
work, yes...

Local community, 'Strathnairn' has kilns & studios. Cost ~$150/mo
<http://www.strathnairn.com.au/about/>
<http://www.chiefminister.act.gov.au/media.php?v=7465&m=51>


> Over the last couple of months I've been increasingly interested in
> having a
> 'hackfest' or 'coding camp', where coders get together in one location and
> hack on stuff together.  One idea is to all work on one project - a 'code
> crunch' - but another is to just get everyone interested in writing code
> together and see what you can get done.  The idea of having a bunch of
> people
> around that can really understand what coolness you've done, and can
> help you
> out when you get stuck, is very attractive.
> 
> What I'd like to propose is that, for the December Programming SIG
> meeting, we
> try this format - that'll be on Thursday 11th December.  If Bob is
> amenable,
> we'll run it at ANU room N101 from 7PM until 9:30PM.  Bring along your
> computers and we'll all get stuck into some coding, with a pizza break
> in the
> middle.
> 
> What I'd like to hear is ideas for how to make it as productive as
> possible.
> I know I was talking to one guy at the last PSIG meeting about a coding
> camp
> he went to, and Tridge mentioned that he'd been to a code crunch for
> SaMBa -
> any tips that we should use to get it all happening?  My thought was to
> put up
> some boxes on the whiteboard with various languages and projects, and
> people
> could put their names down if they were programming in those - that way
> if you
> need help on something you have a list of names to ask.
> 
> Thoughts?

You always come up with good stuff and are one of the movers & shakers
of CLUG. I wouldn't gainsay any of your ideas :-)

I'm wondering if the 'colony' idea could fly.
These days $50 buys 'enough' broadband and people can afford a laptop or
two and a few Tb of disk.

The real value of being at Uni:
 - servers & infrastructure
 - Library & digital content
 - Lecturers that deeply *know* stuff (in their field)
 - a bunch of like-minded people working on similar probs (students)
 - place to work
 - time

But after Uni - blackhole... And these days, you can't easily hang
around for a few years while you are 'finding yourself' and just
following your interests. HECS killed this.

I know a number of people who became very influential in
Unix/Security/computing because they had the latitude to apparently just
do nothing at Uni for quite a few years.

If we don't create these enclaves for ourselves, they won't happen now.

Links:
Colony @ Eltham that made a huge difference:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montsalvat>

Wiki on Art Colonies
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_colony>

> 
> Paul

-- 
Steve Jenkin, Info Tech, Systems and Design Specialist.
0412 786 915 (+61 412 786 915)
PO Box 48, Kippax ACT 2615, AUSTRALIA

sjenkin at canb.auug.org.au http://members.tip.net.au/~sjenkin