Tipit

The years 2007-2008 saw an international boost for hackerspaces. The practical enthusiasm manifested in a large number of spaces has been followed by a growing theoretical interest based on the thought that hackerspaces stand for something good. There has been a sense of community between the people engaged in hackerspaces.

This first phase seems to be ending. In the second phase taking form now in the beginning of 2012 it’s no longer obvious that everyone is working towards the same goals. Conflicts develop, in a way that is manifested at the blog DEMILIT.

Background

DARPA is the name of an agency of the United States Department of Defense. DARPA develops technology for the American military. In February 2011 it became known that DARPA had tasked well known hacker Mudge, aka Peiter Zatko with finding ways to stop leaks similar to the ones Brian Manning is being accused of doing. Peiter Zatko let it be known that DARPA was ready to finance hackerspaces working on security issues of interest to the military.

“Maybe some lucky hackerspace will get some money to make drone swarms.” Cory Doctorow said.

In January 2012, a press release was published.

O’Reilly Media’s Make division, in partnership with Otherlab, has received an award from The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in support of its Manufacturing Experimentation and Outreach (MENTOR) program. The team will help advance DARPA’s MENTOR program, an initiative aimed at introducing new design tools and collaborative practices of making to high school students.

Makerspace, developed by Dale Dougherty of O’Reilly Media and Dr. Saul Griffith of Otherlab, will integrate online tools for design and collaboration with low-cost options for physical workspaces where students may access educational support to gain practical hands-on experience with new technologies and innovative processes to design and build projects.

Both Make and Boing Boing should be considered trend-setting in the hackerspace culture. Neither of them wants to comment on the fears that the United States military want to use hackers as a part of their massive investment in UAVs.

It is one thing to accept funding from DARPA, but accepting money and refusing to comment on It is very suspicious.

The dividing lines are quickly being drawn. The other day an interview with Mitch Altman was published. Mitch has been seen as a missionary or even godfather for new hackerspaces around the world. He has previously had a lot of contact with Make, but explains that he has severed all ties with him.

I told them I couldn’t continue to do what I’ve been doing with them at Maker Faire, because they had accepted a grant from Darpa. They’re a fantastic organization that have done so many amazing things for me and for many other people, and will continue to do so. But I just think it’s incredibly unfortunate that they’re accepting money from DARPA. They don’t need that money.

This looks like a dawning split within the American scene. The question is what shape the question will take when it spreads internationally. Hopefully not a split between Americans and Europeans, but something more productive than that. We’ll see.

The years 2007-2008 saw an international boost for hackerspaces. The practical enthusiasm manifested in a large number of spaces has been followed by a growing theoretical interest based on the thought that hackerspaces stand for something good. There has been a sense of community between the people engaged in hackerspaces. This first phase seems to be ending. In the second phase taking form now in the beginning of 2012 it’s no longer obvious that everyone is working towards the same goals. Conflicts develop, in a way that is manifested at the blog DEMILIT. Background DARPA is the name of an agency of the United States Department of Defense. DARPA develops technology for the American military. In February 2011 it became known that DARPA had tasked well known hacker Mudge, aka Peiter Zatko with finding ways to stop leaks similar to the ones Brian Manning is being accused of doing. Peiter Zatko let it be known that DARPA was ready to finance hackerspaces working on security issues of interest to the military. “Maybe some lucky hackerspace will get some money to make drone swarms.” Cory Doctorow said. In January 2012, a press release was published. O'Reilly Media's Make division, in partnership with Otherlab, has received an award from The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in support of its Manufacturing Experimentation and Outreach (MENTOR) program. The team will help advance DARPA's MENTOR program, an initiative aimed at introducing new design tools and collaborative practices of making to high school students. Makerspace, developed by Dale Dougherty of O'Reilly Media and Dr. Saul Griffith of Otherlab, will integrate online tools for design and collaboration with low-cost options for physical workspaces where students may access educational support to gain practical hands-on experience with new technologies and innovative processes to design and build projects. Both Make and Boing Boing should be considered trend-setting in the hackerspace culture. Neither of them wants to comment on the fears that the United States military want to use hackers as a part of their massive investment in UAVs. It is one thing to accept funding from DARPA, but accepting money and refusing to comment on It is very suspicious. The dividing lines are quickly being drawn. The other day an interview with Mitch Altman was published. Mitch has been seen as a missionary or even godfather for new hackerspaces around the world. He has previously had a lot of contact with Make, but explains that he has severed all ties with him. I told them I couldn’t continue to do what I’ve been doing with them at Maker Faire, because they had accepted a grant from Darpa. They’re a fantastic organization that have done so many amazing things for me and for many other people, and will continue to do so. But I just think it’s incredibly unfortunate that they’re accepting money from DARPA. They don’t need that money. This looks like a dawning split within the American scene. The question is what shape the question will take when it spreads internationally. Hopefully not a split between Americans and Europeans, but something more productive than that. We’ll see.