It doesn't happen all the time, but I'm in 100% agreement with Jacob here :).
There are social problems, and there are technical problems. Tech problems are easy to solve, usually. Social problems are not. We're discussing a combination of the two, and that's what scares me. I'd put the focus on baseline utility that solves technical problems (or, better yet, a SINGLE technical problem: like invoicing, desk reservation, etc), otherwise this thing will never launch. And, as Jacob said...count me in as an opinionated and focused tester. Alex, IndyHall -- ----- -- ----- Alex Hillman im always developing something digital: [EMAIL PROTECTED] visual: www.dangerouslyawesome.com local: www.indyhall.org On Wed, Oct 1, 2008 at 2:17 PM, Jacob Sayles <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Ok, I'll chime in... > > I've been purposefully silent in much of the discussion about > coworkingnation and other software projects because I've been wanting > to see where they go on their own. I've got 10 years in the software > industry and I have a good feel for what projects work and where they > fall short. The biggest issue I've seen is one where technology is > considered the problem and the human elements are overlooked. > Coworking has so many players and so many variations that there are > many obstacles to overcome and technology alone is not going to get us > there. For example, let us consider the Coworking Visa program. It > was implemented quickly because of the low requirements to > participating. Everyone can do what they are doing already, have > their own pricing, their own criteria, and it's left to humans to do > the sticky work of working out the details and addressing problems > where they arise. Humans are good at that kind of thing. > > I'm not saying I'm opposed to utilizing technology here... I'm far > from being a luddite. I'm skeptical because software that tries to do > too much and has such a diverse group of stake holders often isn't > worth the hassles introduced. I do believe there is a lot we can do > if we fully embrace the diversity and, like the visa program, come up > with solutions that don't require standardization. The power of > coworking comes from the people. Business centers have been around > for a long time but coworking embraces the human element and speaks to > a deeper need. If you can capture that with technology... wow. > > Count me in as an opinionated beta tester. > > Jacob > > On Wed, Oct 1, 2008 at 7:31 AM, Todd Sundsted <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Great thread, everyone! > > > > I've talked to many of you independently, so I'm going to briefly > > brain dump here. > > > > After a very intimate year in this space, and after many conversations > > with both coworkers, independents, entrepreneurs, as well as people in > > corporate HR and real estate, there's definitely a new ecology of work/ > > workspace developing here. This probably isn't news to most of you. > > > > This ecology is currently composed largely of independents, > > independent entrepreneurs, and a small handful of corporate > > outworkers; it is also composed of a growing cadre of coworking spaces > > and local Jelly groups. People and places. To be fair, the ecology > > also includes coffee shops and executive suites, and the people that > > work there, even though these differ ideologically. But there are > > several missing pieces. > > > > In areas like New York City, but elsewhere as well, there's a real > > estate component that can't be avoided. Many current spaces started > > because "we got a good deal" on space somewhere, or because a forward > > thinking small business owner was willing to let others utilize unused > > office space. I realize I'm generalizing here, but please bear with > > me. This model isn't scalable. I'm not even sure it's desirable > > because living in borrowed space isn't sustainable over the long term, > > and I'm not sure coworking owner/operators are really prepared to be > > in the landlord business, which is what they are in the minute they > > start charging money for space and services. > > > > To the point of this thread, the necessary technology infrastructure > > is missing, as well. This hasn't been a problem, because we are all > > early adopters, and can get buy on our wits and our network of friends > > in coworking. However, at some point this movement is going to take > > off. Office space is the #2 cost in most businesses (after people, > > which are #1). I can guarantee that every Fortune 1000 company in the > > United States is looking for ways to reduce cost #2 (and #1) given our > > immediate economic situation. So, take off may be sooner than we > > think. > > > > My feeling is that it's time to compare notes, to look at the > > infrastructure, and to make sure that it evolves in a way that > > benefits and serves the community. Forget about the tags "coworking", > > "Jelly", etc. for a moment, and consider the near future in which work > > and workplace is increasingly defined as a network of intentional > > local spaces, and as communities of working peers with something in > > common beyond the accidental fact they work for the same company. > > Good technology will make it easier to open/operate spaces like those > > we've come to love. > > > > Thanks, > > Todd > > > > > > On Sep 30, 6:58 pm, "Derek Neighbors" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> Sent from wrong address. :) > >> > >> Todd, > >> > >> > >> > >> > On Tue, Sep 30, 2008 at 7:25 AM, Todd Sundsted <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > >> > >> >> There has been talk in the past about open source membership > >> >> management software, etc. With coworking visas now in play, the > >> >> challenge of contacting an owner/manager when you're in town, finding > >> >> a space in the first place, finding/reserving a desk, managing > >> >> payment, etc. there's an opportunity for the right tool to simplify > >> >> the process of setting up and managing a space. With New Work City > in > >> >> the wings here in NYC, I'm being reminded of all of these issues > >> >> again. > >> > >> >> So I'm gauging interest in this project. There are enough hot shots > >> >> at work in coworking spaces, and enough great technologies out there > >> >> (OpenID, etc.) that we could build and sustain an open source project > >> >> like this. > >> > >> > We have some interesting concepts in this area. We offer all our > space for > >> > free so we haven't much focused on the business of collecting payment. > >> > However, we very much are interested in allowing co-workers to > identify > >> > themselves and the space(s) they regularly frequent. We have another > >> > project for our hacknights (http://hacknight.gangplankhq.com/) that > we > >> > might refactor and tie into the wurkspaces directory. Anyhoo... We > are > >> > certainly open for ideas and willing to help. > >> > >> > -- > >> > Derek Neighbors > >> > Integrum Technologies > > > > > > > > > -- > Office Nomads - Individuality without Isolation > http://www.officenomads.com - (206) 323-6500 > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
