On Saturday, December 07, 2013 12:16:57 Philip P. Patnode wrote: > Justin, > > No need to identify the first SH member who first assured me that I could > claim and make use of the HP laptop since it was in the clearly marked Junk > Pile. > > No need to identify the second SH member who suddenly took possession of > the laptop from me in the name of SYNHAK, since it will not serve a useful > purpose. > > The issue is about procedures or policies at SH, not individuals. > > The whole process of donations and the junk pile should be discussed by the > SH membership. Solutions to the obvious problems are needed. > > Just to be clear about my intentions, the damaged/broken/messed > up/non-working laptop I own was intended to be my first project at SH. It > was to be the source for a learning experience for me about laptop > diagnostics, disassembly, repair or replacement of internal parts, > reassembly, configuration and settings, directed online research for > techniques and parts, plus full documentation of the project with video or > still images and/or written notes. I claimed the HP laptop from the Junk > Pile as a source for much needed spare parts. > > The finished project would have been a working laptop that was built at SH > using parts from both HP g7 series machines, with a little help from some > of the knowledgeable and experienced people who congregate at SH. For > those who may wonder about the end result, the finished project would have > been a working laptop for my personal use, not an item I would sell online. > > If anyone has questions or comments or suggestions about this issue of > donated hardware, I suggest they bring up their concerns at the next SH > meeting.
I will be blocking any proposal to give SYNHAK members more rights than already declared in the bylaws and previous proposals, unless it can benefit the space's mission: * Participating in consensus * Elections * Holding office or board position * Removal of board members * Holding a key * Use of the storage room and bins > > Philip > > On Sat, Dec 7, 2013 at 11:49 AM, Justin Herman <just...@gmail.com> wrote: > > What person in question? > > > > On Fri, Dec 6, 2013 at 7:46 PM, Torrie Fischer <tdfisc...@hackerbots.net>wrote: > >> On Friday, December 06, 2013 14:54:16 Philip P. Patnode wrote: > >> > *Suggestions for consideration by SYNHAK members -* > >> > > >> > *To avoid confusion, disappointment, and wasting time on projects that > >> > >> will > >> > >> > never happen, I suggest that the JUNK PILE (clearly marked with a sign, > >> > usage policy established) be separated from the RECENT DONATIONS PILE > >> > >> (not > >> > >> > marked, no policy) and I suggest **a formal SH policy be established > >> > for > >> > donations.* > >> > > >> > *In my opinion, two things need to happen at SYNHAK regarding future > >> > donations.* > >> > > >> > *One*, *the SH policy* on all donations - from any source, of any kind > >> > - > >> > needs to be clearly stated and communicated to all members and > >> > >> non-members, > >> > >> > in print or by email or as added text on the SH webpage or all three. > >> > >> Yeah, totes. We need to figure out something we can all agree on as a > >> protocol > >> for receiving donations at the space. > >> > >> > *Two*,* the physical location* at SH for recent hardware donations > >> > >> needs to > >> > >> > be clearly marked with a sign/appropriate comments. For example, > >> > "Don't > >> > Take" or "Not Available" or "Death by Laser" or "To Be Evaluated" might > >> > >> be > >> > >> > used to convey the message. > >> > >> Huh? Thats a bit restricting. Given time, I think the recent donations > >> pile > >> would quickly become a second junk pile, but with people staying away > >> from it > >> because hacking is not allowed. I know that I don't usually sort through > >> new > >> donations that show up because I'm not really sure where things would fit > >> in > >> the space. > >> > >> See also: my mail earlier this week to encourage more funds for a bigger > >> space > >> > >> > >> > >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> --- > >> > >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> --->> > >> > -------------- > >> > > >> > Here is the back story behind the suggestions. My apologies for the > >> > >> length > >> > >> > and details necessary to tell the story. > >> > > >> > At about 7.15pm last night, because of the delay over the turkey > >> > cooking > >> > experiment, I spent some time taking a casual look at the contents of > >> > >> the > >> > >> > hardware junk pile near the entrance to the main room. Looked at and > >> > >> dug > >> > >> > through lots of boxes and shelves full of stuff, all under a sign > >> > indicating that all of it was in the correct place - the Junk Pile. > >> > > >> > Much to my surprise, I found a HP g7 series laptop that was very > >> > >> similar to > >> > >> > the HP g7-1019wm that I had brought with me to SH last night, in the > >> > >> hope > >> > >> > of finding someone to help me diagnose/identify the problems and guide > >> > >> me > >> > >> > through the repair process. The HP I brought is a personal laptop and > >> > >> not > >> > >> > an item I plan to sell on eBay or Craigslist. It has a bad cooling fan > >> > (does not rotate - ever), a glitchy on/off switch, and two keys damaged > >> > >> - > >> > >> > the K and the L, and maybe other problems. > >> > > >> > A long-time full member of SH (not to be named) stopped by to chat and > >> > discuss the situation with me. During the conversation, he made it > >> > very > >> > clear that I could "claim" the donated item I found in the junk pile > >> > and > >> > use parts from it to fix my laptop. He was aware that I am not a > >> > >> sponsored > >> > >> > member of SH, only a recent interested person who likes the concept of > >> > >> SH > >> > >> > and has made an effort to swim with the rolling tide. As the turkey > >> > >> frying > >> > >> > situation was still developing out on the loading deck, I spent the > >> > >> next 45 > >> > >> > minutes doing some online research about the specs for both HP laptops > >> > >> and > >> > >> > going through the HP support forums to read the comments about similar > >> > problems. I was on page two of my notes when a dark cloud appeared on > >> > >> the > >> > >> > horizon. > >> > > >> > My joy of finding a possible solution to my laptop problem turned to > >> > serious disappointment and frustration when another long-time full > >> > >> member > >> > >> > of SH (again, not to be named) approached and summarily declared that > >> > >> the > >> > >> > donated item was not available to me or anyone else, but would be > >> > >> retained > >> > >> > by SH to be diagnosed and possibly repaired and used by SH or sold for > >> > cash. There was no room allowed for any further discussion about the > >> > donated laptop. Do'ocracy in action? > >> > >> Wowzers. That is highly unexcellent. Whoever did that should've heard > >> your > >> claim to it and understood that they can't just take things from others. > >> The > >> junk pile isn't the exclusive property of SYNHAK members. It never has > >> been. > >> > >> > As a non-member, with no power, no influence, no ace-in-the-hole, and > >> > definitely no say about anything regarding anything at SH, I tried to > >> > minimize my comments and watched as the member picked up the laptop off > >> > >> the > >> > >> > work area where I had it and proceeded to disassemble it on another > >> > >> bench, > >> > >> > check out a few items, and put it back together again. He then moved > >> > >> to a > >> > >> > back room, out of sight and out of reach, as if he was concerned that > >> > it > >> > would find a way back to the junk pile, or worse, out to someone's car > >> > >> and > >> > >> > disappear forever. The series of actions by the member almost > >> > >> appeared as > >> > >> > if he was worried I would run off with the donated HP moment he turned > >> > >> his > >> > >> > back on it, although I might be entirely in error about his thoughts on > >> > >> the > >> > >> > matter. > >> > >> Nah, the back room is our member storage closet. If someone finds a > >> donation > >> to be useful, they'll pick it up and start hacking on it. If they've got > >> plans > >> for it, it goes into the storage room or gets a Do Not Hack sticker. > >> Still > >> though, they have no right to take it away from someone who has laid > >> claim to > >> it, regardless of membership status. > >> > >> There are only four benefits to SYNHAK membership: > >> > >> 1. You can participate in our self governance > >> 2. You get to use the member storage room > >> 3. An option to have a lock on a member bin in the storage room > >> 4. Apply for a key > >> > >> I'm still a bit shocked that the laptop was just taken without any > >> discussion, > >> *especially* for an impromptu donation that nobody else knew about unless > >> they > >> happened to be in the space in the last two days or were particularly > >> observant. I would appreciate it if the person in question contacted > >> Philip > >> and discussed a solution. > >> > >> > The names of the SH members who were involved are not essential to the > >> > issue and are not the basis for the suggestions. Personalities play > >> > no > >> > part in my suggestion to take action on the matter of donations to SH. > >> > > >> > Only turkey feathers should be ruffled, as I am not making this an > >> > >> issue > >> > >> > about any particular member. > >> > > >> > On a final note, I would consider buying the donated HP g7 series > >> > laptop > >> > from SH at a reasonable price to use for parts or repair, if it is > >> > available now or becomes available in the near future. > >> > > >> > In the meantime, I will avoid even looking at anything within 10ft of > >> > >> the > >> > >> > combo donations/junk pile. I don't want to get my hope up and then > >> > >> have it > >> > >> > dashed again. > >> > > >> > Philip > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Discuss mailing list > >> Discuss@synhak.org > >> https://synhak.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Discuss mailing list > > Discuss@synhak.org > > https://synhak.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss _______________________________________________ Discuss mailing list Discuss@synhak.org https://synhak.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
