Meeting Notes 2011 05 03: Difference between revisions

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=== What's Going On at Noisebridge ===
=== What's Going On at Noisebridge ===
''One '''short''' sentence about each of the following:''


This is the active list of events from the main page:
(Skipped.)
<!--
***Note*** the Upcoming Events Calendar is not written here. Instead, it is written on Category:Events and transcluded here. This consolidates the 3 pages. :-)
Write your event on https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/Category:Events
-->{{:Category:Events}}
 
===== Non-weekly =====
* [[Second Saturdays]] are Noisebridge hackathon:
a casual monthly event
dedicated to working on the space or relevant projects and building
community.  This is a great time to get feedback or help on any projects
you have been considering that center around the space, culture, and
infrastructure of Noisebridge.  You can also help with existing projects
and find out ways to get involved.
 
* [[Five Minutes of Fame]]
* Bay Area Hackers Association - (Second Sunday, 2PM)


=== Project Updates ===
=== Project Updates ===

Revision as of 21:25, 3 May 2011

Agenda

The 159th Meeting of Noisebridge

Note-taker: Seth

Moderator: Rachel M


Introduction and Names

  • What Noisebridge is about: "Noisebridge is a 501c3 nonprofit that provides a space for creation, collaboration, and learning about technology and creative projects. Noisebridge provides space, power tools, and infrastructure to help the public learn new skills and create cool things. Noisebridge continues to exist through and depends entirely on membership fees and donations. Our code of conduct is 'Be excellent to each other'."
  • Round of introductions: What's your name, what do you do, and if you are new, how did you hear about Noisebridge? Start with the moderator and go left.
  • A brief primer on consensus process: We agree and so should you! Only paid-up members can block consensus.

Announcements

We have t-shirts and stickers! (Lots of them!)

Q. What are we going to do with them at Maker Faire?

A. Let's take all of them to the Faire and see if we can get rid of all of them there! The world of geekdom will descend upon Maker Faire before, during, and after the Faire.

Financial Report

Funds in bank: $13,871.86. This is a little bit low but it's the beginning of the month and we just paid rent, so it's not too bad.

Generally we now have $10,000 in the savings account and use about $5,000 as operating expenses, but we had to dip into the savings account to deal with the purchases of t-shirts and stickers. But we were able to restore that quickly.

Q. Can we invest money in a CD?

A. Actually, the t-shirts and stickers are a much better investment for Noisebridge right now. Interest rates are low but we get good returns in practice from shirts and stickers. We have made $1.10 in interest on our savings account.

Jared deposited $236 from the vending machine. Thanks!

Samsung is now manufacturing a Sidekick 4G running Android with a super great keyboard. Noisebridge isn't going to get one but the treasurer likes them a whole lot.

Membership Binder

  • Read off any names from the binder for the past month.
  • Anyone up for join this week should introduce themselves then leave the area in search of gifts (traditionally beer and a lime) for the rest of the group. The rest of the meeting should consense on whether they may join.

What's Going On at Noisebridge

(Skipped.)

Project Updates

Controlling music playback in the space from your smartphone or other computer

It's now very easy using any smartphone, by downloading any mpd client, to control the two music receivers that we have here and to control the music playback from your phone. You can also get mpd clients for your computer and control the music when you are in the space!

Fixed TV

Zack fixed the 42-inch TV and it could be placed onto a table with wheels and display various things and kinds of information while people are doing projects. It can take two simultaneous inputs in split-screen mode. Ideally there will be a computer attached to it and maybe a wireless keyboard and mouse.

Q. What inputs?

A. DVI up to 720p and 1080a. Two component, two composite inputs, S-video.

Q. Make a wiki page and an nburl for the wiki page and put a label on it.

A. Sure, please help me do this!

Q. What is the brand?

A. Gateway.

Q. What will the TV be called?

A. Per the treasurer, NBTV!

The TV is now called "NBTV". See [1]

It will perhaps have two computers to control the two computer inputs.

Hacker in residence

Mitch has been talking with Paul about having a hacker in residence. He is a grantwriter. He is proposing to write a grant proposal to have a hacker in residence.

Someone will sign this grant proposal and then it will be an actual proposal on behalf of Noisebridge.

Consensus items

(Add any new items for consensus to the Current Consensus Items page.)

Discussion Items

Noisebridge administering grants

Open source research under Noisebridge's ægis.

Can Noisebridge administer grants to let individuals get funding to work on open source projects? E.g., Jason, who has a specific open source project that he wants to get a grant to work on, to be administered by Noisebridge.

The money would presumably get paid to Noisebridge and it would be earmarked for paying a particular person to work on a particular thing in the name of Noisebridge. Publications about this would be done with a Noisebridge affiliation.

This does create responsibility for Noisebridge and reputational risk. Our bylaws permit this but we have never done it before.

In this case Jason would promise to make his work open source.

It's not clear who would do what and whether consensus is required.

Q. What is the procedure for the treasurer to be given earmarked funds, such as a grant for a specific purpose?

A. Send the treasurer an e-mail describing the nature, date, and amount of the transaction.

Q. But what will Noisebridge do in order to fulfill its obligations to administer the grant properly, to ensure that we comply with our obligations under the grant and as a non-profit organization? We need to keep track of this for tax reasons, among other things.

A. The treasurer will track the amount and purpose of the money allocated and expended for these purposes.

Q. Doesn't Noisebridge get some obligation to monitor what Jason does and that the purpose of the grant is fulfilled? What kind of oversight will Noisebridge exercise?

A. Yes. We could have a consensus item that says that we'll go forward with this and that one of our officers has volunteered to be the contact person and to perform the oversight, including an obligation for Jason to report on his progress.

We think that the consensus item would be to administer the grant.

Q. Does this need consensus?

A. Not sure, but we will proceed as a consensus item for now. We will also ask Paul for advice.

End of Meeting

  • PGP Key Signing could happen now, check the list to see who wants in on the action.
  • Put back the membership binder by the Shrine.
  • Save the meeting notes to the wiki.
  • Send a copy of the meeting notes to the discussion list.
  • Copy the Meeting Notes Template for next week's agenda and update the main wiki page's link to it.
  • Enjoy a cocktail with your fellow hacker or robot.