Meeting Notes 2012 01 03

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Agenda[edit]

The 194th Meeting of Noisebridge

Note-taker: User:Malaclyps

Moderator: User:Snail


Introduction and Names[edit]

Snail read the introduction

  • 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.

Alfred -- does web stuff, doing startup Dan -- noisebridge member, do computing stuff and hack on open source Mike -- i'm a technowanderer, not a quartermaster or a stockbroker Nick -- visiting student from Sydney, Australia. I hack on all sorts of things. Learning about electronics, computers. Know ALL INTO CHEMISTRY Ben -- I'm here to learn how to rebuild a website for a non-profit. Cat shelter organization. So I'm learning web Danny - I am hacking front screen. I also run socialengineering, the mailing list and the meeting that Jarvis -computer graphics and programming Snail -- Snail is the moderator. Tom is anonymous. He does not forgive. He does not forget. He is legion. Also he is Tom. Kelly -- is your treasurer. I work in neuroscience. Will -- from the London hackerspace. Writing software for a satellite sprite. Rayc -- Rayc says hi, I like to hack the space, making it more efficient. He cleans and stuff. Teaching a laser workshop and woodshop and other stuff. Bill. He is not the droids you're looking for. YOu may go about your business. Azusa -- take videos and photos and stuff. Laura -- I'm currently working on an android app.

Ben gives an awesome and excellent description of consensus.

Short Announcements[edit]

Danny reminds people to vote and elect people, despite everyone agreeing that voting and elections are WRONG.

Occupedia is on 2012-01-05.

New or Stale Events[edit]

Is there anything new happening at the space?

Code SF is happening, Saturday at 2PM at Noisebridge.

Is there anything that has stopped happening at the space?

Financial Report[edit]

We discussed the annual report. Kelly is working on it.

Funds in bank:

$21764.02 -- paid rent for january and paid another noisetor bill.

Membership Binder[edit]

  • Read off any names from the binder for the past month. Write a check on every open application.
  • Anyone up for joining this week (ie have four checks by their name + have two sponsors) 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.

Consensus items[edit]

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

Discussion Items[edit]

Proposed consensus items:

Noisebridge paying for demo kits for a display for circuit hacking monday.

Rayc proposed paying Mitch for a demo display for circuit hacking monday.

Danny proposed mailing the list and asking for some money independently. Nick suggested asking Mitch for the kits. Kelly said ask the list, because we always a good response for this.

Consensus item for expiration of membership on non-payment of dues.

Danny read out the membership expiration text:

If you have not paid dues for three months or more, and have not responded to at least three months of contact attempts by the treasurer or other board member or officer, your membership can be revoked by Noisebridge. If you later want to rejoin, you must go through the joining process again.

Kelly said that this is ambiguous and an incredible hassle for the Treasurer. The spirit of this is: no dues, no contact for three months.

Tom says: if I were a malicious member who wanted to block, could I just set up a Perl script to mail you once a quarter.

Kelly says: we also have no definition for hiatus expiry.

Rayc says: can we automate this to send message.

Kelly: let's assume no. We've never been able to get it together previously.

Cathryn says: can we just add that if it's contentious, we can expire people?

Danny says: no, because that wouldn't fix things.

Tom suggests a committee, to rewrite it.

Kelly quoted Danny's suggestion. Tom said he would like to rewrite it. He will email nb-discuss to see who else would like to get involved.


Revision of bylaws.

Danny explained that the bylaws are kind of weirdly different from our actual practice (we don't not comply with them, but their definitions are different from the definitions we use on a day to day basis.)

Kelly is more worried about the powers that the board has in the bylaws, and the fact that Noisebridge is generally uncomfortable with ideas like "President".

Tom asked how do we change the bylaws, and what are the legal consequences.

Danny says that the bylaws suggest a majority of members voting would be sufficient. We could do that at the 2013 AGM.

Tom suggests as he always does that we form a committee.

Danny suggests it be a huge monster committee including the membership expiration thing.

Kelly suggests that the committe be named the policywonks committee.

Danny suggests referring this to the committee itself.

Tastebridge is HAVING A BOWL CRISIS. They are buying bowls, so people should tell Tastebridge what they want.


End of Meeting[edit]

  • PGP Key Signing could happen now, check the list to see who wants in on the action.
  • Put back the membership binder in the black desk.
  • 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.