[cumbria_lug] Lowtech Access Space

[jenruss+jen at mail.plus.net]

One of the Lightning Talks at LUGRadio Live was from James Wallbank of
Lowtech [1]. Lowtech was set up about five years ago to make creative use
of old technology. The focus of the whole venture is not the technology,
but the creativity and the collaborative community. They set up systems,
put on displays and demos, gave away what they'd creeated and then started
on the next batch of old computers. Every demo brought more interest, and
more donations of old hardware. They simply didn't know what to do with it
all, so they set up something called Access Space. They obtained Arts
Council funding, and in the middle of Sheffield, they set up a hands-on
style media lab which was free for all and sundry to use. Everything they
do is based on free hardware and free (as in beer) software. The only thing
they ask of people is that they are willing to actively engage in the
project rather than just use it as a free internet cafe. People are
expected to help answer questions from anyone else who happens to be around
(even if the answer is to help them find the answer), and they are expected
to have an identifiable goal.

Again, it snowballed. They have helped any number of people learn about
computers and how they can be used, and have also learned a lot about from
those people. As they say "teach what you know, learn what you don't" and
they make the point that *everybody* has something worth teaching - after
all, if you want to know if your interface is easy to use, the best person
to tell you that is someone who isn't familiar with computers.

Lowtech are now beginning to push a new project called "grow your own media
lab" which does exactly what it says on the tin. The idea is that you
gather whatever bits of old hardware you happen to have, whatever techy or
non-techy people you can get interested, and build a media lab. Even
someone who has never seen a computer will be capable of plugging in cables
and watching screens to see if an error message comes up, and with the
right encouragement most people won't take too long before they're brave
enough to get their hands dirty and really get involved.

Russ and I are seriously considering trying to get something like this
started in Carlisle. We spoke to James Wallbank at LRL, and he provided a
huge amount of enthusiasim and support. Talking over it all, we have
identified a number of needs:

 - free hardware, which is not a problem, because every geek gathers
things, and once we get the ball rolling we will be able to acept donations
from businesses who'd rather not pay to have their old equipment taken away.

 - free software, which can be had very easily on-line. Recommendations for
suitable programs might be useful later on.

 - space, which will mean rent. We'll be writing to the local councils, and
to various arts councils, lottery funding, etc. We're hoping Carlisle City
Counsil will be able to offer us a room in a community centre for next to
nothing, but we'll have to see what they've got.

 - time, which is going to be the biggest problem, and why I'm posting this
to the LUG list. We need people who will be willing to spend a few hours
now and then sitting in a computer lab, working on their own projects, and
happy to help other out with theirs. Russ and I reckon we can probably make
every pther Sunday afternoon, and once things start to grow, I have no
doubt that there will be more people willing to be there at other times.
However, we really need to know that we've got people from the beginning,
whatever their level of techy ability.


So to summarise, what we want from you in the immediate future is support,
enthusiasm and the promise of time. I realise this is a long shot, given
that this LUG consists of those who are apathetic and those who are
stupidly busy, but please do think about it.

Hugs,

Jen



[1] http://lowtech.org/

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