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Hacksquat

A distributed collective of homes for traveling hackers.
  (+18, -2)(+18, -2)
(+18, -2)
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Take old warehouses around the country or world, fix em up, wire em up, make them comfy and homey, add resident hacker/managers and make a membership system. Let traveling geeks who are members stay over for free (cost of yearly membership?) in a comfortable, geeky, nice environment. Great for hightech contractors or just unemployed geeks that are looking for social contact. Could be a place for art and culture as well as a place to stay.
amadeus, Sep 22 2000

Green Tortoise http://www.greentortoise.com/
[Vis10n, Sep 22 2000, last modified Oct 21 2004]

[link]






       I think the really viable part of this idea is to have a chain of hotels which are completely unlike normal (i.e. generally rather soulless and boring) hotels.
These would be great for geeky types who have to stay in some far-from-home city. Just for starters...

...every room would have high-bandwidth unmetered internet access and real-time market data.
...no bed, just a double futon on the floor.
...free fridge-full of beer.
...decent stereo.
...access to hotel's DVD library.
...toasted sandwich maker.
hippo, Sep 22 2000
  

       While your at it, convert a bus and/or RV or two... (Can you say "toad rip?")
rmutt, Sep 26 2000
  

       The RV idea should be passed on to Green Tortoise: they're just the sort to do it.
Vis10n, Sep 27 2000
  

       I realize after reading this again that this is similar to the Hostelling system eg from American Youth Hostels etc. Although I envision something slightly more tight knit and comfortable, hostels are very 'functional'.
amadeus, Jan 06 2001
  

       This actually reminds me more of the old-fashioned gentleman's club (as seen in mystery novels at least). A part of these clubs' cachet, too, was that they were somewhat exclusive; they wouldn't let just anyone in, so you could immediately assume other members were (high class / rich / refined / etc). Similarly, the hacksquat collective could restrict membership to people with technical interests & skills, so you wouldn't have to go through the do-you-actually-know-what-I'm-talking-about-or-are-you-just-smiling-and-nodding dance with everyone you meet there.   

       Or maybe it would be better to run it more like a hostel or a gym with open membership ... hmmm.
wiml, May 04 2001
  

       when I first saw the ad title I thought it was a take-off on a hacky sack...larger...like a beanbag chair only made of macrame in rasta colours and instead of kicking it around you sit or "squat" on it.
grackle, May 11 2001
  

       Sweeeet! All we need now is a way to make LAN parties output some useful deliverable... (one half-baked croissant)
jabbers, Aug 15 2001
  
      
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