[dms-discuss] Key Policy thoughts

Braden Pellett braden at davismakerspace.org
Tue Oct 15 09:29:07 PDT 2013


Hi all,

A general request: would it be possible if we standardized on using quoting to do replies, vs html color-coding?  Quoting seems more well-used in mailing lists, given it is more reader-agnostic, and generally well supported in any client.

Anyway, back to keys.  Just a couple comments for the moment.

One is: There was some description by Jim of key-holding as a "priviledge", but given the responsibilities we are proposing for key-holders, it really doesn't seem that we should think of it as a privledge.  Really, it is a *responsibility*, I feel.

Also:

On Mon, Oct 14, 2013 at 10:02:34PM -0700, Jim Stewart wrote:
> On Monday evening, Jeff T wrote:
> > I feel that this could to be a sticking point for the group.  There
> > have been a couple comments that monetary donations should not be a part of the
> > key access process.  To help aid the discussion, could you expand a little on
> > why you support the fee model?   One of the criticisms was that giving money
> > doesn’t necessarily equal trustworthiness.
> 
> Two reasons, one selfish and the other not so much.  Personally, the financial
> model works for me.  I already have access to three separate well-stocked shops
> in the evenings and on weekends.  Currently, I’d get less done at the
> Makerspace than at home or work.  OTOH, resources like the 3D printers and the
> large graphics printer would make access worth the $30/month.  And being part
> of the community through the Makerspace. 

So I think we've talked some about this before, but a big part of the point of Davis Makerspace is that it is a community-based organization, thus the *people*, and the ideas and skills and general awesomeness of those people, would be why the space is valuable.  3D printers are just icing on the cake. :)

I don't see Davis Makerspace ever replacing your well-stocked shop, if your goal is to just work on a project independent of the community.  Nor do I see that as a goal.

> The not-so-selfish reason is that just about any business needs a reliable,
> recurring source of income.  Since there is no longer a membership fee model, I
> feel that another recurring source of income will be needed for the ongoing
> financial health of the group.

I sort of reject the premise, that Davis Makerspace is a "business".  It is much more a community organization.  Operating on donations from the community.  Certainly it is important to have income coming in to pay for reoccuring monetary costs, but I don't think it should be tied to holding a key.

Also I see giving money and key holding *not* tied together because, as mentioned earlier, key-holding is a *responsibility*.  It seems an unfair burden to add paying money on top of the various responsibilities that come with holding a key.

Can we think of fund-raising as a separate issue?  Certainly and obviously important, but not one that needs to have any relation to key-holding.

That's all I wanted to respond to for the moment. :)

  - Braden



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