Vancouver Hack Space

Hey everyone,

What/When: 
Just wanted to let you know that I’m planning to run a workshop on Thursday 31st Jan where you will be able to:

• Bring your own TV-B-Gone kit (if you got one for Christmas) and get help with it.
• Build your very own TV-b-Gone from a kit available on the day.
• Upgrade your TV-b-Gone to the latest and greatest v2.0 firmware
• Upgrade from alkaline to lithium power (but only choose this option if you have a proper charger for lithium batteries)

If you want to attend please email me directly to reserve a space and/or a kit.  My kits will all be based on the v2 firmware, meaning you will be at the cutting edge of the TV-b-Gone movement !!

Please note that if you have never done any electronic soldering at all, you should get down to VHS to practice this skill before the workshop. It’s not hard to do, but just like tying your shoelaces it takes a little practice before it clicks. It’s not good to be learning a new skill while trying not to ruin your project ! Non-members can come on any Tuesday or Thursday evening and just ask a member for help.

Cost:

The cost for the workshop + kit is $25. Workshop only is $5 suggested minimum donation.

Where: 

VHS. 45 W. Hastings (access from alley, Abbott St end. Phone 778 330 1234 if you require a destroyer escort through the alley)

Made by: Ninety Nein with help from VHS laser cutter and Thingiverse

Made by:  Arthur with help from DealExtream. Photo by: EmilySmith2000

Made by: Funvill with help from TinyMatrix

When:
Thursday Jan 17, 2013 6:00pm

Where: 
45 West Hasting @ VHS (See the About page | How to Get Here)

What: 

Join MAKE magazine http://makezine.com, leader of the maker movement for its second International maker meetup around the release of MAKE Magazine Volume 33: Software for Makers, hitting newsstands January 22nd, 2013. Join us as we take a deep dive into the magazine and take a special look at one of the most popular microcontrollers on the market today: Raspberry Pi.

Often when we think of making we envision physical objects like wood, metal, and electronic components. But as fellow makers we know that software has become a critical part of the making process. Today software is as important to makers as soldering irons and screwdrivers. MAKE volume 33 looks at the software you need to become a great maker, featuring 22 great projects you can build, showcasing the way in which software has become a critical part of the making process.

Join Fellow Makers in your Community and a chance to win a Raspberry Pi Starter Kit:

In the last couple of years we have seen the rise of 3-D printing and CNC cutting for the do-it-yourselfer, along with the growing popularity of Arduino microcontrollers, hobby robotics, and affordable CAD/CAM tools. Come join MAKE Magazine for our second international maker meetup! Share how the software you use today has transformed your DIY skills. Plus, MAKE will be offering the top three highest attending meetups a stipend of $200 for food and beverage. Five lucky winners will receive MAKE’s very own Raspberry Pi Starter kits, which includes a copy of Getting Started with Raspberry Pi. The first 25 meetups to sign-up will each receive a signed copy of the book, Getting Started with Raspberry Pi to host their own local raffles. All meetup attendees will receive a free PDF download of MAKE Magazine Volume 33.

During the meetup, the MAKE team and featured guests Matt Richardson and Shawn Wallace, authors of Getting Started with Raspberry Pi will join us in a live Google+Hangout On Air at 6PM PST https://plus.google.com/+MAKE/posts. They’ll talk about the featured projects in the magazine and discuss everything Pi. They’ll offer tips and hints of how to maximize your interaction with tools and software. You’ll be able to engage in a live chat with the participating guests and ask them questions as well as share your own projects.

Whether you’re a designer, inventor, hacker, tinkerer or weekend DIYer—anyone interested in finding out more about software, arduino projects, internet-based projects, projects using parts fabrication, or anything in between are welcome to join in the conversation. We suggest getting together at convenient locations such as a hackerspace, coffee shop, community center, library or restaurant. Bring your laptop, tablet, or smartphone to access the Internet and G+ Hangout on Air.

Hello hackers

Its time for another VHS Quarterly general meeting (QGM)
At this meeting we will be deciding on the direction that VHS should take over the next few months and get an update on the current status of projects and action items from previous meetings. This is your chance to shape the way VHS operates and provide your input.

Please submit new business for the QGM and the sooner the better, so we can talk about it before hand.
Please ask questions sooner rather then later.

Notes:

• The notes from this meeting will be sent to Victoria to be submitted officially with our society. Just something to keep in mind at the meeting. Its official!
• Previous meeting mins
  • Here are the meeting mins from the last stupidly long QGM Oct 2012 https://docs.google.com/a/abluestar.com/document/d/1OJitnWok1-QKHqiBqlcr2PjwY7AWXpglRRu3_GkV96c/edit
  • Here the the meeting mins from the last even longer AGM 2012 https://docs.google.com/a/abluestar.com/document/d/1beseCfD9687YNCaCv_LawsFPvr_QZsMwjrALEtErTdY/edit
• VHS works on a consensus model, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consensus_decision-making
• Please read our Constitution and bylaws http://vancouver.hackspace.ca/wp/about/constitution-and-bylaws/
• Attendance is not required but suggested.
• In-order to attend you must (Read the Bylaws)
  • Be present, VHS does not allow absent votes.
  • Be a member of good standing for 3 consecutive months (paid your dues), except by special arrangement at the discretion of the directors.

The current agenda looks longer then it actually will be. Most of the old business should only take a few mins each.
Did the task get done? If not why not?

Current agenda:

• Electing a Secretary, and Chair to host the meeting.
• Attendance and introductions
• Adoption of rules of order – Explanation of how the meeting will be operated. We will be spending extra time on this point this time to ensure that everyone understands how consensus works and how to act during a the meeting.
• Old business (These are action items from the last QGM)
  • Status update about 310 industrial space (Richard Sim, Dallas Luther)
  • Status update about 281 industrial space  (Steven Smethurst, Richard Sim, Dallas Luther)
  • Update from the “Volunteer safety committee”: (Emily, Loial, Chris, Robert W. Jeff, John C. Paul G, Aaron T.)
  • Update on Members waiver – Steven Smethurst.
  • Update from the “laser committee” (Richard Sim, Dallas Luther)
  • Trade School certification – Kevin Frankland
  • VANHOC will get a pre-paid Visa card, which would make it easier to handle petty cash. (????)
  • Remove Emily Smith and Joe Bowser from the VHS bank account, and add all current directors as signers to the VHS bank account.
  • Cleanup of members list: – Steven Smethurst
  • Bottom-lining open nights – Jeff Davis
  • Regular safety orientations – Jeff Davis
  • Locker reallocation – ????
• New business
  • Suggest something.
  • PROPOSAL - Change to 4.8.4 of the VHS bylaws, “rough consensus” - Bruce

Where
Vancouver Hack Space, (VHS)

When:
Saturday Jan 26th, 2013 starting at 12 noon

Who:
Be a member of good standing for 3 consecutive months (paid your dues), except by special arrangement at the discretion of the directors.

Hello Hackers,

The next S[S]HH is this Saturday Jan 19th, 2013. Saturday

Why is this a Supper Sad hacker house you ask… because we miss @aaronsw Aaron H. Swartz was an American computer programmer, writer, political organizer and Internet activist

Hear ye hear ye. All countrymen and ladies are welcome to attend the VHS biquarterly event known as the Super Happy Hacker House. This event is the XXV SHHH, and will celebrate hacking in the glorious City of Vancouver. Bring your ideas, smiles and good friends down to VHS to celebrate with the hacking masses. If you are wondering what it is going to be like, check out some of the past  Super Happy Hacker House events

Remember to BRING YOUR OWN CUP !

Dress is hacker-casual. Skulls and crossbones are suggested/encouraged.

Who: You, Me and any hackers, craftes, makers, moders, doers, thinkers, and all their friends.
Where: 45 West Hastings – Back Alley Entrance
When: Saturday Jan 19th, 2013. 7:30pm – 1am
Why: Because its awesome.

What: 

Doors open to the public from 19:30 to 23:00. Bring your crafty project and your crafty mind. We’ll be knitting, sewing, and all other manner of fresh hands-on makery goodness. Note: we don’t have many extra knitting needles, so please bring your own.

Members get in early. Think about it!

When: 

Monday 14th Jan 2013 @ 7:30pm

Who: 

Everyone and anyone, Members and guests

LEGO Mindstorms, VEX, and any home-grown robots welcome – as well as humans, of course.
Picture after the evening.

DANHOC here, bringing you more spacey goodness.

I love finding things in the space that are one night hacks – things that can be fixed in about an hour or less that make the space better for everyone. Thursday night was just such a case. Normally members lower a key on a string to people waiting at the door to get in. The “string” has traditionally been a piece of cable on a pulley and over time the cable became mangled and bent. It got so bad that somebody tied the cable in a knot around the pulley so the whole system was unuseable – I think this was their way of saying “please do something about this”… so we did. Masa, a first time visitor, stripped out the old cable and put in some heavy duty yellow string.
So with the nest Super Happy Hacker House 25 coming up (January 19) please take a look around the space and see if you can find a one night hack. Love your space and it will love you back. Stay awesome, hackers!

PS: Does anyone else pronounce V-H-S as “vicious”? Just askin’.

Rescheduled for Saturday December 29th at 7pm

What happens?

Node.js is server-side Javascript. It is pretty much the coolest kid on the block these days for web software development. It lets you do all your coding in one language (client-side and server side). Also, Google’s open source V8 compiler is so freaking fast, Javascript is now reliably faster than Java, Python, Perl, and other interpreted languages. Almost as fast as C.

• http://nodejs.org
• http://www.nodecloud.org
• Basics of prototypes and functional programming
• Intro to Javascript
• Brief history

Where?
http://vancouver.hackspace.ca/wp/about/

Hosts?
Ian and Mike

When?
Saturday December 29th at 7pm

Sick of TV?
Want to learn to solder?
Want to make a great stocking stuffer?

TV-B-Gone is a universal remote that will turn off any TV within 150 feet. I’ve got twenty kits for sale and I’m offering free soldering training for anyone who orders one. To streamline things in time for the holidays I’m holding a soldering course at the VHS Saturday, December 15th from 13:00-15:00. Get it for yourself or the maker in your life. There are ten seats so register now!