Taught myself Applesoft BASIC when I was 12.
Now I customize the ArcFM suite of GIS software for utility companies (mostly power companies) for Telvent.
I also work with PHP on a LAMP server creating a work order management web app for my friend's IT business in my free time.
Ask me programming and software questions and I might be able to help you with any project so just ask!
This is a very good question! And you can find your answers here:
http://lifehacker.com/5912598/how-to-find-and-get-involved-with-a-hackerspace-in-your-community
Take a few minutes and watch Adam Savage explain the reasons he likes to tinker and build and make. Lots of good stories that help explain the maker ethos.
I finally finished the turnable composter I made from an old, food-grade, plastic barrel for our garden at the shop. All of the wood and wheels and parts I found at the shop so the total cost for this project was effectively zero. The turn handle has gone through two different versions but might need a third version. Now that it has been filled with super heavy, wet dirt and compost the weaknesses of the turn handle are clearly visible. Feel free to give me some ideas for a better turn handle to turn the barrel over while filled with heavy dirt.
I signed us up to participate in this year’s Global Hackerspace Cupcake Challenge. If you’re asking yourself what is the Global Hackerspace Cupcake Challenge you can find the answer here: http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/Global_Hackerspace_Cupcake_Challenge_2012
If you don’t feel like visiting that page and reading all about it, all the hackerspaces in the world that want to participate have to build something that will keep a cupcake safe in the mail. Each hackerspace picked another space to send their cupcakes. Each space that receives a cupcake must make a video recording of opening the box and judging it based on things like: did the cupcake survive, creativity of the contraption that protected the cupcake, taste, and packaging decoration. This very blog post even gets us an extra 3 points! Here are some pictures of the contraption I built. It fit exactly within the 12″ box limits and the whole thing weighed less than the maximum 2 kg at 1.52 kg. I can’t wait to see what Alpha One Labs ends up with when they open ours!
Tonight during our open house we decided to do a Valentine’s Day themed project. One of our members, John Kelly (CandleKnight), brought a box of dead hard drives, non-working PC power supplies and a table full of tools. He showed a few of us and a non-member visitor how to make a flower from the parts found inside these things most everyone has in their homes.
Since John was taking the time to show us how to make the flowers and we had to share some of the tools it took us right around an hour and a half to make one. Some of us even took a little extra time to bend the stem into something resembling leaves. Let us know in the comments what you think!
Click here for more photos:
The two Matts installed the Wigwag alert light on top of our member storage shelves tonight. Now when users need our attention in the IRC channel not only do we get the robotic British lady’s voice over the intercom to tell us, we now have a bright, spinning light to grab our attention as well.
Go here to see even more pictures and a video of it in action!
https://plus.google.com/photos/116575142518321294189/albums/5705228437791855137