Wow! What a response we received on our Calling European Hackerspaces post! First off, thank you for such a warm welcoming to your hackerspaces. It looks like HaD is going to have to be way more active in touring and profiling hackerspaces!
Now unfortunately we’re just not going to have time to visit all of the ones suggested, but we’ve outlined a few of the ones we definitely want to check out!
We created a Google spreadsheet to help do this, so if your hackerspace has been mentioned, OR if it happens to be very close to the others and you really want us to come, please fill out some contact info on the spreadsheet so we can setup a time to visit! If you don’t want to put contact info in a shared document, send an email to the tips line instead with the subject [European Hackerspace Tour]. Because its unlikely our trip will coincide with any open nights, we’d love (need) to have someone to show us the space at potentially odd hours!
I will be writing an individual post for each hackerspace tour with lots of photos and details on all the juicy projects you guys are working on. And if we have time, we might even film the tour!
Once again, thank you for the amazing response and we can’t wait to meet all of you in person!
Word to the wise: Watch out for thieves when in europe, keep an eye on your stuff and leave nothing of value in the car.
Yep, I know the big cities in belgium, be cautious with ur stuff
Indeed, they have plenty of bars who serve damn good beer, makes you lose everything…
dont use a car either, they burn them if left unattended, and never let women walk around the city alone, they will get raped
Bears are also prominent everywhere and we’re all communists.
We have also built a electricity trap for american travelers! Just out of mischief we have doubled the voltage in order to fry the devices of these people. Unfortunately nowadays the stuff comes from China and is multi voltage range so this plan does no longer work. Still, it will kill you twice as fast!
Lol. Don’t laugh! It caught me when I first moved here and cooked my media server PSU because I forgot to switch the supply voltage..
Actually it is the Chinese that build a way more efficient electricity trap, the voltage over there is 240V nominal and American plugs fit nicely in the default catch-all power sockets.
And yeah, the voltage is not really a problem nowadays, plugs are a bigger problem, fortunately the entire region you cover use Shuko power plugs (although Belgium/France has a weird variation on it with a large pin for ground inside the power socket.)
for the plugs, just get one of these http://dx.com/p/flat-to-round-power-plug-convertor-3529 and you can use any US plug device that works with 220v in the whole EU or for non-EU plugs with ground: http://dx.com/p/universal-european-ac-plug-travel-adapter-13525
And don’t forgot your iron umbrella. Often it’s raining napalm.
The car thing is true when it’s the season for it. And not just in paris.
In none of the visited countries this is a real problem. You seem to have a very distorted view of Europe which in in fact a very very much more safe place than the United States. For starters for example because there are not so much guns around.
I didn’t say it wasn’t safe, I said they will nick things left in the car, and there are plenty of pickpockets, this is true and a fact, deal with it,
but watch out when you leave europe and enter america, because the thieves there are armed:) (and i ma not talking bout knives but guns and stuff^^) hehe
Wow man. Get out much?
Seriously, you have little to worry about over here. People are generally very friendly.
Glad to have you in Eindhoven!
I was specifically thinking of the netherlands in terms of people stealing things from cars. And not the native population either, oh shock and horror, realism!!!
Seemingly our urban areas are much safer when it comes to theft from cars compared to US urban areas. Only Amsterdam almost comes close to the hot spots in California.
Again it is a matter of not being a twat and you’ll be fine.. Not you obviously, but anybody in general.
I’ve witnessed more theft in Pittsburgh PA out of cars in a supposedly ‘nice’ neighborhood than I have here in the Netherlands. Again, don’t be stupid (as a universally general rule) and you’ll be fine.
Also do not talk to anybody, they’d be sure to sell you healthcare and socialism for an arm and a leg… literally… Europeans will take your limbs for socialist goods…..
We also don’t carry guns…. very very suspicious if you ask me…
I said ‘in europe’ and not ‘europeans’.
Hackers don’t discriminate people by ancestors’ nationalities.
Technicians don’t delude themselves for points, they would die from electrical shock or fire or mechanical tools if they did.
Point is that there is statistical information that is real and you take into account if you wish to keep your property your property.
About statistics. Correlation is not causality.
“I said ‘in europe’ and not ‘europeans’.”
It doesn’t really matter what you said, no matter how bigoted.
What you said was equal to claiming you need body armour when going abroad to the US because you are likely to get shot.
The last thing you want to do, any were, is cling on, white knuckles style, to you lady-purse for dear life. That’s just like shouting “victim” as loud as you could. In fact, if you do that, I’d probably mug you for educational purposes.
I’d certainly advise non-US people visiting the US to not say the truth else they might be physically assaulted.
Best to pretend you have limited mental capacity and are religious and straight and always looking to get married and hating ‘socialism,’ to blend in. /s
The original reason I made my original remarks is because if you go on a tour of hackerspaces you might carry along some devices in the car, stuff you might not normally drag along on your person, and if you do you should simply be aware that cars are not a safe storage in the netherlands/germany/belgium cities.
I’d also like to point out that those cities have signs on the damn street pointing that out, although they probably are not in english. And they pass out flyers warning of it to the population. And statistics confirm it. so much for me being bigoted – and you not being delusional..
I have no idea if it’s the same in california, and frankly that’s not really relevant.
I’d say the same to ohians going on a tour through detroit or some such.
I wonder how far we’re going to tolerate this kind of xenophobic comments.
Hey Dereckson, fascist much? Try NK as your new place of residence.
As you should all over the world…
Indeed, but in certain parts of the world you expect it sooner, so my point is that you should be aware that in terms of small-time crime like theft and pickpocketing europe is not as safe as you might think if not familiar.
I would not worry too much about violent crime though in western europe. (Assuming you aren’t openly gay in nighttime in secluded spots in the immigrant filled cities.)
In most of Japan there would be no issue. I saw quite a lot of iPhones barely hanging on to the back pocket.
There are a few hotspots in Tokyo (foreigners, you guessed it) but other than that it’s incredibly safe, w.r.t. stealing.
Just don’t have a heart attack or something there, nobody knows CPR.
you are going to be driving right past my home
If you find the spreadsheet vandalized, please click on “Last edit …” right of the menu and restore the last good version.
Wise words :)
or in other words remember to vandalise and then edit more…
last edit is vandalised version.
is your trip to Frankfurt to the Airport only?
you could come by our Hackerspace in Wiesbaden which is right next to Frankfurt if you still have time. we’d love to welcome you as guests in our little hackerspace
Never mind the fact that we are all Huns in “Europe”, and will knife you as soon as look at you. How about the fact that Europe is way bigger than your suggested tour. What about Spain, France Italy, Greece, united kingdom (no its not the same as England).
Its hardly a European tour.
But seriously, don’t go out late at night, don’t let anyone hear your accent, don’t go into a store on your own, and never leave your vehicle unattended, and never ever accept a free drink… Oh yeah, and our mains runs 10Hz slower, just to deliberatly mess with your stuff, a stepdown transformer won’t help.
@hsiboy
Yes, my tongue is firmly in my cheek.
The story that americans are somehow at risk of assault in europe is a US urban myth. No need for stickers with the canadian flag, people like american individuals, just not their government’s policies.
But yes the mains is another frequency and 230v, and no doubt people will soon call me racist for saying that…
” and no doubt people will soon call me racist for saying that…”
No, I was thinking more along the lines of “Reality challenged red-neck”.
Especially in the tour area there are a lot of visiting Americans. Even if you do fall in the stereotype category it’s still a non-issue. Coming from US will be a shock to see such a diverse crowd.
Can’t you optimize the map using the “traveling salesman” algorithm?
Not before his flight…
I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who thought that’s a horribly inefficient route
As it looks like you want to go by car, here are some tips for you from the land of Autobahn. ;)
Diesel and gas is cheaper in Germany than in Belgium or the Netherlands. Credit Cards accepted in all major gas stations.
Not EVERY Autobahn is without speed limit! If you DO want to go 150+ mph, try the A31 from Enschede via Leer to Oldenburg. The emptiest autobahn in Germany and without speed limits.
If you want to rent a car, keep in mind that everything is smaller in Europe. If you rent a Van like a VW Transporter you might run in problems at some parking garages. You are better of with an estate, small SUV or a compact. I recommend Buchbinder.de as a car rental service.
Last but not least… DON’T try to smuggle dope. You will not be checked right at the border, but you might get checked in the vicinity (around 60 miles) and a packed rented car full of bearded guys going from the netherlands to germany? Dead Giveaway ;)
jk, have fun in Europe! Enjoy some beers, fries, waffles, bread, sausages and hacks.
Ah, If you’re going to Worm in Rotterdam, it might be a good idea to walk a bit and go to Stadslab Rotterdam (www.stadslabrotterdam.nl) . It’s almost around the corner, and you’re always welcome to drop by!
Mice to see some positive and helpful comments.
For a moment I though every single comment would be of a certain nature.
“OR if it happens to be very close to the others and you really want us to come”
Everything is close in the Netherlands, at least in distance, not in time.
During weekdays avoid driving down the highways at around 17.00h as people tend to crowd together there all at once, mostly near the big cities. Unless you love driving slowly in the rain. If you do, wave and honk to everyone, they will love you.
When @ #42 in Arnhem, you can park your car rather safe; NATO-wire tends to be a rather efficient on average.
Good thing we travel by train!