I'm seeing signs that hackers are making some progress in getting our word back. Am I imagining it or have others noticed it too? ESR tried to do it in the last decade by beating it over people's heads; the "shut up, build cool stuff and let people find out" approach seems to be working a whole lot better.
“People think hacker means a criminal,” said Devon Jones, a 33-year-old member of the collective who was slumped on a ratty couch drinking a beer. “Well, we want our word back.”<p>Me too!
FYI, for those of you guys who are located in the greater Boston area, check out the South End Technology Center (<a href="http://www.tech-center-enlightentcity.tv/" rel="nofollow">http://www.tech-center-enlightentcity.tv/</a>). Like the NYC outfit, they have a Fab Lab with laser cutters/drill bits/circuit making machinery and open-access hours to public for anyone who's interested.<p>Also, if you are in D.C, check out HacDC, a hacker collective in D.C. (<a href="http://hacdc.org/" rel="nofollow">http://hacdc.org/</a>). I've never been, but read about them in 2600. They seem pretty cool.
If rents come down in New York quickly, this city will have no problem becoming the #3 or #4 startup hub. Banks and hedge funds are pushing out a lot of talented hackers who chased the money, did boring subordinate stuff for three years during the Wall Street boom, and now want to get themselves into something interesting.<p>Of course, we're talking about reason and efficiency with regard to New York residential issues, so the aforementioned "if" is a big one. If landlords are short-sighted and greedy enough to keep rents high while accepting a vacancy rate, the talent will flush out of here before New York has the opportunity to establish itself as a tech hub... and then it's only a matter of time before we're back in the '70s.