Digital Luxembourg Interviews-Hackerspaces-SYN2CAT-LEVEL2

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Hackerspaces-SYN2CAT-LEVEL2

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Today on 10-10-2016 I visited THE pioneer of the Hackerspaces in Luxembourg-City <===> https://level2.lu/ <===> and I was heartily welcomed by Georges KESSELER, the president of this Non-profit Hackerspace (ONG). As already mentioned, I said pioneer, THIS place was the first in Luxembourg. Georges proudly showed me the rooms with ALSO professional explications about the realized projects and what fore THIS place is..

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A “Hackerspace” is a place where people with similar interests in technology, science, art, culture, and making meet. Activities are not in the slightest restricted to only computer science, but also emerge from electronics, contemporary art, photography, and any and all other pursuits worth sharing. The hackerspace offers a turnkey infrastructure to its members where innovative projects that would not come to life in a garage, can find nourishment and support.

Read more:

• https://www.hackerspace.lu/about-us/

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There is ALSO a weekly CoderDojo in Luxembourg at the local HackerSpace every Thursday at 18:00. It is intended for 12-18 Year olds (but younger Kids are welcome too).

Learn more:

• https://www.hackerspace.lu/2015/01/12/coderdojo-luxembourg/
• http://www.scoop.it/t/luxembourg-europe/?tag=CoderDojo

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Learn more:

• https://www.bee-secure.lu/de/news/einweihung-von-%E2%80%9Elevel-2%E2%80%9C-in-bonneweg-treffpunkt-f%C3%BCr-hacker-und-t%C3%BCftler
• http://www.scoop.it/t/luxembourg-europe/?tag=HACK.LU+2012
• …

 

Check photos about the place below, please:

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Let us talk ALSO about WHAT THAT term of “Hacking” means actually as it is often misunderstood. “Hacking” doesn’t mean ONLY hacking a computer etc., even there is a difference between “Ethical Hacking” (White Hat Hackers) and “Criminal Hacking” (Black Hat Hackers). It refers ALSO to transform something from its ORIGIN meant use to a different one; so TODAY we speak about “Life-Hacks“, “Kitchen-Hacks“, “Cooking Hacks“, “Beauty Hacks“, “Electronic Hacks“, etc.

Some examples for BETTER understanding:

• http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/kitchen-hacks-31-clever-ways-organize-and-clean-your-kitchen.html
• http://www.cosmopolitan.com/food-cocktails/a6480/kitchen-hacks/
• http://hackedgadgets.com/category/electronic-hacks/
• https://lifehacker.com/5987998/top-10-things-you-can-upgrade-with-a-little-electronics-hacking
• http://hacknmod.com/
• http://mods-n-hacks.wonderhowto.com/
• …

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The Interview

Concerning the questions and answers WE will use initials such as:

• [GM] for Gust MEES
• [GK] for Georges KESSELER

[GM] I first was asking Georges [GK] WHAT he would like to have as a message from the content of THIS interview. He told me that probably the MOST important would be to find NEW active members able to run projects together with others. As a reminder: The Hackerspace “LEVEL2” is working on the “Open Source Mentality“, read Linux community; there are NO Windows computers and/or devices present. THEY hack around the “RaspBerry PI” ALSO. It’s a “Learning-By-Doing” community, Geeks, and NOT a “Repair shop” for computers as certain people thought it is…

Questions:

• [GM] How many members do You have?
  • [GK] WE have about 60 members actually.
• [GM] WHEN did YOUR “ONG” Non-Profit Club got founded?
  • [GK] WE started about 2009 in STRASSEN and moved to Luxembourg-City in 2014 where WE are located now.
• [GM] WHAT’S the origin of YOUR name “SYN2CAT”?
  • [GK] Read it as “Syndicate”; it’s actually, as it is a Linux community, a derive from the “TCP protocol” where “syn” and “cat” are UNIX and LINUX commands and/or part from a protocol.

• [GM] WHAT’S the origin of the name “LEVEL2”?
  • [GK] Well, WE are located on the level two in the building 😉 AND ALSO as it is OUR second “Hackerspace” as THE one in STRASSEN closed!
• [GM] HOW do YOU get financed as a Non-Profit Club?
  • [GK] WE live through the membership fees and some donations.

[GM] Check ALSO the “FAQ’s” please:

https://wiki.hackerspace.lu/wiki/Join!

• [GM] You are located in the “House of Youth”, “Maison de la Jeunesse”<===> http://maison-jeunesse.lu/, this shows the confidence and importance THEY give to YOUR club. Do YOU have to pay any rent?
  • [GK] We get part of the rent sponsored…
• [GM] Well, lucky-wise some money that YOU don’t have to spend and which helps a lot to survive. SO, HOW are YOUR projects get financed THEN!?
  • [GK] There are different ways. For private (own) projects: you can use the infrastructure. For Community project you can get full financing: https://wiki.hackerspace.lu/wiki/Funding This funding method is also used for equipment acquisition (video projector, 3D printer)…
• [GM] Was YOUR initiative as a Hackerspace the ORIGIN of “Makerspaces” in Luxembourg?
  • [GK] YES! One of OUR members, Marc TEUSCH iniated them.

[GM] I have seen a video of Marc TEUSCH on a TEDxLuxembourg presentation WHERE You can find it on my blog <===> https://gustmees.wordpress.com/2014/08/20/maker-space-a-new-trend-in-education-and-a-big-responsibility/

[GM] Marc TEUSCH, WHO is teaching in ETTELBRUCK (Luxembourg) created FIRST Makerspace in Luxembourg (March 6, 2013):

• http://makerspace.ltett.lu/?p=120#more-‘

I made ALSO an interview with the responsible people of the EDUcation for “Makerspaces” in Luxembourg and I visited the The flagship makerspace of the national Youth Service SNJ“ “BASE 1” at Forum Geesseknäppchen in Luxembourg-City. Please check below:

• https://gustmees.wordpress.com/2016/04/05/luxembourg-education-interviews-5-creativity-and-maker-spaces-beecreative/
• https://gustmees.wordpress.com/2016/04/05/luxembourg-education-interviews-1-the-luxembourg-edu-system/

 

Projects done:

• https://wiki.hackerspace.lu/wiki/Projects
• …

 

Related links, events, Hackerspaces in Luxembourg:

• https://wiki.c3l.lu/doku.php
• http://www.linfo.org/cat.html
• https://wiki.hackerspaces.org/Luxembourg
• https://blog.haxogreen.lu/
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L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet  ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure). The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure).

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The author Georges KESSELER (a.k.a. Gunstick) is president of syn2cat asbl, moderates the club’s monthly Lët’z Hack radioshow and is also involved in the recently created HaxoGreen asbl organizing an outdoor hacker event every 2 years. He is a big fan of retro computing and chiptunes having lived himself the era of Amiga and Atari ST and acquired a multitude of skills through self teaching from 3D design over workbench skills to micro-controller programming. In his rare spare time he invites fellow hackers to join into his muscle hacker (think: yoga) sessions or goes on vacation for some extreme roller coaster rides. He likes to give other people insight in his vast know-how on a very large spectrum of subjects. From circus arts over astronomy and laser graffiti to geocaching. You can find him on Facebook and twitter.

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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉

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Keywords necessary for me to create this blog post: Digital Luxembourg, Hackersapces, makerspaces, origins, Linux, Unix, ONG, Open Source mentality, democracy, RaspBerry PI, pioneers, Maison de la Jeunesse, Haxogreen, related links, radio stations,

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