This has been a dream of mine for quite some time, and I figured that there were others out there with similar interests. This has been confirmed as a result of discussion on the Beyond HOPE mailing list. So I've decided to do what I can to spread the idea.

The mailing list is up! I put up a mailing list for all those with any interest in this concept, to promote its growth. It is colony@idle.com -- to subscribe, email colony-request@idle.com with the word "subscribe" (no quotes) in the message body, with no topic.
And feel free to stop by the #colony IRC channel (EFNet)...

Ever heard of Artist Colonies ? -- A bunch of art fanatics going out in the middle of a desert or something to be in solitude amongst their own kind, and build a place to live, to allow more inspiration and less disturbance from the outside world. Well, I have no intentions of building a home in a desert (hard to get t1's out there I would think). Anyplace with people with excessive interest and ability with computers, and available high-speed Internet connections is fine with me.

People who excel at something (like art, or computers (which could also be considered an art)), excel even more amongst others like themselves (appreciation and understanding are wonderful things). And when they work together in such environments, what we can accomplish is absolutely mind blowing. (the hardware-pooling part of the computer version is nice too)

So my goal is to encourage the development of hundreds of thriving, interacting, Computerist Colonies. Probably all of them starting out small (around five people), but my dreams are much more grandiose... on the scale of hundreds -- but I know I am a long way off from being able to handle the logistics of a permanent gathering on that scale.

This is one of those fundamentally good ideas that will happen weither you or I am involved. The question is, do we encourage and help shape it, or do we let it run without us ?
It should be obvious what my answer is.

The biggest problem with this concept is that everyone who wants to be involved can't just quit their jobs and go move in to one of these situations, because it will take a while for a company formed in this manner to be able to break even financially. So, to begin with, everyone would need to have a stable job in the area in which the colony is being formed.

Known places where this is already being done:

L0pht Heavy Industries
URL: http://l0pht.com

I'm in the process of attempting to contact these people -- having problems connecting to their site to get an email address.

Cult of the Dead Cow
URL: http://www.cultdeadcow.com/

cDc's page happens to be hosted by L0pht, so I'm having the same problems contacting them.

MOD

Need more info on these guys...

New York City, New York, USA

notwork The people who did Beyond HOPE (from my understanding) have a thing called notwork, which is similar to what we're trying to do. They have about 10 people in New York City. I will make more information available about them once/if I get their approval. I should know their url, it's pretty intuitive, but I'm not online at the moment, so I can't check (it's probably www.notwork.net or something)

Oakmont Asylum
Contact: shea6@juno.com

from email:
Darxus, I am also interested creating a computerist colony. My group, which is a younger group, and becoming financially independent is difficult. We currently have irregular scheduled, yet often meetings, and instead of LAN networks we've integrated BBS that were on our separate servers. The groups name is the Oakmont Asylum, for less than obvious reasons. We're from different backgrounds, and I think the term "Computerist" is well suited on the whole. Within 5-8yrs, yeah, that's always away, but that's when the asylum will be planning to make the move to Boston, or Greater Boston. We are no a group of [evil TLA]-hack lamers, and currently are working on our own Web design/Pub business. I'd appreciate a response to "shea6@juno.com".

Known places where people are planning to do this:

Lansdale (Eastern) Pennsylvania, USA
(me and my friends)
Contact: Darxus@ChaosReigns.com
URL: http://www.op.net/~Darxus/colony

I have a number of friends, who, like me, are avid computer fanatics, and we have formed a computer consulting/web design/software development company (there are about 5 of us). We intend to rent an apartment and move in together in the very near future, hook up all our computers in a LAN, and put up a permanent gateway to the Internet (probably dial-up for now, t1 when we get the money -- at which point we'd also become an ISP). This is in the Lansdale area -- Eastern Pennsylvania, USA. We want to keep it small to start with, but if you're in the area and interested, contact me (Darxus@ChaosReigns.com).

Cleveland Ohio, USA
Contact: michael stutz - stutz@dsl.org
URL: http://dsl.org/m/

michael stutz is interested in a similar thing for the Cleveland (216) area, or elsewhere if he moves. he's interested in both the arts and sciences and sees a natural connection between hacking and literature, art and computing, and is interested in the innovation that can come from collaborative groups in this area.

Norway, Europe
Contact Kristian Faye Solstad - Computer.Heaven@riksnett.no

This guy in Europe is very interested in doing the same thing.

If you have/know of a 24/7 / live-in LAN party / computer consulting/web design/software development/ISP company / Computerist Colony, or are anywhere near as interested in the concept as I am, subscribe to the above mentioned mailing list, drop me a line, or both.

A brief note on the word "computerist":
People who do art are called artists, and I've wanted a word to accurately described me for some time. I do computers, and the term "Computer Professional" sounds much more like a guy who lives in a three piece suit. I look great in a suit, but I live in jeans. I think my preferred business outfit would be Timberland boots, blue-jeans, one of those nice white button up shirts with the button down collar, and a tie. (And I'm eagerly awaiting the day when my hair is long enough to be tied back)
"Computerist" seems about right to me.

I am happy to say that neither any microsoft product, nor any "html editor" have ever touched this document. It has been maintained entirely under UNIX, by hand.

This page is also Lynx friendly.

Divided, we are merely a nuisance.
United, we can undoubtedly be one hell of a force to be reckoned with. We were born to rule technology.