Communication channels

(Work in progress - To be re-created, lost due to timeout!)

Communications methods available to Hackspace users and others.

Prioritised by appropriateness for different tasks.

• Longevity
• Security (moderation, etc.)
• Speed of response
• etc...

Wiki

Long term, Hackspace 'documentation'. See as not easy to contribute to by some (but an 'expert' can always be found lurking). Used for monitoring pledge drives (although this function will migrate to HMS in the future).

Google Group

The public channel. Permanant. Moderated.

Slack

Super-IRC, with the ability to handle media, files and other larger message types. Not permanent (<see trustees Slack>) and with a limited mailbox size across all channels, banter and irrelevant comment eats into the longevity of messages.

No effective moderation (though admins can have messages deleted)

Teams

Originally set up for communication within and between teams. Has been taken over as the go-to communication channel for too many unrelated purposes where the Google Group would be better.

IRC

Long-established geek channel of choice. Transient (unless via a caching proxy)

Telephone

There is no active telephone number for the Hackspace. The line is used only for broadband delivery. Unfortunately Google has found the number and it has become known - don't try and use it!

Post!

Some things just have to be delivered as hard-copy to the Hackspace. Letters are pretty reliable, but packets and parcels should not be expected to be delivered, as it depends on someone regularly checking with the site management to discover if something is awaiting pickup in the management office.

Types of message

• Banter
• Showing Off
• Answers to Questions
• Asking Questions
• Progress reporting

Cross links between channels

Some email addresses are automatically cross-posted to Slack channels, for example trustees@nottinghack.org.uk automatically gets delivered to the Trustee slack channel. This allows Slack to be used as a unified inbox.

Teams Slack - usefulness diluted by banter and other inappropriate postings.