Chris Fornof Team Culturing

Team Culturing Information

last updated: 10. May, 2011

WHO are you?

• Name - Chris Fornof

• Location (city, country) - Colorado Springs, USA

• Contact Information (email, phone, Skype) - FactorChris (at) gmail (dot) com

• Introductory Video -

• Resume/CV

WHY are you motivated to support/develop this work?

• Do you endorse open source culture?

Completely.

• Why are you interested in collaborating with us?

My mission in life is to catalyze the creation of connected communities.

Collaborating with OSE seems like a great place to explore the potential.

• How do you think that the GVCS can address pressing world issues?

Tools multiply labor. Having a huge library of tools that can be easily, quickly, appropriately, cheaply (and possibly automatically) fabricated holds a great possibility to transform the world for the better.
I believe that enabling communities to organically reform will lead to many issues being solved.
The potential of post-scarcity economics is mind-boggling.

• What should happen so that you become more involved with the project?

Internet, food, shelter. In that order. I could come out to Factor E Farm within a week or so, but I will require a food stipend.
Alternatively, we could delay it for 6 months or so which would give me enough time to build up enough capital to coast for a while.

• What are you missing in the project?

• What are your suggestions for improvement of the project?

Develop a map of active Open Hardware projects and bring them together under the Open Source Ecology banner. Outsourcing aspects of the GVCS to dedicated communities already focused on creating such things will multiply your efforts.
Factor E Farm is creating some really really cool tech, but its positioning in the open hardware community could potentially be far more valuable in the long run.

WHAT

• List all of your skills in these areas: Communications - Organizational - Computer Support - Finances - Design - Natural Building - Electronics - Automation - Metallurgy - Engineering - Fabrication - Agriculture - Energy - Architecture - Video/Graphics/Art - PR/Marketing - Education - Construction - Industry - CNC - Chemistry - Product Design - Other

Communications => I can write. I can give speeches. I can boil down complex ideas to simple concepts.
Organizational => I've been close to some powerful leaders. I've studied how to organize people. I like connecting people together.
Computer Support => A little coding experience. I can fix things.
Finances => I can make Excel dance. I've drafted business plans.
Design => I offered a freelance design service for a few years. Everything from set design to retail. I can build prototypes, mockups, digital and physical. I enjoy envisioning new things.
Natural Building => As a kid I made large thatched structures that lasted for years. I've researched earthworks, sandbags, adobe, and straw bale construction.
Electronics => I've taken some electrical engineering classes. Hope to play with an Arduino soon.
Automation => Heavy interest.
Metallurgy => Not too much experience, but I am familiar with some of the chemistries.
Engineering => While I hold no certifications, I have studied quite a few of the disciplines, and am familiar with many of the concepts.
Fabrication => Comfortable in a machine shop. I've made some cool sculptures from scrap metal.
Agriculture => Studying molecular biology. I hope to be capable of doing some basic genetic engineering soon.
Energy => I can diagram most energy production mechanisms. I've researched motor design (got distracted by multi-physics simulations).
Architecture. I've trained architects in CAD software. I was hoping for an internship before the housing bubble killed all the firms.
Video/Graphics/Art => I've been around video most of my life. I have some experience in every role of the media production process.
PR/Marketing => My previous job.
Education => Passionate about it. On OLPC and Khan Academy mailing lists. I've researched it heavily.
Construction => I like building things. I've studied many techniques with many materials.
Industry => Heavily researched.
CNC => I've worked with CNC and 3D printers. Excited about automated self-replication potential.
Chemistry => Studying it currently.
Product Design => My idea of fun.

• How have you already contributed to the project?

I've spread the word and shown OSE videos to dozens.

HOW can you help?

• How are you interested in contributing to the work of GVCS development?

I've got a range of skills, I can plug in wherever I'm needed. Ideally, I'd like to assist on other people's projects for a bit, before starting one of my own.
One idea I would be interested in connecting OSE with other Open Hardware groups that are independently creating pieces of the GVCS. Connecting people together more efficiently might be a more powerful way to augment the development speed.

• Can you volunteer to work with us, and if so, how many hours per week?

Yep. How does full-time sound?

• Are you interested in working with us for pay? If so, what services can you offer, and what is your hourly or per-project rate?

I'm more interested in learning and making something cool.
That said, I do need internet, food, and shelter. If those are taken care of, I'm good to go.

• Are you interested in Dedicated Project Visit?

I'd prefer working on someone else's project, or rotating between projects if it is possible. I'm easily distracted by shiny things, and I don't like to leave things half-finished. I work best augmenting / assisting others, floating in, doing a crapton of work, then disappearing for a bit.
Helping other people on their projects seems like it would accomplish more.

• Are you interested in purchasing equipment from us to help bootstrap development?

Possibly.

• Are you interested in bidding for consulting/design/prototyping work?

Possibly

• Are you a True Fan? If not, why not?

I don't like partial buy-ins. When I commit, I go all in.

• Would you like to see yourself working with us on a full-time basis?

For a few months? Sure, why not?

• Are you interested in using the technologies that we are developing directly?

One day!

• Are you interested in being part of the world's first, open source, resilient community? The GVCS is the preparatory step for the OSE Village Experiment - a 2 year, immersion experiment (2013-2014) for testing whether a real, thriving, modern-day prototype community of 200 people can be built on 200 acres using local resources and open access to information? We are looking for approximately 200 people to fill a diverse array of roles, according to the Social Contract that is being developed. This may be the boldest social experiment on earth - a pioneering community whose goal is to extend the index of possibilities regarding harmonious existence of humans, ecology, and technology - as a beacon of light to benefit of all people on Earth.

Another Utopian attempt? Sure. Why not? Sounds like fun.
I'd like to see what ideas are being kicked around.