Gabe Heller

Team Culturing Information

Last updated: June 16, 2012

WHO are you?

• Name - Gabe Heller
• Location (city, country) - Minneapolis, MN
• Contact Information (email, skype, phone) - gheller (at) ia (dot) net
• Picture - http://www.dodososo.com/ovalgon/gh/me4.jpg
• Introductory Video -
• Resume/CV - 1998 B.A. in Computer Science, Macalester College, St. Paul, MN

And a lot of random stuff since that I guarantee won't impress you.

WHY are you motivated to support/develop this work?

• Do you endorse open source culture?

Yes. I am not a competitive person by nature. I think that most competition leads to duplication of effort for only modest gains. I much prefer to cooperate, and cooperation is greatly enhanced by open source everything, including culture.

• Why are you interested in collaborating with us?

Recently my neighborhood was hit by a tornado and I and a number of other residents are in a situation of needing to rebuild but not having gotten enough or any reimbursement from the insurance companies. Specifically I need to build a new garage, with not enough money. I'm also digging out my dirt basement and it would be great to be able to do something with the dirt towards building said garage. I'd like to get together with other residents of my neighborhood who also have insufficient funds to repair and rebuild our various structures. As I am currently unemployed, and in the spirit of open-source cooperation, I'd be glad to use any skills I have in the furtherance of your project.

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

The ability to pull oneself up by ones own bootstraps is extremely useful. When capital is not available, there is no other way out of poverty or debt.

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

I am best at learning in a formal setting or by doing. As I'm currently unemployed, I have little money and much time. Ideally there would be a seminar I could attend/view, or a task that I could be set to.

• What is missing in the project?

I can't really tell this from the wiki. I have trouble getting a big picture view from wikis. If you allow me to participate for a while, I'll have a much better idea what is missing.

• What are your suggestions for improvement of the project?

One thing I noticed is how this project reminds me of games I've played, like Civilization on the computer or Innovation (a card-game). I therefore expected to be prominent a 'tree' with clear links, showing where to start and how many links you have to complete to make a given component. The structure seems to be there, but I couldn't find a representation of the actual tree.

WHAT are your skills?

• 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

Construction - I volunteered briefly for Habitat for Humanity. I have built several geodesic dome tents. I've done most of the tornado repairs to the house myself.
Agriculture - I garden. My parents both grew up on a farm, I can always call them for advice.
Video/Graphics/Art - I've participated in several films for the 48-hour film project. I've created graphics on the computer.
Communications - I play several instruments and can sing.
Computer Support - When I did work in I.T. one of my duties was keeping all the computers running, troubleshooting them, and providing support.
Electronics - I am extremely good at getting legacy electronics working and keeping them working.

• How have you already contributed to the project?

Nothing yet. I'm having trouble telling where to start. There's a lot to do, and I don't have a sense of where I fit yet. I generally need to look at stuff and talk with people before I can tell what I should be doing.

HOW can you help?

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

I suspect I'd be of most help with software, computer hardware, or documentation. If I ever end up at the farm, I don't mind doing a good day's manual labor either.

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

Sure, though I'm in Minnesota and I suspect you are not, it might be hard to organize.

• 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?

Interested, yeah, I can always use the money, but I'll let you decide what the work I do is worth, and whether you can afford to pay me. It's not like people are clamoring to pay me for my time at the moment.

• Are you interested in a Dedicated Project Visit?

Interested yes, but I'm very bad at putting together project applications, and I really don't have any projects in mind. Do you have any projects already going that could use another set of hands and eyes?

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

Theoretically, but I have almost no money.

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

In the fullness of time.

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

Not by your definition, because I have no income. I don't suppose you name honorary ones?

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

Not at your location, at least not long-term. My wife and I are very settled in Minneapolis. I believe you're somewhere much hotter than here and my wife cannot stand the heat. But if there's something I can do from here full-time, I'd be glad to.

• 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.

It would have to be quite near Minneapolis, but yes, if it were.