2019.10.25 - Digital Media Meeting Minutes

Digital Media
#21

Our stretch goal is to make people drool over our AR/VR capabilities. We want to make future members like UTD grads who are making these amazing apps and games hop over to DMS because we’re state of the art.

We were lucky enough to have @dougemes visit the meeting. He said DMS started off as being visionary and ahead of the curve, and we need to be like that again. I take those words to heart.

The only reason Digital Media has as many computers as we do is because @Kevin was willing to scavenge parts from old computers and get them running.

This is a wishlist at this point because we don’t have a way to pay for it — yet. @Kevin keeps applying for grants, and I have some ideas incubating to ensure the funds aren’t taken away from the general fund.

If the stuff specced out doesn’t work or causes conflicts, that’s another matter, but please make sure what you recommend won’t overwhelm the small space with noisy fans or heat.

So yes, we need gaming computers and peripherals because we need to start looking and acting the part to deliver on cutting edge tech in Digital Media.

FWIW, I’m ok with (and would prefer) less expensive stuff that still makes us cutting edge.

1 Like
#22

@michaelb (or anyone who knows), has there been discussion about creating a classroom-style standalone computer lab for standard Adobe and MS Office apps, or would that need to originate from Digital Media?

I’m used to teaching apps to up to 30 people at a time, and our current space isn’t conducive to that.

#23

That would mean having gear that actually works for development

We aren’t a place to come play games, we’re a place to make.

Toys that don’t contribute to what we do isn’t “visionary” or “ahead of the curve,” it’s just flashy.

Make a wishlist that’s reasonable; it’s not a roadmap if it’s out of the gate not feasible.

I can already state with certainty, having built out editing stations and dev environments, that all of that hardware is a horrible value proposition, and much of the hardware will simply cause problems and poor quality results.

Any good editing station is basically quiet; those 7910s are basically the best deal around for workstations and already quiet. These aren’t servers.

No, you need workstations. Gaming machines are not suited properly for editing and development loads. (hint hint: I used to test video games for a living).

Looking the part doesn’t keep people here; being able to get things done in making things keeps them here.

The three design machines are for this; they’re up for replacement soon. If there are going to be more that would be a discussion going forward.

4 Likes
#24

@hon1nbo Well alrighty then, you sure told me :joy: (It’s all good.)

Want to come to a meeting and make a motion and we can revisit all of this? It sounds like you have some really good experience.

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#25

I’m a regular traveler; setup the telepresence for them, I have enough meetings I currently attend in person.

I’ve already been over those workstations with Kevin. If you catch me around the space I’ll show you the first of the 7910s Infrastructure has (it’s a different workload, so doesn’t have the GPUs DM would use but gives an idea of what you’re really looking at)

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#26

I don’t know what you look like, but if I can find you I’m down for that.

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#27

Yeah, to clarify what I’ve posted here, if anyone is going to be spending $10+k to set up computers, I would fully expect them to be for the use of the whole space. The list I posted above was a setup for an actual computer lab (that I think would go well in the old 3D fab, as a special classroom) for teaching graphic design, video editing, CAD, etc.

The specifics would be subject to much debate, but the main idea being that we could build out something to benefit everyone without allocating basically 1/4 of our cash to flashy new toys.

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#28

I would be the first in line to vote yes on a lab like you described, @michaelb!

To clarify on the estimate, Digital Media is looking for ways to raise money so it won’t have as big of an impact on DMS’ funds. It was never the intention to ask DMS to pay for all these bells and whistles from the treasury.

The proposed list, as @Kevin explained it, was written as part of a grant proposal. He got quotes from three separate sources. It was a generous grant, and the estimates were in line with the amount of the grant.

Apparently, under the SoP, committees have to submit spending requests over $200, so he used the list he already had. We all fully acknowledge that this is the “high bid” and that most things on it will be adjusted based on whether funds are available or not from grants, etc.

And yes, as a voting member, I personally want to hear what @hon1nbo recommends changing, and would support modifications to the wish list.

So yeah, sticker shock on the initial bid. It’s not the final bid. I’m just trying to explain what happened at the meeting.

1 Like
#29

While I understand you are trying to explain. This is so far out in left field its insanity. Grants or not, we are not about the business of building a luxury space. Modern and functional are our goals. There are discussions around a computer lab. In the interim, I think the most effective method of showing long term usefulness is actually having classes. Classes first, equipment comes as it shows that there is a community buyin.

9 Likes
#30

As you were typing this, I was just thinking the best way to get social proof for the need for a computer lab is to teach classes that fill the existing space until people start complaining about it being crowded.

#31

For all the complaints of this thread… come to the next digital media meeting. Full stop.

If you had bothered to show up, you would learn one very important thing. ABSOLUTELY NONE OF THESE HIGH $$$ PURCHASE LISTS PLANS TO USE A PENNY OF DMS FUNDS. These are visionary roadmap wishlists in case DM(digital media) gets an outside grant/sponsorship/etc. Which, I may add, @Kevin has been busting his ass to try and get any and all that we might qualify for. He’s put in the legwork. What have all of you done? Armchair quarterback?

DM does not care for your armchair quarterbacking. Blow your load here on talk all you want, it will not change Digital Media’s vision, direction, goals, or aspriations and dreams. If you’d like to help, then get some skin in the game. A few months ago DM lived in a closet, didn’t it? Now it’s actually a usable, functional space for DMS. I wonder how that happened?

1 Like
#32

You see, about a year and a half ago we signed a lease on the suite next door. A group of members sat down with an architectural firm and decided what layout would be best for the new space. In April we got a certificate of occupancy for the suite and decided to continue and follow the same layout, which included moving electronics into the new space and allowing digital media to move into the former electronics room. That’s how that happened. What was your point again?

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#33

Your reply lacks much to be desired…

The vast majority of posters in this thread actively contribute to the running and betterment of the WHOLE space. It is not unreasonable for anyone to comment that pie in the sky numbers are just that. Supposing that we got a grant for things such as this, it would be COMPLETELY irresponsible for us to spend money in such a fashion.

Before you accuse us all of armchair quarterbacking maybe take a minute and ask yourself why we would bother to reply. For almost all present, the answer would be because we have an idea how this stuff works. SMART goals are what drive us.

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#34

Not everyone can attend every meeting. Requiring that as a means to provide feedback is a pretty high barrier for entry into your discussion. Sanity checking numbers, wherever the money comes from, is something anyone as a member of DMS is entitled to have an opinion on is it not? I’m a game Dev, and the machines and peripherals proposed are a ridiculous waste of funds. Focus on longevity of hardware, good warranties, organisation, and class availability if you want to attract and retain membership.

6 Likes
#35

Allow me to “blow my load”…

It wasn’t a roadmap, it wasn’t a wish list, it was a series of committee approvals to petition the board for funds (if it was supposed to be anything else, y’all need a refresher on how to keep minutes).

Those were read by the membership are large, some of whom felt that they had an opinion about what appeared to be a plan to spend very, very irresponsibly. They have every right, and some would say obligation, to make those concerns known. Just because you weren’t “at the meeting” doesn’t mean you can’t voice an opinion about the things done there. We have 26 committees- absolutely no one goes to them all- or even could because at times they overlap. Take a deep deep breath and remind yourself that it’s ok to disagree and for people to disagree with you.

On to the good stuff. “DM” seems to under the mistaken idea that even if they applied for a grant on behalf of the Dallas Makerspace, and it was approved, that they would be the folks in charge of administering it, and could thus be able to spend as irresponsibly as they wanted. As the treasurer, allow me to disabuse you and “DM” of that notion. Dallas Makerspace has an obligation to it’s members and to the public at large to spend its resources responsibly, and if you are under the impression that either I or (I’ll assume for the moment) the BoD would sign off on an expenditure of $65,000 for gaming computers, I think you will be disappointed. We’ll administer any grant according to the terms we agreed to upon acceptance and, within those guidelines- as responsibly as possible for the good of the space as a whole as determined by the board. But honestly, if this is the stuff you all are writing into these things, I wouldn’t hold my breath- your grant applications will be competing against people who want the funds to do actual good rather than to buy sweet VR rigs and keyboards that glow pink.

10 Likes
#36

Well that certainly was not made clear by the minutes posted.

Kevin certainly has busted his ass to bring DM into shape and it is good to plan for the future. Again the minutes did not read that way. In a couple places it mentioned creating BoD agenda items for expenditures. This is fine to request money and based on the committee needs and the available cash the BoD would certainly consider them.

The rest just seemed to be a shopping spree. If this was for a future roadmap then prepare as a budget with dates and goals, not just a bullet list with lots of $$$.

You do understand if DMS is awarded a grant is it DMS that is on the hook for meeting the requirements of the grant. Depending on the grant they may have goals and milestones and real commitments.

Not looking to disparage anyone’s dream but this is a shared workspace with high operating cost and high capital costs. We have to manage that. If every committee got to determine their proportion of DMS income, I’m sure it would add up to greater than 100%.

7 Likes
#37

Not full stop, throw up one of the telepresence options we have. Take feedback from those who could not attend. Repeat.

bad workstation choices and planning is still bad regardless of where the money comes from; grants would be better spent on reasonable machines and then other equipment.

Between more space, those of us who also put in volunteer time, having a chair that isn’t making things worse?

“visionary” isn’t the right word to describe a lot of this. A better word might be “lavish” or something similar.

Blowing a bunch of grant money on things that are expensive toys, that don’t further the mission of DMS, isn’t “visionary.”

@brsims, @yashsedai, and @michaelb summed up the rest pretty well

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#38

@Team_Moderators please close this thread. It’s getting off topic, hasnt been split, is starting to just turn into a bunch of unproductive stuff and attacks even by other moderators which is poor form.

The meeting minutes are what they are. No one can change them at this point so I’d like this thread to die.

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#39

Of course I’ll let the rest of the team decide what to do here, but for my part, discussing the content of the minutes seems perfectly on topic. What you vote on in meetings will be scrutinized by others, you can ignore it, or be ready to defend it. Shutting down a talk thread won’t stop the discussion on it or the impression generated by your reaction to it.

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More Blue Tape Crew Trolling of DMS
#40

Gotta agree here (also will let the rest of the team do something… if anything)

It’s on topic IMO, and we shouldn’t be closing threads because the minutes are being scrutinized.

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