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Code for Ireland Launch Event

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    #62
    Zipppy
    Registered Users Posts: 2,054 ✭✭✭Zipppy


    srsly78 wrote: »
    How much is this project coordinator getting paid? Is he a volunteer as well? What position does he hold?
    srsly78 wrote: »
    So is he taking holidays from work or...? I bet there are expenses to be had!

    Sorry I find it hard to overcome my cynicism :p

    No one gets paid..everyone is a volunteer..no expenses or time off is given to public servants..
    Government. (local or otherwise) is not organising this initiative...but like it or not government involvement is needed both for open data and input to public services...
    It just so happens that, luckily, some public servants are committed to being involved, in their own time, and hoping to do some good...
    Irish people are too cynical of anything new...very few public servants will ever appear before a PAC, most just want to do a good days work serving the public...the majority are also in need of improved public services just like every one else...and some are willing to try make a difference..


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    #63
    jmcc
    Registered Users Posts: 7,320 ✭✭✭jmcc


    Zipppy wrote: »
    I would hope that people would be civic minded enough to assist out....
    There's being civic minded and there's being taken advantage of.

    With these events, you are always going to get the natural joiners but you will rarely get any top-end, highly motivated coders unless they see something in it for themselves. This is simply because to get to be a top-end coder, one develops a healthy cynicism for these events and the happy-clappies (non-coders) who attend. Thus you have a bunch of people of varying coding abilities standing around whiteboards trying to brainstorm about what should be done instead of any leadership. Most coders tend to operate on a problem-solution basis. They see a problem, come up with a solution. That's a world away from the happy-clappy approach of everyone having an equal say etc.

    You want solutions? Then give people the data they want and GTF out of the way. But then that's how really useful things can be created but there's no room for happy-clappies in that universe and no press releases for technology churnos about social "entrepreneurs". It allows people (coders) to fix problems that they want to work on and get help where necessary.

    Regards...jmcc


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    #64
    stevenmu
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,689 Mod ✭✭✭✭stevenmu


    Sparks wrote: »
    I think we both take that principle as a given.

    Whether or not professionals should step into the gap and in effect pay for the shortcoming, that's a whole other question. I don't see the building industry just going out there and fixing the infrastructure pro bono for the sake of the community, to reuse an example.

    And this isn't charity work either, lets be clear on that. This isn't me arguing that soup kitchens shouldn't happen because Libertarianism.

    I'm just saying, this is Ireland and we have a long history of taking the piss, and maybe we need to be a tad more cynical about this kind of thing, and not just because of where the the last few days in the public accounts committee have put the spotlight.
    Yeah, I definitely see your point. I still don't think that this is quite what you are concerned that it might be, but you do have a point that it could turn into that.

    And I agree that it's not charity, I think of it as closer to being neighbourly, but maybe on a slightly wider scale.

    Personally I'm planning to go along to the next session. I'll definitely be speaking up in opposition of anything which I think would definitely fall within the public or private sector's remit. But, I'm hopeful something interesting will turn up outside of that that I can get involved in.


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    #65
    Sparks
    Registered Users Posts: 40,038 ✭✭✭✭Sparks


    stevenmu wrote: »
    I still don't think that this is quite what you are concerned that it might be, but you do have a point that it could turn into that.
    And to be clear, I'm not saying that it is that, just that these things have a very high potential to go that way, especially in our little country.

    Volunteerism is a way of life here (despite what you'd think, we have one of the highest rates of volunteerism in the world for local community things), it's just that we also have a very very long record of a minority of unethical types (or even well-meaning idiots) wasting large amounts of people's effort, time, money and goodwill.

    If this turns out the way the credit union and coop movements did, brilliant. If it turns into jobbridge, that's not so good at all.


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    #66
    GetWithIt
    Registered Users Posts: 2,081 ✭✭✭GetWithIt


    Anyone going to the event on Saturday?

    It does clash quite badly with the rugby. I'm taking the lack of chatter on this thread as a bad sign.


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    #67
    Mort5000
    Registered Users Posts: 419 ✭✭Mort5000


    GetWithIt wrote: »
    It does clash quite badly with the rugby

    I'm going to the Drink for Ireland event instead...


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    #68
    Zipppy
    Registered Users Posts: 2,054 ✭✭✭Zipppy


    GetWithIt wrote: »
    Anyone going to the event on Saturday?

    It does clash quite badly with the rugby. I'm taking the lack of chatter on this thread as a bad sign.

    Apparently there are lots registered and it's hoped to show the rubgy there on big screen


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    #69
    GetWithIt
    Registered Users Posts: 2,081 ✭✭✭GetWithIt


    Do you know if there is parking available within the Facebook HQ?


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    #70
    GetWithIt
    Registered Users Posts: 2,081 ✭✭✭GetWithIt


    I was a little disappointed with this event. There was a short window at the start for people to pitch either the existing or new ideas. I wasn't aware this would be the case. It doesn't always suit people to stand in front of a big group and "pitch".

    It seemed to be a bit, here are the ideas we've decided to work on, now you do the work. I'd have liked to have seen an area where people could just just discuss problems. I didn't feel community groups were represented. The Open Data element seemed a little lost.

    I fear there are some square wheels getting re-invented. People seemed either stuck discussing the problems or just wanted to develop apps.

    I personally don't think the business location app has any place at the event. The 2 keys points I noted from the intro to the day were "Make a difference" and "Community participation". I don't think that app fulfils either. It looked commercially driven.

    Location, facilities, organisation etc were fantastic. The people behind this have done a fantastic job to give this legs. I'm not criticising for the sake of it, just pointing out quibbles as I saw them. I do hope to go to next event.


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