CHT/TOTALISM HACKBASE,
SEASON 4, Act A (CHT4-A)
"Experimental hacker campground"
November 21 - December 21 2014 (31 days)
Lanzarote, Canary Islands



Last Update: 2015-03-28 (David)
¶Set and Setting
Experimental hackbase campsite #1:
* Executed landing procedures:
regroup, storage inspect, site search
* Temporary camp site found.
* Tent ground set, prototype of base set up
* Storage tent set up, camouflaged, storage moved
Ended for break to visit 31c3 (Hamburg/DE) in end of December:
Base packed together to temporary storage.
There were 4 people in the camp:
by order of appearance, David, Seth, Feli and Lix.
Experimental hackbase campsite #1:
* Executed landing procedures:
regroup, storage inspect, site search
* Temporary camp site found.
* Tent ground set, prototype of base set up
* Storage tent set up, camouflaged, storage moved
Ended for break to visit 31c3 (Hamburg/DE) in end of December:
Base packed together to temporary storage.
There were 4 people in the camp:
by order of appearance, David, Seth, Feli and Lix.
¶Basic report
The camp was a success: We survived. It is indeed possible, and often challenging and awesome, to live & hack in the desert with a tiny budget.
The camp was a success: We survived. It is indeed possible, and often challenging and awesome, to live & hack in the desert with a tiny budget.
¶Here soon
Unpublished materials:
* files (the Syncthing folder):
* financials / open accounting
* stats: data consumption, etc
* photo + video
* source code
* full project notes (internal Etherpads)
* participant's reviews
Unpublished materials:
* files (the Syncthing folder):
* financials / open accounting
* stats: data consumption, etc
* photo + video
* source code
* full project notes (internal Etherpads)
* participant's reviews
¶Project work
Quick runthrough of project notes:
* Desert campsite:
* sleeping outside is doable:
* in full-on foul December weather (orange alert storm)
* cold nights (min 14°C measured) are fine too
* storage tents
* plot zoning
* Desert storage research + re-do:
* evacuated 1 of 2 old storages
* noted down inventory, track missing stuff
* tent camouflage
* packed up storage tent with camo
* got ikea boxes
* Desert food preparation:
* camper van cooking
* no-fridge storage and supplies
* upkeep protocols
* Desert food growing:
not a big focus this time, mostly collecting anecdotal advice, metrics and ideas
* Desert electricity:
* managing intermittent availability
* solar diagnosis + fixing
* running diesel generators
* running car 12V -> 220V generator
* own renewable system (solar+wind+battery) evaluation capability
* Desert internet:
* different 3G networks research
* data consumption tracking and limiting
* self-hosted localnet (offline resources archive)
* managing intermittent availability
* Toilet dig™ (DIY Latrine)
* Other basics:
* water was abundant - winter rains filled reservoirs
* washing clothes at friends
* "Squatworking" by crashing civilized places (hotels, etc)
net + power plug + pokerface
* Exploring local scenes and reconnecting with people:
* alternative, transformative, eco initiatives
* art, music, cultural
* technical & engineering
* business
* land owners & farmers
* ex-pats
* friends
* Time, synchronisation, planning and efficiency research (with Subtime)
* Collection and re-organisation of all past project materials:
* single point of storage (one curated directory that keeps all)
* Syncthing software for propagation between people
* test deploying middlemachine software for organisation
* Day-to-day #workflow:
* Selfhosted localnet:
* P2P sync (Syncthing)
* Group pads (Etherpad)
* Etherpad -> Export to Text files -> Syncthing (solution for totally offline pads)
* Protocol for Reviews:
(regular full crew meetings featuring Etherpad notes, merging personal notes/ideas, debating everything)
* Workflow problems still looking for solutions:
* Pics & video review software + process (tagging, rating, publishing)
* Offline <-> Online maps (with coordinates, trails, etc synchronisation)
* Quantification (sensors + recorders):
* weather monitoring
* audio / video recording policy
* every aspect of personal computer usage (David's project)
* Nootropics:
nothing too fancy (Modafinil, Caffeine, Weissbier)
→ 🔗nootropics
* Open accounting:
* using GnuCash to record all expenses
* investment policy: 4€ / person / day (beyond food and stay)
* total costs < 100€ / person / week
* Car rental donated
→ 🔗subfinance
* Sociodynamics:
* synchronisation, decisions, workflows
* living with depression
* New website based on Etherpad + 🔗E2H → https://totalism.org
* 2015 project presentation:
* Authored 🔗season4 pad
* Preparing for 31st Chaos Communication Congress (31C3)
* Landhunt - looking for and selecting land:
* definition of what we need ("attributes" for plot evaluation)
* saw 10 plots !!
* understanding pricing, etc
* Study temporary architecture:
Liveable "permanently temporary" constructions
* Understand basics of zoning laws, as outlined by the 🔗hacking-housing manifesto:
* word of mouth: be discrete + respect / empathy to neighbours + just do it
* land registry inquries
* potentially possible types of constructions
* possibility for land modification
* plot re-parcellation
* Formal association research:
* need to have any at all?
* if yes, which domain (Spanish? German? X?)
* contacts with advisors:
* suggested http://p2pfoundation.net/Nondominium
* suggested http://p2pfoundation.net/Community_Land_Trusts
* Research #funding patterns and ideas for off-grid project (Need ~30.000€):
Gratipay, campaign crowdfunding, foundations, "rich ally", ...
* Open worker cooperative development, stub → 🔗coop:
### would be interesting to link to specific revision?
* Research of existing alike institutions
* Done:
* teaching: first student !
* architecture: first project !
* driving (as exchange of favours)
* Urban exploration:
* "Presa de Mala" dam
* Los cocoteros squat option
* Airport abandoned zone
* Playa Honda squat options
* (turns out not) abandoned house in mountains
* Costa Teguise abandoned construction sites
* abandoned Arrecife islet
* Rogue hunt for #resources:
* airport has loads of dumpster-diveable booze
* free stuff on abandoned construction sites
* Island mapping:
see Lanzarote on 🔗maps
* Nature, hikes, beach, biking, hitching, tourism, roadtrips
* Using cars:
* "Renting not in line with Season 4 strategy" !!
* Studied: Car ownership and upkeep law
* Budgeting buying vs renting
* Car as a mobile unit beyond just transportation:
* for storage, between nomadic transitions
* for power generation
* "mobile lab"
* Plan 2015 return
Quick runthrough of project notes:
* Desert campsite:
* sleeping outside is doable:
* in full-on foul December weather (orange alert storm)
* cold nights (min 14°C measured) are fine too
* storage tents
* plot zoning
* Desert storage research + re-do:
* evacuated 1 of 2 old storages
* noted down inventory, track missing stuff
* tent camouflage
* packed up storage tent with camo
* got ikea boxes
* Desert food preparation:
* camper van cooking
* no-fridge storage and supplies
* upkeep protocols
* Desert food growing:
not a big focus this time, mostly collecting anecdotal advice, metrics and ideas
* Desert electricity:
* managing intermittent availability
* solar diagnosis + fixing
* running diesel generators
* running car 12V -> 220V generator
* own renewable system (solar+wind+battery) evaluation capability
* Desert internet:
* different 3G networks research
* data consumption tracking and limiting
* self-hosted localnet (offline resources archive)
* managing intermittent availability
* Toilet dig™ (DIY Latrine)
* Other basics:
* water was abundant - winter rains filled reservoirs
* washing clothes at friends
* "Squatworking" by crashing civilized places (hotels, etc)
net + power plug + pokerface
* Exploring local scenes and reconnecting with people:
* alternative, transformative, eco initiatives
* art, music, cultural
* technical & engineering
* business
* land owners & farmers
* ex-pats
* friends
* Time, synchronisation, planning and efficiency research (with Subtime)
* Collection and re-organisation of all past project materials:
* single point of storage (one curated directory that keeps all)
* Syncthing software for propagation between people
* test deploying middlemachine software for organisation
* Day-to-day #workflow:
* Selfhosted localnet:
* P2P sync (Syncthing)
* Group pads (Etherpad)
* Etherpad -> Export to Text files -> Syncthing (solution for totally offline pads)
* Protocol for Reviews:
(regular full crew meetings featuring Etherpad notes, merging personal notes/ideas, debating everything)
* Workflow problems still looking for solutions:
* Pics & video review software + process (tagging, rating, publishing)
* Offline <-> Online maps (with coordinates, trails, etc synchronisation)
* Quantification (sensors + recorders):
* weather monitoring
* audio / video recording policy
* every aspect of personal computer usage (David's project)
* Nootropics:
nothing too fancy (Modafinil, Caffeine, Weissbier)
→ 🔗nootropics
* Open accounting:
* using GnuCash to record all expenses
* investment policy: 4€ / person / day (beyond food and stay)
* total costs < 100€ / person / week
* Car rental donated
→ 🔗subfinance
* Sociodynamics:
* synchronisation, decisions, workflows
* living with depression
* New website based on Etherpad + 🔗E2H → https://totalism.org
* 2015 project presentation:
* Authored 🔗season4 pad
* Preparing for 31st Chaos Communication Congress (31C3)
* Landhunt - looking for and selecting land:
* definition of what we need ("attributes" for plot evaluation)
* saw 10 plots !!
* understanding pricing, etc
* Study temporary architecture:
Liveable "permanently temporary" constructions
* Understand basics of zoning laws, as outlined by the 🔗hacking-housing manifesto:
* word of mouth: be discrete + respect / empathy to neighbours + just do it
* land registry inquries
* potentially possible types of constructions
* possibility for land modification
* plot re-parcellation
* Formal association research:
* need to have any at all?
* if yes, which domain (Spanish? German? X?)
* contacts with advisors:
* suggested http://p2pfoundation.net/Nondominium
* suggested http://p2pfoundation.net/Community_Land_Trusts
* Research #funding patterns and ideas for off-grid project (Need ~30.000€):
Gratipay, campaign crowdfunding, foundations, "rich ally", ...
* Open worker cooperative development, stub → 🔗coop:
* Research of existing alike institutions
* Done:
* teaching: first student !
* architecture: first project !
* driving (as exchange of favours)
* Urban exploration:
* "Presa de Mala" dam
* Los cocoteros squat option
* Airport abandoned zone
* Playa Honda squat options
* (turns out not) abandoned house in mountains
* Costa Teguise abandoned construction sites
* abandoned Arrecife islet
* Rogue hunt for #resources:
* airport has loads of dumpster-diveable booze
* free stuff on abandoned construction sites
* Island mapping:
see Lanzarote on 🔗maps
* Nature, hikes, beach, biking, hitching, tourism, roadtrips
* Using cars:
* "Renting not in line with Season 4 strategy" !!
* Studied: Car ownership and upkeep law
* Budgeting buying vs renting
* Car as a mobile unit beyond just transportation:
* for storage, between nomadic transitions
* for power generation
* "mobile lab"
* Plan 2015 return