[Doublej]

If you look at the list below (with a couple of grains of salt) and count the number of companies involved in hardware you get around 50% of the companies. To this add the divisions of medical device companies located there, plus the aerospace industry including NASA Ames Research Center, Lockheed, L-3, Northrup, biotech... and you have pretty diversified economy.

Yeah the big market caps are software but there are mechanical and hardware engineers there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Valley#The_rise_of_software

Is it a better place for Roger's endeavor than Berkeley or Oakland? Probably because that where the buzz is already.

[watercourse]

If you look at the list below (with a couple of grains of salt) and count the number of companies involved in hardware you get around 50% of the companies. To this add the divisions of medical device companies located there, plus the aerospace industry including NASA Ames Research Center, Lockheed, L-3, Northrup, biotech... and you have pretty diversified economy.

Yeah the big market caps are software but there are mechanical and hardware engineers there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Valley#The_rise_of_software

Is it a better place for Roger's endeavor than Berkeley or Oakland? Probably because that where the buzz is already.

Good points. I have friends that are EEs that develop the hardware backbone for software and other services... however, one could see how hardware could be viewed as the delivery method for the software, can't have one without the other, and software certainly seems to be the driver here.

There's some cool physical product being developed, sure, but even Tesla concerns itself with a GUI, likely to interface with handhelds and other automation devices. Are there any non-smart devices being considered anymore? And taking it a step further, would people trained in this type of analysis and strategy be the type of people that would be a good base for Roger's effort?

Not sure of your last statement - are you saying that the buzz is in SV and SF? Real estate costs would likely be laughably prohibitive for a nonprofit.

[Roger A. Modjeski]

I am in the Bay Area today looking at places in El Cerrito. I hope to draw from the general Bay Area so the exact location is not so important. I want easy access, parking and about 1000 Sq feet to start. The city is too congested and parking is difficult. I want people to be able to visit easily, bring equipment to work on. I have taught repair classes before and will likely offer some here. Tube equipment and older solid state is relatively easy to fix once you have a few skills.

[watercourse]

I think that's a sound plan. Easy BART access, car share options abound in the Bat Area for those that don't own their own.
This crowd may be of interest to check out, if you haven't already: http://makerfaire.com/bay-area-2014/

[Roger A. Modjeski]

I think that's a sound plan. Easy BART access, car share options abound in the Bat Area for those that don't own their own.
This crowd may be of interest to check out, if you haven't already: http://makerfaire.com/bay-area-2014/

The Maker Movement is of great interest. There was one in San Mateo in the past month. This movement appears to have come out of Make Magazine which is strongly fueled by microcomputers the most popular being the Arduino. http://www.makershed.com/collections/arduino?gclid=Cj0KEQjwur2eBRDtvMS0gIuS-dYBEiQANBPMRxWf-tx_S1q_dhqJMkNuJ_1hWwKQUKfz8u1kk54yl0caAqr98P8HAQ

I visited an Arduino class last night at The Crucible in Oakland. I met with the teacher and gave a little talk on transistors. The maker movement is missing something important, an understanding of how things work. I hope to teach that missing information. At present most "making" is plug and play. People use transistors without knowing the basic difference between a bipolar and a MOSFET. Not knowing this can damage your Arduino.

Look at this page for video of several maker faires including San Mateo. Some of these draw 100,000 people. http://makerfaire.com/

I hope to introduce amplifiers and speakers to these events.

[watercourse]

Mr. Modjeski, I see bright things in the future! I'm so glad you're taking the leap, we will all benefit!

Being an environmental scientist, your comments ring true in my field. I also see how disconnection from science, and our collective crucible, nature, has led to questionable philosophies, mindsets, and bad choices.

Hope to see you set up soon, and let me know if you need a hand.

Wilson

[powerfast]

Hi Roger,
I work with Josh and have some of your Amps.

Thing to consider is easy access by BART.  Bridge & traffic congestions are quite frequent.

Look forward to your School.

[Roger A. Modjeski]

I think that's a sound plan. Easy BART access, car share options abound in the Bat Area for those that don't own their own.
This crowd may be of interest to check out, if you haven't already: http://makerfaire.com/bay-area-2014/

I found a place in El Cerrito, near the BART Station by the new Safeway store.

[watercourse]

I found a place in El Cerrito, near the BART Station by the new Safeway store.

Hey, good enough for Creedence, should be good enough for hackers! That's a very easy to get to spot.

[Meicheng]

Thats the El Cerrito Del Norte BART station, the second El Cerrito BART station if you're coming from SF/Berkeley.   

[Roger A. Modjeski]

Thats the El Cerrito Del Norte BART station, the second El Cerrito BART station if you're coming from SF/Berkeley.

Yes, it is.

[watercourse]

Check out spaces on San Pablo Ave between Solano and El Cerrito Plaza too. Solano Ave would be a good area to be near, both for you and your staff, as well as walk-ins.

[morganc]

I just rented a space within two blocks of the Safeway Plaza/Bart terminal that you guys are referring to and I know the area well after a long search. There is a very nice location just across from the Bank of the West ( I rented in the BofW plaza) that is about the size that you need.  It was formerly Curves and is on San Pablo Ave next to the Post office in El Cerrito. 

[airhead]

Hey, good enough for Creedence, should be good enough for hackers! That's a very easy to get to spot.

This is great news.  I thought you'd probably find a place in Emeryville, where there are many lofts and small industrial shops.  But El Cerrito Plaza is more accessible, because of Bart.  I'm amazed you found an affordable place there.  is the deal clinched?  I can't wait for you to move up here!