RampART
From Hacklab
rampART Creative Media Lab
"Don't hate the media, be the media!"
""Want to experiment with digital audio or graphics, produce electronic music, make computer animation, edit a video, make a radio show or create stunning realtime visuals? Well now you can... ""
The "Creative Media Lab" is located on the first floor of the rampART creative centre and social space which can be found at 15-17 Rampart Street (http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=534641&y=181230&z=0&sv=e1+2la&st=2&pc=e1+2la&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf), London E1 2LA which is just off Commercial Road at the junction of New Street and Canon Street Road (the nearest stations are Shadwell, Whitechapel or Aldgate East). The lab is setup and maintained by members of the London Hacklab Collective as well as people involved in the rampART centre.
The lab, which is connected to broadband internet via a community wifi network, contains about ten PCs. The machines are generally Pentium III 500Mhz or better and have all been salvaged from skips or donated by people throwing them out. All of the computers are running free and open source software (such as Mozilla Firefox, OpenOffice, Audacity, Kino and GIMP). Most are running the freeBSD operating system which makes the lab suitable for training and general use. There are free courses taking place (mostly saturdays) and if you fancy running a course email rampart@mutualaid.org and/or freedomlab@sinroot.net (emails to the latter get archived on the web). You can find out about courses that are taking place at the rampART look HERE (http://wiki.hacklab.org.uk/index.php/Workshops/OpentoEveryone) (you might also be interested in THIS page (http://wiki.hacklab.org.uk/index.php/Workshops) - all the courses are free but donations are welcome.
As well as free internet access and courses, there is also the opportunity to learn how to build or repair your own computer (perhaps one that you found in the street). Get in touch if this interests you or you need parts - we usually have 14/15inch monitors available, powersupplies, cases, keyboards etc. (if you have equipment you'd like to donate to the hacklab or to the rampART in general, email rampart@mutualaid.org)
The rampART itself has many projects which may be of interest, such as rampART radio. See http://www.rampart.co.nr for general information about the rampART social centre.
For more information join the London hacklabs email list (http://lists.sindormir.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/freedomlab)
