New Door Code

[Tim Storey]

Just looked at the letter from  Workspace Group.

We just need the code to enter at night which is printed on the letter.

Should we distribute the new door code via the list ?

t

[Lester Hawksby]

Is this too public a forum for that? I don't know what their terms are like, but posting it here is pretty much shouting it to the world. We might be fine with that (personally, I don't want us to become much less open than we are now), but I don't think pissing off Workspace Group is a good idea.

Is a mailing just to members possible?

Lester

[Mark Steward]

I think first of all we should check with Workspace Group to see how concerned they are about it being shared with visitors/the world.  If they are concerned, the best place to put would be on the members site, but I think that'll have to wait until Russ is back from Glastonbury.

Until then, perhaps we could put up a sign with an explanation and our phone number, so visitors can call for access?

Mark

[Gavan Fantom]

On 22/06/2011 12:58, Mark Steward wrote:
> I think first of all we should check with Workspace Group to see how
> concerned they are about it being shared with visitors/the world. If
> they are concerned, the best place to put would be on the members site,
> but I think that'll have to wait until Russ is back from Glastonbury.

It might also be worth finding out how frequently they plan to change
the code, and what notice will be given of such changes. It would be
pretty crappy if the code were changed at no notice, and we had no means
of communicating the new code to people before they arrived.

> Until then, perhaps we could put up a sign with an explanation and our
> phone number, so visitors can call for access?

I think this is a good idea.

Does anybody ever come to the space without a mobile phone, or with a
flat battery or no credit? Is there an alternative contact method (ask
the security guard, perhaps) that we could recommend?

--
Gillette - the best a man can forget

[tom]

lets set up a text-to-get-the-code service. You text the hackspace
and it responds with the current code

[Tim Storey]

lets just ask the landlord if its okay to leave the door open on tuesday evenings till say 22:00 as a starting point

[Martin Klang]

It's not so much a question of negotiating terms with the landlord as of respecting the security of the other businesses in the building.

Under the new rules visitors can still gain access through the guard, just as before when the gate has been locked.
What the letter says is that the guard will 'record the visitor', which I assume means you will have to sign in/out at the gate.

And yes, the list is public, all messages to the list are public, posting anything remotely confidential is not clever.

/m

[Mark Steward]

So the problem as I see it is that this change is being made for the benefit of the other tenants.  With over 300 members, we don't have much concern for access control, but this system makes us the weak point for everyone else.

I don't think propping the door open is reasonable: it's devaluing something that all the tenants will have to pay for.  It also makes us the obvious target of blame when the new-found security is shown to be not so great.

I'm sure that in practice, it'll end up like any communal keypad: wear marks on the buttons, easily shimmed, regularly propped open.  Still, we should make it clear from the start that it's enormously inconvenient for our situation and they'll need to help us if they don't want people to work around it.

I think we need to check the following:

 - When will the system be installed?

 - Will security call up to the space when a visitor arrives?

 - Would it be possible for the timer to be different on Tuesday, or for security to automatically let visitors in?

 - Will the guards sign people in and out, or just note their visit?

 - How much warning will we receive of a new code?

 - Do the other tenants know that we'll be sharing the code with over 300 people?

Russ normally corresponds with Workspace Group, but he's in Glastonbury.  Does anyone else have a contact there?

Mark

[Robert Leverington]

On 2011-06-22, Martin Klang wrote:
>
> It's not so much a question of negotiating terms with the landlord as of respecting the security of the other businesses in the building.
>
> Under the new rules visitors can still gain access through the guard, just as before when the gate has been locked.
> What the letter says is that the guard will 'record the visitor', which I assume means you will have to sign in/out at the gate.
>
> And yes, the list is public, all messages to the list are public, posting anything remotely confidential is not clever.

I agree, but from our perspective this is going to be a huge pain. One
of the reasons for choosing Cremer Business Centre (not that we were
left with a huge amount of choice at the time) was the liberal access
policy for getting to the unit itself.

With over 300 members I imagine this is something that will be very
difficult to keep secure, nevertheless I think our best (only?) option
will be to keep the access key on the members-only area of the website
and post a notice in front of the gate asking non-members to either sign
in with the security guard or phone up to the space and have someone
come down and let - it sounds like telling visitors the code is not
really an option.

Martin, do you know when this is being implemented from?

Tim, can you send me the code via private e-mail, and I will add it to
the members website for the time being?

Robert

[James Mastros]

On 22 June 2011 13:13, Tim Storey <tim.s...@gmail.com> wrote:
> lets just ask the landlord if its okay to leave the door open on tuesday
> evenings till say 22:00 as a starting point

A good starting point. We could also give the guard's station a
version of doorbot -- wifi-connected, gives a green or red light.
That will, however, not help when the gate is unmanned... and, from
the text of the letter given in another thread, it looks like the gate
won't be unmanned. The letter *does* look like they don't want us
giving the code out willy-nilly, "Please keep this number secure and
only pass it on to staff that need access at night." Doorbot has the
advantages of logging, and easy adding and removing of people from the
list.
Also, let's remember what happens when security is bad -- the hackvan
gets stolen. They are probably doing this as a reaction from that, so
let's try to work with them as much as possible.

-=- James Mastros
theorbtwo

[Toby Catlin]

We could offer to implement door bot in addition to their pin code system.

[Robert Leverington]

Running the business centre's access control system is a big step up
from what we have at the moment, I don't think this is something we
want get involved with.

In any case, this would not solve the problem of visitor access which is
overwhelmingly more signficant - we should have no problem distributing
an access code to members who want to access the space at night.

Robert

[Robert Leverington]

For now I have added a page [1] to our members-only area.

Robert

[1] http://london.hackspace.org.uk/members/night.php