What's this Muddy Blues stuff? Times change, oldster. It's all about Fall Out Boy now.#267 Funny hack. I bet the young ones don't get it, though.I'm stunned by the loss of humor in this place. I came in this morning to see a tasteful, funny but spot-on spoof hack of the Media Lab/Moody Blues only to have someone haul them down immediately upon entering without bothering to see that they were a hack. When informed that they were a hack and shown that the hack was completely tasteful & harmless, the hauling down continued. Go to cfdp.media.mit.edu to see what you missed.#258 This simple complaint made me bored. I don't like it. Besides, I heard this already somewhere else.The reason caters don't always leave food is due to health concerns. They have certain time thresholds for serving food before it goes bad. This is why they have to toss some of the food so people don't get sick. They told me this first hand once.The problem with battery recycling is they bins fill up and nobody every empties them.#254 We used to have battery recycles. I cannot recall what the problem was that got them removed.#258. Gotta agree with that. More "Yes, and...", less "No, can't...""Please", "Thank you" and the often-forgotten "My bad. Sorry for the trouble." go a long, long way to both getting what you want and making the Lab experience better for ALL of us.Think about it, you don't go to you doctor and say "It hurts. Now, fix it, you jerk! It has to be fixed RIGHT NOW!!!!!" You give them info and work together to findout what is wrong with you and fix the problem. Same for NecSys.If we are at the Lab, we are bright enough to do a boatload of fixing on our own before having to bother NecSys.Here's how to enhance your NecSys experience:
1. Check your hardware: is a cable loose or dead? Has a card worked loose?
2. Check your software: have you forgotten a patch? Have you downloaded and installed some new software? Can you not resist the urge to click on ANY attachment, regardless of origin?
3. Try a reboot: shut down, wait 30 seconds or so, then reboot.
4. Problem still there? You are stumped? Contact NecSys. Here's how:
A. Be informative. Tell them what the problem is, what software is
involved, what kind of computer you have, what causes the problem,
etc.
B. Show initiative. Tell them exactly what you have tried and what
the result of those efforts were.
C. Be courteous & patient. They get more requests in a day than you
get spam in a week.
Doing this in your FIRST email to them will eliminate a lot of the back & forth that is surely frustrating and time-consuming to both parties.In short, don't be vague or rude. Both of those are non-helpful when you are tying to work together with someone to fix someone.Nope. I am not a member of NecSys either.#249, "LunchSys" is a nice turn of phrase. And, in the spirit of full disclosure, I am NOT a member of NecSys.NecSys keeps all the computing needs together for the Lab. No matter the desired system, computer, software or interesting hack desired. This means that they are often here, fixing things, when the rest of us are snug in bed or enjoying time with our loved ones. And, sometimes, those "broken" things were mistakes the users made themselves - ranging from "a cable came loose" to necglecting to install a patch to outright attempts to game or abuse the network. One member, for instance, has literally spent each one of the last three Christmas & New Year's Days fending off hackers who thought no one would be at the Media Lab on a holiday to thwart them. Oh, and the hole they were exploiting? There because someone just HAD to use software "X" for their work. (Nothing else would do, you see...exploit vulnerabilities and extra work to protect the rest of us on the network be damned!)So, just because you don't SEE them working, doesn't mean they aren't. They are. And maybe on a problem a bit more dire to the lab than yours.Finally, if you think "LunchSys" takes too long to fix your computer...imagine how long it would take if every one of your computer desires had to go through MIT IS&T. Chances are, some of our more "creative" requests would be outright rejected.#249 that's hilarious! but i don't think necsys does computer repair, it manages the network and servers.what's the best way to give positive critique? I hear a lot of negative critique "it's been done before" "this idea is too simple" "this idea is too complex" "do you think you're the best person to do this work?" I also hear versions of "i don't like that" or "boring"-- well how come I don't hear any constructive suggestions????Hey guys! Are we gonna get more see-thru binding covers?#250 Or maybe the Lab was an utter embarrassment in light of David Brin's "keynote" speech.#252 Cubicles are not my idea of the open places planned for the new building. That's better but still not great if you want a desk that doesn't get things stolen from it (a HUGE problem around here - some of you inconsiderate people always take things that are not yours to take just because you see it not behind a locked door!), quiet, and a door to invite or deter interruptions. I have one office mate now and that's not too much. Being out in a lab with a cubicle or not is like having three dozen office mates. Not fun. Solution: offices.I would love to see a battery recycle bin somewhere in the building....#248 We do ask the caterers to put the leftovers in the 3rd floor kitchen. We do not waste the lab's money.#246, you want a place that is not distracting for reading, coding, researching, but you want a Lab that is an open lively one. Do you have any suggestions? From my experience having an office with multiple office mates, it is MUCH more distracting than having a nice cubicle somewhere. I've seen some sweet cubicles on the 4th floor - quiet and out of the way. Wish I could trade.In reference to #244, an issue with using the stairs instead of the elevator is that the doors to the stairs lock in the evening. I have gotten locked out many times because I forgot it was past 6. I know it is for security reasons but still it cramps the stairs-taking lifestyle.David Brin's "keynote" speech was an utter embarrassment to the Lab.LunChSys really needs to get there act together and help us out with our computers when their broken instead of eatting lunch all the time.Can sponsor meeting caterers leave any leftover food the Lab pays for in the 3rd floor kitchen instead of throwing it out? (Does it get thrown out?)Don't schedule interesting sponsor meetings only an hour or two before the first open house!!! No amount of refreshments can help then!If we don't all get offices in E14, I'll be very upset. I need quiet and isolation in order to get any work done. It's not like the open space is for a bunch of people in cubicles writing code. This place is too distracting for reading, coding, researching out in the open. Without an office, I will spend much more time working elsewhere, such as at home. The Lab will become more of a dead place than an open lively one.If you are going up or down any number of floors, it can be faster to take the stairs and it also conserves energy and is good for you.If you are going up or down one floor, try taking the stairs rather than the elevator. It conserves energy and is good for you.Is there a high-res logo for the Media Lab available somewhere? Making things like this available could help with Media Lab evangelism when we, for example, give talks outside the building.Hey #241, I work with a bunch of teams, and if there is anything I can do to make this better (e.g. if I've been part of the problem without realizing it), please get in touch with me directly. I care!-Henry HoltzmanThe Media Lab used to be reknowned for how well the staff worked with and supported one another. I am astonished at how that has disappeared. The (small, I might add) team I once worked so well with was subdivided in an effort to be "more efficient" about meetings. The information given the those who were invited to the meetings was never conveyed to those of us who did not. Even when the person in charge was told that this made my job both exponentially more difficult AND splintered the teamwork we once had. Despite speaking up in a positive way to try and both get the info I needed and get the feeling of team back, I now feel like I am on an island here.I cannot get the basic info I need to do my job well and am excluded from working with my peers. Gosh. What a way to encourage me to be part of the team.#234: RSS feed of this page: http://run.kogbox.com/php/1/ml_anon_rss (http://kogbox.com/snippet/ml_anon_rss for the code behind it)Can we get some darn message threading here or what??Fredo, yes. Haven't met Frodo.Frodo rules @ CSAIL!#235: i heard that the whole 4th floor (including the studio) and maybe some other areas of e15 won't be belong to the media lab after we move to e14 (in around 16 months). strange that nobody mentioned that publicly though! as for replacement facilities..who knows?It has been mentioned that there are again plans to remove the 4th floor studio even though that decision was supposedly reversed. Can some one speak to that? Are there plans for a replacement facility?can we get an RSS feed for anon or the threaded forum it becomes? too bad people stopped discussing.#228 definitely yes! but is this possible?#129: Agreed. I felt like I had really no idea about what other people are doing in the lab, since all our time was taken up doing our own demos. Dry runs is one good idea, but takes up a lot of time to see everybody. Is there some way to work it out so that everyone can see everyone else's projects sometime during the actual sponsor demos? Floor closings were good but we still don't get to see what the other side of the floor is doing.#228 definitely yes! but is this possible?#227 - do believe that we'd like to keep the momentum. We're working hard to take in everything that led up to yesterday and put the next event in place before days turn into weeks.I just wanted to say that I thought the food at the discussion today was excellent. It was very apparent that a lot of though was put into it and I loved the selection. It was very tasty too. Mmmmm... Breakfast for lunch.Faculty have annual retreats; should staff and students have their own versions?Can the next community meeting date be announced to maintain the momentum before days turn into weeks ...!48 and #142 - The copier on the 4th floor scans to email.Let's not let the end of this event mark the end of discussion here. What issues have you heard that are heading toward resolution? What is resolution?let's get this party started!We've lost the balance between long-term vision and down-to-earth implementation. Professors Minsky, Maeda, Papert, and Gershenfeld may have not been the most popular thinkers within the lab but they motivated big research initiatives, and provided some internal checking of our ideas. They spoke their minds and did not let us love our own ideas too much, a phenomenon that is now reaching an appalling pervasiveness at the lab. Let's face it - the lab has always had an arrogant sheen but it was tempered with our can-do attitude, our willingness to take criticism, even mocking, and still do great work. Let's spend less time bragging about which faculty member, alum, or student won some insipid award and spend more time supporting the strong ideas, genuine new fields of research, and thoughtful work.#148. There is a scanner in the HR office.Spend more time "catching people being good" with a thank you or compliment or additive critique and less time playing "gotcha" or negatively criticizing.Ironically, this kind of anonymous forum provides some transparency. It shines light on both good & bad deeds.# 213. There are recycle bins all over on every floor. The problem lies not with the lab and what they have not provided, it lies with the "labbers" who decide not to use the bins. Be the "recycle-voice" when you see people headed for a trash can near you, recycling is a learned habit and most people just don't think about it.In my humble opinion, we need to look back on ourselves in this timeline. As we all know, the Media Lab is a space where novel, innovative ideas are consistently created or reproduced. However, we someitmes repeat what someone invented or designed because of lack of a database to be able to readily search the exisitng ideas invented at the lab. I'd like to propose a system to manage well our history. I think a visualized database like IBM's "Manyeyes" to enable people to easily find what they want could be an good example. We could create a better future if we could better manage our history.Can we keep this forum after today? Although it means work for someone (sorry!), it would be great to continue this. Maybe archive it on Fridays so it doesn't get unwieldy? As things improve, the number of issues & complaints should go down. (and, hopefully, the number of kudos can increase!) K-#206. Patagonia. Nice! An eventual cap of growth and refocusing on quality would solve a host of ills spoken to here - too little money & space, too little communication, too many fluffy projects that continue the idea that the lab is a joke, and oh so many more.#207, I think #194 is right ... the example, the model, the leadership, whatever you want to call it, starts at the top.#212, sad but true. Some (not all) have forgotten that good chemistry makes your whole group & the lab as a whole better. That's when you expect the best and get even more than you had hoped. When you expect the worst & treat people poorly, you shouldn't be surprised when that is exactly what you get in return.I think we could build a better future by being mindful of how much we waste and doing something about this. We throw away tons of recyclable waste all the time, and especially around sponsor week. Huge bags full of plastic ware and food. I have seen the cleaners dump paper from the recycling bins right with the trash. Also, what happens to obsolete equipment such as computers and monitors? Are they really disposed of responsibly? How do we find out about these issues?#59, you can't just plug *any*one in here as a "plain, old job" and expect success. You either love this place and thrive here or you run screaming from the building in a very short order. There is no middle ground. Treatment of the staff has gone from "we are all part of the team" to "I consider you a replaceable cog. I don't want to know what other value you can add to my group. In fact, I would prefer it if I didn't have to waste my breath saying 'Hello' to you." No wonder there is higher turnover in the past year.I think we could build a better future by being mindful of how much we waste and doing something about this. We throw away tons of recyclable waste all the time, and especially around sponsor week. Huge bags full of plastic ware and food. I have seen the cleaners dump paper from the recycling bins right with the trash. Also, what happens to obsolete equipment such as computers and monitors? Are they really disposed of responsibly? How do we find out about these issues?A Web application for viewing sponsor demo schedules does exist for logged-in users via the internal ML Website. http://allegra.media.mit.edu/visits.nsf
clicking the links shows the schedulesWhoa! #208, you are right. I've worked here for a while, but that sentiment just makes me want to head for the want ads. Never mind that the female faculty member in question could have an admin/staff member that would be an *excellent* demo-er for her group would she only take a moment to discover how much of an asset a good staff member can be.#109 is just the most disturbing thing i've read here so far.#194. i agree with you. but we all need to help fix it, not just the administration.#175. Good point! At some point, Patagonia should be the lab's ideal, not Starbucks. It is about the work, the interactions & the ideas. That is when good stuff happens. Make it about the size, the money & the expansion and it will crumble like it did earlier this decade. Media Lab [Asia, Europe, Antarctica, etc.] didn't change the world, but One Laptop Per Child did.#150: Yes, this service has led to some ideas about how we could have these sorts of discussions more effectively, mixing identity and anonymity in one forum - a way to take some types of discussions out of msgs and into a place where they are better received. Find me in person and let's share ideas! -stevepwow what a wonderful forum to come back to after being away for a while! i think it is awesome that we are all talking, even if it is in this anonymous way. i hope the meeting is as forthcoming as this forum. will it really be ok to express ourselves without anonymity, especially those of us on staff? my contribution to this discussion is that it is my observation after many years of working here that staff reside at the bottom of the media lab pecking order. we are expected to toil under often crappy working conditions with crazy expectations and without a lot of support. the space thing is really unfortunate. i was asked to relocate my intern to a former bathroom because "we need to give the research what it needs." supporting the research is what my work is all about. however, i did not feel my work was valued on that day.#199 is right. Inviting back into the "email fold" those who were expunged from the Lab for speaking out in the past would be a great statement. Meanwhile, dealing with and changing the current climate of "speak out honestly and die" is not just a good idea, it is essential.We used to roll over surplus at the end of the year instead of having the "spend it down or get less next year". What happened to that notion?#180 has an excellent point: not just big ideas, but even simple communication here is abysmal. Notices about events don't go out or don't go out to some people until the day before or day of. My schedule is pretty packed and if I don't know about an event more than a day in advance (AT LEAST a week, with reminders, would be ideal), I can't schedule it in. I've missed so many talks and events because we were told about them too late. I don't know who all plans these things, but the whole world doesn't just function at the last minute.#165, what you think is unrealistic is possible and was once done here.the fact that this anonymous forum is necessary just underscores the history of retribution exacted on those who have dared to speak out in the past. until that stops, nothing will change.Too much _needless_ reinventing of wheels around here. Scheduling something? Planning a new project? Approaching a company for sponsorship? Take 10 minutes and find out what is already cooking (the place is chock full of wikis, blogs & web pages-you can't miss it). That will avoid a lot of miscommunications, crossed wires & duplicated efforts. It will also make us work better within and look better without.#148,#149: there is a decent flatbed scanner in NeCSys that can do both reflective (normal) and transmissive (transparency) scans. There's also a slide scanner, which can do high-res negative and slide scanning. Just come by and ask! -stevep#190, I wholeheartedly agree with you, but the climate is currently one where ideas & resources are batted away than listened to or worked with. It is very frustrating.i'm glad to see all the issues about staff and students raised in this forum. Let's hope Frank and his team addresses it today at the community meeting--or at least acknowledge the problem and promise us they will work on a solution.don't expect Frank to solve the problems, we all need to propose solutions that (hopefully) the administration will facilitate#182, food doesn't have to be free. As I student who goes to buy food at stata or the trucks every day I am willing to pay the same to have food here (preferably healthier) at the lab and mingle with my peers.i'm glad to see all the issues about staff and students raised in this forum. Let's hope Frank and his team addresses it today at the community meeting--or at least acknowledge the problem and promise us they will work on a solution.is someone going to print this out and take it to the meeting today? or are these very good points just going to be forgotten?If you have good ideas, and the inspiration to pursue them, in an ethical and open way, with the goal of truth as your destination, then the rest will follow. Does the dissatisfaction visible below, mean we're not doing this?i'm glad to see all the issues about staff and students raised in this forum. Let's hope Frank and his team addresses it today at the community meeting--or at least acknowledge the problem and promise us they will work on a solution.three things will make the media lab great -- quality, quality, quality. all else stems from quality. why else pour effort into anything? you have can have the best XYZ in the world, but if it is not in the service of awe-inspiring, world-changing, high-quality endeavor, nobody will give a damn.quality!#160. I believe the lab is full of visionaries on all levels. We just need to hear them.Get back to including the staff in the idea of groups. Not just including your own admin in your group, but getting back to the idea that "HR" is a group, the "Director's Office" is a group, "Sponsor Relations" is a group, and so on. This subtle change can help lessen the idea of "us" & "them".More "Yes, and..." and less "No, because..."! The best ideas might be the 9th or 10th in the list. But you won't ever get to hear them when idea 1, 2 or 3 have been met with negativity. K-Leave the egos, the pettiness ("my chair! "my space!" "my idea!"), the negativity ("Don't even try it, I don't think it will work" - which is very UN-Media Lab, by the way!) & the sense of entitlement ("gimmie!") at the door and think about the BIG picture of the Lab and the research when you come inside. That will help a lot!This place works best when we all realize that none of us know where or from whom the next big idea will emanate. That's why a flat structure and encouragement of mingling (via open computer gardens, conversation & inclusive lab get-togethers) made this place work so well. Communication & respect, people, that is all it really takes.Think beyond yourself. For example, #14 is right, food *does* bring people together. But just having it magically appear (and paid for by...whom, #113?) does not. We used to have Lab Lunches. Originally, when the lab was small enough, a group (be it HR, the Director's Office or a research group) would put one together as a pot luck, later as takeout. Same with what are now Teas. They would, again, be called on a whim by a group within the Lab (The email would usually read: "The X Group is having a tea tomorrow afternoon in Room XXX at 4:00! Hope to see you there!" . Both were chances for people to come out of their offices and *talk* to each other as they broke bread together. But now the lunches have disappeared and the Teas have become structured, scheduled student-only affairs.Agreed, #178! But, once again, a passionate staff has been excluded! If you work here, you care deeply about the place. Otherwise, you would not last. Go find out what other talents, interests and intelligence your admin has. I think you will be surprised and will find a passionate resource you didn't know you had.Communication, communication, communication. For example, staff only learned of this meeting late last week; days after the students had been informed. Then, the meeting was planned in the middle of two large visits and the MIT Community picnic. No more working in a vacuum. Communicate!I love the Lab and all its possibilities. But I feel downright embarrassed by some of the projects that purport [in the media] to be the future of x, y, or z. Turning passive, efficient tools and objects into expensive, battery-gobbling, and often toxic-to-produce 'futuristic' gadgets by adding unwanted and un-asked-for features is such a blatant move in the wrong direction that even my highly-consumerist grandparents can see it.
for contrast: http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2001/nepalwater.html
I'm not claiming that all of our projects should be 'green'. But we should have a clearer and more intentional vision of what we mean by a better future.For all of the concerns that need to be addressed, there are good things about the Media Lab. The fact that these issues come up shows that we care about this place and want to see it return to glory. I think the best thing going for us right now is the potential to reclaim our vision. Our history and status can help us get there. Passionate students are the fuel of this process, right now. We owe it to them to bring back an environment where they can freely dream a real and profound new future.yes. TED type luminaries and visionairies who care about ideas not tenure at institutions with big names and little output will turn things around. im not impressed with recent hires or some of the older tendure faculty. there are the maedas and the ishiis and the paradisos and the paperts that make this place great. too bad maeda jumped away cause he is a model of what should be at media lab.#174: Space is a huge issue. I think grads should get offices. Then again, look at PLW and Robotics and those seem like good work spaces. I hope the new building will provide more specialized and general purpose spaces. The entire community should be involved in the space planning. Since students are the life blood of the lab and users of the spaces, they should lead the charge. But #175 is right about conceptually and space. I'm afraid that when it opens, it will get filled up pointlessly and we'll still be strapped for space with no new special and useful spaces. I hope this happens. The way the fourth floor studio was handled makes me sad.What is the critical size the Media Lab is aiming to achieve, in terms of research groups and centers, students and faculty, sponsors? We cannot grow indefinitely. Is there a sweet spot?How do we deal with the lack of space? How do we balance specialized spaces with offices and meeting rooms and common areas? We shouldn't expect the new building to solve it magically, we need to consciously think about it. Do we all need private offices and separate lab benches?Yes, lets us talk about great things and some of the positive changes thanks to Frank in the last couple of years. We also need to know what works (or has been turned around).this forum is great by the way. 3 cheers for Steve and whoever else was involved.#169 love, love, love, love is all we need.#167. I used to be afraid of Linda (I still am sometimes) but she is like an old fashion mom. She tough but makes sure things happen on schedule. Definitely three cheers for Linda.i think we need more love in this place, too many people with too much ego, why do we have to fight over a chair?Inventing a better future: we should reinvent ourselves before taking on the challenge of changing the world for the better.Nobody's mentioned the MAS headquarters (aka Linda P). She's a much needed buffer between faculty and students, and an indispensable advocate for students. 3 cheers for Linda! Maybe we should have employee of the month awards for staff who've done exceptional work. But then they'd all deserve it after sponsor week! And also that wouldn't do anything to people who do excellent work round the year. And then it would be too much like McD. Better idea to recognize the staff?#164, yes, and they happen to be the most inspiring faculty we have. We should do our best to keep them. I am surprised Minksy hasn't been there though.there are politics, rumors and food chains in every organization with the size of the lab. Yes, let's be more transparent but also lets realize it's human nature and figure out how to improve the lab without being unrealistic.#163: TED conference, that's a place where they seem to be able to identify and bring in visionaries (a couple of our faculty have given talks there). Maybe we should pick our recruits from their short-list!#160. I couldn't agree more with the last part of your comment. We NEED luminaries join the lab. What does it take to get those people? Freedom? Resources? Space? Seems like we could offer those things if we really want them. I wasn't impressed by the two most recent faculty hires. I'm half joking here, but if I could go to TED conference and find the top inspiring people that resonate with the Lab culture, I would invite them to join.Transparency: politics, rumors, food chain/pecking order, decisions (what happened with the 4th floor studio was a perfect example), middle management (but who are these people?), community, the "Media Lab family", who gets what space in the new building?, why do people know things about the Media Lab that I don't know?, why is it so damn hard to collaborate?... Just a few things that need to be addressed.#105, 153: there is a pecking order at the lab, and Frank may not even be on top of it.#138: Frank did turn around the finances of the lab but somehow also brought in something of a corporate culture. The problem is that (to caricature) corporations level the field with redundancy and processes (people are interchangeable, and getting the work done is more important than the ideas and principles behind the work; they usually aim to please the stockholders, right?). In contrast, an academic institution like ours, should place the emphasis on individual brightness, collaborative efforts, and no accounting to anybody. It may be the case on paper, but we've certainly lost the edge. We need thinkers and visionaries (even if controversial) like Negroponte, Maeda, Minsky, Papert (and many more). There are still some of them at the lab but they are getting old. We need to bring in established luminaries, not only junior faculty.The Media Lab has always been the laughing stock of established academic institutions. It was fine when we were at the (virtual) top but one question we have to ask ourselves is: do we still do work at the Media Lab that cannot be done elsewhere? Unfortunately, I don't think so anymore. In turn, we don't necessarily attract the best and most creative people and sponsors. Well, maybe we still do because of our history, but it's a vicious circle. The result of the community discussion should be to identify the areas we want to change (we do need a MAJOR overhaul in some areas) and then devise a plan to take care of them. And involve everybody in the effort. If the staff wants better pay, they should be able to discuss that as a group with the finance and HR people. That may be a step towards transparency as well. OR if the Media Lab once again becomes this famed place where everybody does great work, publishes, demos, and is happy, I am sure the staff would be happy to be part of this exciting adventure. They now seem to be doing boring work for a bunch of boring people. What do you expect?#130, #140: I think this community discussion is a HUGE step: we've finally acknowledged the fact that there are BIG problems at the Media Lab. At the core of it, many people (a big proportion of staff it would seem, students like myself, and even some faculty because of the decrease of "meaningful" research, including design and the arts) seem unhappy for one reason or another.it would be good to also talk about what we DO like about the Lab. Not to congratulate ourselves but to keep those things alive. What makes you happy to be a Medialabber as a student, faculty or staff?#153, I like the sentiment. As a student I haven't experienced it that much but it does remind me of an occasion when John Maeda was walking around asking students what we thought of the sponsor relationships. I thought that was great.#145 There is no one thing that makes it feel that way, but a lot of little and not so little things. It is the attitude of the faculty, who are seeking attention often at the expense of their students by funneling them into work or demos in a way that sacrifices real academic exploration or pure creative projects. There used to be a lot more freedom for students to pursue her own interests. The lack of funding these days makes things seem more difficult meaning we must fret over every dollar and every purchase. We have to worry about where money is coming from. The CFB money should help that, but instead we have a bunch of guys in suits holding meetings and a need for more conference rooms and less spaces where real innovation happens, like the studio. The technology in the Lab, the facilities and systems we use to "invent the future" seem so more out of date than other places on campus and other university programs. The lack of collaboration and cross pollination that makes things feel so insular is also business like. As several of you have pointed out, the way the amazing staff is treated feels wrong. Staff can get better pay doing the same grunt work in a corporation down the street. It just feels like coming here every day is becoming increasingly more about funding and deadlines and deals and tasks than it is about ideas. We want ideas back. Not just talk about ideas at big presentations, but ideas. What does it mean to be the Media Lab anymore? In what avenues or parts of the world can we best invent the future? What should the faculty care about? Themselves? Students? The Lab? What disciplines? What should students actually do here? Staff? Where can we make a difference that other academic institutions and corporations don't see or maybe fear to tread? People? Technology? Products? Services? Infrastructure? What is this place about in a world of ubiquitous technology, post dot-com bubble? There's talk about that from Frank and from some of the groups, trying to define the context. But I don't think anyone here has got real actionable ideaful answers to that yet.I've got to agree with the comments about staff. This place worked the best when staff was part of the team and not just consigned to paper-pushing. We hire some of the smartest people out there but no longer utilize their intelligence, skills & talents beyond "whatever we've pigeonholed you to do". No wonder there is such low morale and high turnover. What a waste.Flatten the structure of the lab. People are so worried about their place in the political food chain that offers of help are refused, talents are wasted and any sense of team or working together for the greater good of the lab has been obliterated. It is a real concern that Frank has surrounded himself with layers of middle management and that the person or persons in charge of advising him do not even bother to talk to people around the lab in order to make good decisions - be they decisions about borrowing equipment rather than blowing money on buying or renting the same thing that is already here or deciding to blow away the 4th floor studio without bothering to find out who uses it or what it cost to dismantle its twin not so long ago. Such problems could be avoided simply by getting out and talking to people. (Guess what? We don't always bitch and we often have good ideas & resources! All you need to do is talk with us or at least make it non-painful to talk with you!) Instead, this insular layering has led to an adjective that no-one thought would ever apply to the fabled Media Lab, but now does: Dilbertian.#132, #143 We're shifting away from RealVideo as we deploy new video portals and services. Check out http://labcast.media.mit.edu for example. We'll circle back to the older systems and update them (H. Holtzman).yea, #149 i tried that too but it would be cool to scan in to photoshop or borrow it to scan a bunch of photos in my officeI really appreciate the effort, Steve, of you putting all this together. It's great to have a place to have this discussion! But I might suggest that for our next discussion, we should talk about other options for handling identity than anonymity. For the most part, I think we would all be better off saying things that we're willing to attach our names to. I think we need to work towards feeling like there won't be retribution rather than providing a shield. Hopefully we can all respect people standing up for what they think and not be resentful. Still, it's a good option to have around. Perhaps the system could scale from confirmed identity with certs to group identity (student, faculty, staff) to true anonymity. People could choose their level of disclosure, with perhaps the default being full disclosure. Thanks! -Drew#148 The big copier/printer thing on the third floor near Ambient's area is a pretty great scanner. It takes some trickiness to get it to work, but it will scan and email the files to you. It's the one that says FIERY on it. -DrewCan we have scanners? A scanner? One?#137. atelier atmosphere would be great if your advisor actually had skills to teach you or would take the time to apprentice you, and other faculty#141, why do you expect the faculty to lead the way here? if our faculty are each among the best in the world at what they do, they should keep doing that. it is the students who get to work the space between the groups. and they do, though perhaps limited too much to team-oriented project classes and thesis committees. joint work needs to be supported as satisfying part of the RA responsibility.what makes you feel that way #128 ?#112, http://bwnt.businessweek.com/dschools/2006/#132 Agreed! Although it's hard, the ML should embrace some of the newer, open formats that are gaining popularity. At the very least as an option.#116. good ideas there. I wish I could spend a day in each group and learn more about their research and the intricacies of their work beyond the 15 minute demo. Maybe even do brainstorming with them.#126. Agreed. Actually, how often do we see faculty collaborating and building stuff together? Does that tell us something about this issue?#130. yay! yay! yay!we need sunlight#112, US News Rankings are a joke but I do agree that I don't know who our peers are. CS departments think of us as a lightweight non-academic place. Design schools think of us as a technocentric place that makes useless gadgets. Artists think of us a too corporate, perhaps? I think we need a new identity. In the 90s and 80s we were more unique but I feel like we have lost our edge and we need visionaries like Negroponte to take us to the future.I don't feel the lab really has an atelier style of education. To me, that would mean that as as a student I could could be an "apprentice" for some of the faculty for some period of time. Other than my advisor the possibilities for interacting with other faculty beyond traditional classes is non-existent.#133, How can we go around and dominate every major conference? We need to have a very high bar and internal critique mechanism for all projects.can we have a poster printer that WORKS? Sometimes it works at the first time sometimes it takes 20 tries before it works. I know some people who rather go to Kinkos and that feels like a waste money.Yes, it's fun to make urinal interfaces, clocky's and $15K teddy bears that replace a web conference, but do they really make a difference in the world? People die from malaria and I can't stop to think that all we do is a waste of time, let alone resources.#111, I agree with the lack of publishing mindset. Is CHI our main venue? Unfortunately CHI doesn't seem to have a good impact fact in terms of publications.Media Lab videos should stop using proprietary video format (Real Video)#56: I propose that msgs@media is divided into more focused mailing lists. Right now the messages vary so much that really "important" emails often will go unnoticed. Let's categorize!Three cheers for having the Community Discussion event! Hope it's a great way to really start the dialogues that need to happen among students, faculty, staff, and administration.Since we have no floor closings during sponsor week open houses, we don't get a formal opportunity to see other work around the Lab and we don't get the chance to see demos on our own floor. We should take the day before sponsor week starts to have dry-run demos for others in the Lab.#70: Lately the Lab feels more like a business and less like a creative place.make sure staff and PIs use lab resources and funding legitimately#37 more group interaction!More emphasis on design and arts, theater, film, music like before. Everything is science heavy now. BalanceA student committee should be involved in planning spaces and technology for the new building. Is there one?#80: spondor agendas shouldn't be available internally only as PDFsAfter the ordeal with the studio, I think it is important to realize that the Lab needs a number of specialized spaces. First, the utility of a space must not be measured by the density of its occupants. Audio studios, video production facilities, theater spaces, exhibition spaces, and sizable areas for construction of larger projects are all essential to the work done at the Lab from artistic, sculptural, multimedia, and documentary. I hope these issues are addressed in the new building.#47: More individual interaction with sponsors, not just demos... especially during sponsor week. Should have times where sponsors go to follow up with students after open house.#11: only some projects of some groups seem to help people, clocky and social networks might not#51: faster elevators would mean less time noticing how boring#94: Let's!#111 Advisors need to spend more time mentoring students and encouraging students to do real research and innovation. Students aren't minions and should be guided to world-class contributions.#73: Electronic mailing lists and wikis don't foster community. Like the ads in the T say, "Make face time." More lab-wide events like teas would help. Groups could sponsor activities for the Lab related to their research. More talks with luminaries. Faculty lectures? More Lab-wid meetings and lunches.#40: Sort of similar, but not comparable programs include: Arts, Media, and Engineering at ASU and ITP at NYU.faster wifi#14! more food when there is no left over foodDo we know what is the ranking of Media Lab? Something equivalent of US News ranking?I am concerned about the Lab. People don't publish -- and often re-invent what has been already done (except this time, it gets a wired story). Perhaps we should publish more ?How can Media Lab deal with the "God Complex" that some of the PI's develop? Educating the educators on how to work with students and staff under them, and not abuse their limited power would be wonderful.I was recently in a meeting where, a faculty member stated, she felt it was more important to hire people to do demos, then keep up with staffing levels for admins and support staff... they were not that necessary...#81 and #106 - Staff have spoken out, unfortunately they tend to get ignored.It bothers me that the support staff are considered the invisible work force. Faculty will walk right by you and not say a word. It would be nice to be appreciated and recognized for what we do.#81 - It's not that the "it took x questions," but rather that we've never had such a culture allowing staff to speak. I know that the staff talk to each other, but it's always whispers. This is an attempt to produce venues where finally everyone can speak and be heard. I am happy that the staff are taking the time and making the effort to overcome the old culture of silence and speaking about what really bugs them.flatten the management hierarchy. this place ran best with a flat command structure with Nicholas on top.#98 - Boston Organics has a fruit delivery service that drops off an "office box" with 45-55 servings of organic fruit for $45 a week: http://www.bostonorganics.com/fresh/announcements.html#officebox . We've been very happy with their vegetable box delivery at home.#19, #44, #60 & #97 - We are looking into building wide cell phone reception solutions. -Jon (no really, I'm Jon, really this time it's me. For real)(sorry about the repost. Should probably detect/prevent that)-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1#83: Someone suggested voting things up/down, but I don't think that will work. I'd be happy to install some form of visualization or a way to organize the comments if there was a way to prevent people from gaming the system without contributing words. As is, the number-reference system seems to be working very well instead of proper threading (which can lead toward people only following a single thread of conversation and ignoring the rest). -Steve
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Hash: SHA1#83: Someone suggested voting things up/down, but I don't think that will work. I'd be happy to install some form of visualization or a way to organize the comments if there was a way to prevent people from gaming the system without contributing words. As is, the number-reference system seems to be working very well instead of proper threading (which can lead toward people only following a single thread of conversation and ignoring the rest). -Steve
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-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----#4,#8,#9,#10, there's 2 e-waste bins in room 301.#76 & #95 - in the past, two student volunteers would go to peapod.com and have fruit delivered to the Lab 1 day a week. The student committee footed the (reasonable) bill back then and is likely to consider funding it again. People interested in volunteering to manage Fruit day should email studcom [at] media [dot] mit [dot] eduYeah, the cell phone reception is a large problem and probably easily fixed problem.#79, I agree with Maeda's gap being unfilled. We need visionary and exciting people like Maeda in the lab.Food = community. We need need a cafeteria. We need better and healthier food options than a vending machine.can we talk about the tension between qualitative and quantitative research at the lab?#91: I find that a lot of design students are directed towards improving their technical skills by taking Physics 123 or other similar classes, however, I haven't seen any engineers taking a color theory, art history or women studies class. In fact, we don't even offer any classes that deal with media theory, history etc as their primary concern. Are we math lovers?Why is it that when a technology developed at the lab does not have a specific application it is labeled as "art"?Professors need to be more open and supportive of students with different backgrounds and learning styles. A true multidisciplinary approach goes beyond simply combining CS and Biology...we do need cures for a better future. please do more medical related researchsponsors rule.#85 Hallelujah! Finally somebody who sees the other side of the lab. don't forget the lab is SPONSOR-funded! And do not forget the sponsors pay for the students' tuition and stipend. Although money does not generate creativity and everything that #70 pointed out, without it, the lab wouldn't exist. We should all respect and appreciate our sponsors.what makes being support staff here different from being support staff elsewhere? please educate!#85 Hallelujah! Finally somebody who sees the other side of the lab. don't forget the lab is SPONSOR-funded! And do not forget the sponsors pay for the students' tuition and stipend. Although money does not generate creativity and everything that #70 pointed out, without it, the lab wouldn't exist. We should all respect and appreciate our sponsors.there are a number of comments concerned corporate sponsorship. I actually worry that the sponsors don't get much from the lab while we (grad students) get a lot from them. To be honest, I do not many other departments with the resources we have here. Yes, I do find demoing a bit annoying sometimes, but come on... grad students in other universities struggle to get stationary while we have so many resources for free thanks to our sponsors. I would like to know if people who complain about our sponsorship model can actually back their complains with examples of research projects or ideas they couldn't do because of sponsors or examples of any project they are forced to do for a sponsor.For future hires it would great to get well-known jr faculty from other universities.It's hard to go through all the comments and get a feel of all issues and it's only gonna get harder with time. We should start a second service parsing all these comments, making graphs of the most popular ones. Any takers?#65 It is sad it took 59 comments to get to staff issues. It just shows where the support staff stands here at the lab--at the bottom of the food chain#65 It is sad it took 59 comments to get to staff issues. It just shows where the support staff stands here at the lab--at the bottom of the food chainA web application for viewing sponsor demo schedules.Someone to fill in Maeda's gap and continue the annual design-a-thons.#66, if I got 3% raises I'd be getting nearly double what I have been getting! Makes you feel real valued, doesn't it?I think the lab should do a better job at pursuing patents and protecting intellectual property. The way IPCOM works now is not very efficient. There should be someone or a group of people in charge of reviewing the technology disclosures immediately and available at all times.A place in the lab to purchase fresh fruit rather than vending machines would much improve the munchie scene.A shared forum or internal del.icio.us for the lab would be really nice.#73 msgs!What is the best for us to communicate with each other as a community? Is it a wiki? Is it a regular community meeting?we should solve big problems. it seems like we're solving littler and litterl ones over time#67 - I have no idea , but , even if so, couldn't we be better? Actually I occasionally run into very happy folks
who have left the Lab for other departments at M.I.T. - so perhaps something is better?Did Corporate Sponsors fill our pockets with cash only to take from us the creativity, energy and independence that used to be.#37 - Should we need incentives to further understanding problems?#67, to invent a better future? :)#65, is this different from other departments at MIT?Why have we each *chosen* to join the Media Lab? Do we know what we are contributing individually?It took 59 comments before anyone mentioned support staff. I wonder what possible motivation most staff have to stay.
They have little chance of promotion ; the average "raise" ,if you get a great review, is 3% .The cost of health, dental and transportation rises every year so - with no cost of living adjustment- a great review means " you can keep your job". You have no recourse and no support if you find yourself working with a "difficult" PI or in any difficult situation. The turnover is so high that the those who stay get more and more resposibilities - but no more compensation. An occasional cookie or even an trully appreciated but rarely recieved 'Thank You' does not solve the problems. Actually I think those who stay do it purely out of love for The Lab or for their group - I can't see any other reason. And yes # 63,64 , the majority of staff is female - under the above circumstances- make of that what you will. Could or would someone adress these issues on Monday? Thank you.#13 There are plenty of women around the lab who are working at the lab. Do they not count? Are you only talking about faculty and students?#13 There are plenty of women around the lab who are working at the lab. Do they not count? Are you only talking about faculty and students?#53, there used to be a prototype of an OLPC in the elevator. We could at least put cool posters designed by Maeda et al? :) Or maybe we could have brochures (using recycled materials).I'm strongly in favour of adding cellular coverage. With the new building coming up nearby, coverage seems to have gone away entirely.I also support adding cellular in building coverage. I also wonder how the sponsor support model doesn't interfere with open
learning and education of students?why is the staff turnover so high at this place? It's gotten worse in the past year. What's the incentive for our staff to stay?#8: Recycling is a campus-wide concern; check out <http://web.mit.edu/environment/reduce/bulbs_bats_mons.html> for info on recycling @ mit (e.g. the battery drop off at E19-111 is right next door)#56: I mean, of course: "Who exactly..."Why exactly is on the msgs mailing list? I would be curious to know how many people are on it. And who manages it? Since subscription to it is open to the world and considering the nature of some messages that go on it, we may need to better know our audience.#51: agreed! I think, due to administrative reasons, they're controlled by MIT proper and therefore much less hackable. At best, they're the "calm before the storm" for visitors and at worst they take away some of the enchantment of the lab.thinking about energy saving, can we have the power to unlock the stairs' doors after-hours?for a high-tech lab our elevators are really plain and boring, can we do something to make it more fun?about research studies: we need some IRB / COUHES expert in-house and a Media Lab web-based survey service (or a enterprise Survey Monkey account)#44, the question is, has it interefered with your learning? #47, that's up to you. I think this whole issue of sponsors changing culture is a bit overblown, if any, I feel sponsors are not as involved as sometimes I wish they were (I'm a student)How much are we going to let sponsors change our culture? What if they have a lot of fiscal power?#45: by that, I meant "show your support instead of votes".#42: Show your support for votes by posting a relevant comment and referencing the number you wish to vote up.I also support adding cellular in building coverage. I also wonder how the sponsor support model doesn't interfere with open
learning and education of students?Does the Media Lab have a mentoring program that is able to connect Media Lab students to at-risk and or under serviced youth? Steve, can you add a "vote up" to the entries of this website? I would like to show my support for some posts. #40, I would like to know the answer to those questions tooAre there graduate programs that some Media Lab faculty and students consider to be our academic peers? In what ways, if any, are we currently setting ourselves apart from comparable programs? More resources to prototype? More access to risk-takers and daring thinkers? Access to less-directed funding?MIT has special access to articles on ACM's portal, O'Reilly's online collection and similar resources. Is there a repository that MIT does not provide that would be of interest to a bunch of Media Labbers?What is the unifying vision of the Lab? Should we even have one? How concrete should it be? If not, then what actually ties groups together?How do we give groups incentive to collaborate?Would teaching undergrads improve the quality of graduate education?Is there a conflict between IP generation and education (given that IP = sponsors, and sponsors are a major force within the lab)?What does/should a degree from the Lab mean?Why do people come to the Lab?Are we an "organization"? How are we organized? How do we communicate this?What are the axes within ML that allow students to work on collaborative projects? How can we encourage it? What are the means of funding?We should talk about the importance of students and staff knowing each other and the work that they do.#28, apathy? We should solve a huge problem that has plagued the world for thousands of years. #25, I think that's a problem of the whole Kendall Square area. No real places to eat, no neighborhood feel. Very different from Harvard Sq and Davis Sq. Not much the Lab can do?BE AWARE THAT THIS PAGE IS WORLD-READABLE. With new construction, Ames St and Main St have started to look like downtown, not much open in the evening and very dead at night. Smalls shops and bars on Ames St? #23, There is a shower on the 2nd floor.A shower and place to cleanup in new bldg will be useful. Great for getting fresh after all-nighters and quick workouts. It can just be an private room extension of existing restroom plans.#15 one click installation of web apps is very useful the lab needs have a stronger alumni networkSecond the good cell phone reception.#15: There are various services that the Media Lab offers, though there isn't a good centralized resource detailing them all.Wee need Google Apps for media.mit.eduGood cell phone reception. Good cell phone reception. Good cell phone reception. Why don't we have something like http://scripts.mit.edu/ for the lab? Why don't we have a cafeteria? Food brings people together. Why aren't there more women around the lab?I think a lot of Media lab classes do not really follow the apprenticeship model. We should talk more about that.Is inventing a better future about having things like clocky or social networking for pets? I think it's time to re-evaluate whose future is getting better and what better even means.#8: there's always reuse :-)#8: I think it ended up being underused.I agree #4. Didn't we used to have a technology waste recycling program?Are there guidelines available to students working with sponsors regarding fiscal matters? In the absence of advisor guidance, who should students talk to about this stuff?I'm interested in making the Lab "greener." I'd like to see more in-lab recycling efforts and opportunities made available for the Lab community to reduce its waste. The better Future?
But no one can prove that this service doesn't suck. -JonThis is a nice service. -Jon