The light box

The light box is gives a good first impression from the outside. Though I after visiting it inside last Sunday I was left unimpressed. It lacks vision.

• I believe this building cost Woking ratepayers 7.5 million GBP.
• It seems manned by “volunteers”. Why not pay people to do a good job?
• A photography exhibition. Why build a 7 million pound building to house some photographs?! PUT THEM ON FLICKR.
• Enter new technology. Enter the looping DVD display. How boring!
• The Woking history section also struck me as a little gimicky with that “behind the door” interaction crap.
• The exhibition you have to pay-for was Wallace and Gromit. Complete with expensive interactive displays. How about using a real computer and proper software? Learn how produce animations with real tools. It probably costs the same if you use Free software.
• Where are the computers? in your “workshops”. This is the 21st century!
• I asked about Wireless Internet in the building. No one seemed to know. I did find a locked “lightbox” Wireless Access Point.
• I wish there were more views of the canal. Why was the patio locked?
• There are a couple of rooms, the “ambassador room” and the “research room”, that can be rented out. I asked how much these rooms cost to rent and no one seemed to know. It’s gets worse…
• I couldn’t see the “ambassador room” as there was a puppet workshop happening. I also couldn’t see the “research room” as the volunteer who can open that only comes in on Thursdays. So this room is only available Thursdays? WTF?

Ok, quit moaning. Want do I want to see? I was expecting to see an art space like The Cable Factory. A place where artists can have some cheap space and where the public can freely browse their creativity.

I was also expecting a theatre chamber. A place to comfortably debate or give little informal productions. A community space for people to interact with each other, meet, to discuss and learn. Perhaps the rooms I didn’t see that provide that…

Perhaps a games room, for board games and chess. Or better still, for LAN tournaments. BUNCS style! :) You can learn a lot by playing computer games.

I also would love to see some sort of “hack lab”. Where people can just come in with their laptops and work on something. The Light Box doesn’t have to supply computer or laptops, though it would be nice. People could give little late night workshops on Web design or how to make a video for Youtube. :)

Just a few comfortable seats, easy access to some (Korean Nong-Shim) pot noodles and fast internet. For example, a venue for LUG meetings.

Invest in the knowledge economy. We just need a place with security and fast Internet.