Techhouse

Q: I have no money, wealth or power. What can Techhouse offer me?
A: Due to the current social security crisis, Techhouse is no longer allowed to offer you anything. No! Actually, we have a workroom full of woodworking tools and electronics parts, a 65 inch HDTV, a sewing machine, a dedicated linux server (soon to be two servers), and a ton of interesting people. What more could one ask for?

Q: What sort of people join Technology House?
A: People who are interested in technology. You don't even have to be good at working with it, or take any classes related to it. One of the principal people involved in getting Tetris on the Sciences Library was a visual art concentrator. We also have had several classics, philosophy, music, public policy, physics, russian lit., economics and math concentrators join the house. Oh yeah, there are also a couple of engineers and computer science concentrators as well. Some of the these people like to build things, some like to play video games, and some do things on their own.

Q: Is it true that if Techhouse were ever to disappear it would disappear in a puff of smoke?
A: Yes.

Q: Doesn't joining Technology House make your palms hairy and turn you into and nerd or geek?
A: No one has ever started growing hair on their palms or turned into a nerd or geek from joining Technology House. All the hairy-palmed people, nerds, and geeks that are in Techhouse were like that when they joined Techhouse.

Q: Hi, I'm a geek or nerd, does this give me any advantage when I apply to join Technology House? or Hi, I'm on a prominent local sports team, does this mean I cannot join Techhouse?
A: No, we treat all social classes equally, as mandated by the state. People with beards or long hair, however, are slightly favored.

Q: Is it true that if I run into a wall there is a small but finite chance that I will end up on the other side?
A: Yes, this process is called tunneling. This is a very ineffcient way of getting through walls or around barriers which are not meant to be crossed. It is very inefficient because is relies on quantum mechanics. For more effcient ways of getting through walls or around barriers ask someone who knows who to ask about spelunking or lock picking ... then find said person and ask about spelunking or lockpicking.

Q: My friend isn't a nerd or geek; can (s)he join Techhouse?
A: Yes, for God's sake. We have many non-geeks in our house. Many people who join the house join with their friends (some who previously had little desire to join.)

Q: Is it true that Techhouse is a "dry" house?
A: While Techhouse funds are not used to buy booze and we don't serve alcohol at our events, members and guests are allowed to drink their own alcohol at events and in our common rooms. Legend has it that members occasionally brew their own mead in the basement. It is safe to say that drinking has never been a central part of Technology House.

Q: I like technology but we don't get along very well. My computer tells me what do to do and I can't figure out how to set my watch so it's always 4 hours 23 minutes off and so I'm always really late everywhere. Could Technology House be for me?
A: Yes, Technology House is for you. We have had new members whose previous most advanced technological achievement was the operation of a stapler.

Q: You're Technology house, so you should know this: Is it true that 80% of the websites on this internet thing are made of pornography or pornography-related material?
A: False. 100% of the internet is made of porn. If you don't belive me just, look at any website and squint your eyes really hard. You'll see it.

Q: Are you going to do that Tetris thing again? 'Cause that was really cool.
A: Putting Tetris on the SciLi was something that previous members of the house did out of their sheer unbridled enthusiasm for technology. It was really cool at the time, but we will probably never do that again because it has been done already. We do lots of really cool little projects, though. And if there are ever enough people interested and are willing to put enough time into it, we may one day build a giant chess board on the main green, turn the CIT into Q-bert, build a robotic Ruth Simmons or turn the tennis courts into pong.

Q: Is it true that you are planning to overthrow CIS, take over Barus and Holley and lead Brown University to a new technologial dawn?
A: Shh...

Q: Great. How do I join this "Technology House" of yours?
A: Well, first there is a interview so we can find out more about you. Then we vote you in. All this must be done before Super Deadline Day (usually around the end of February).

Q: How do I get such an interview?
A: Email: {officers} [at] {techhouse} [dot] {org} and say that you want an interview or come to Techhouse in person and ask someone there.