c-base
c-base e.V. is a friendly society located in Berlin, Germany which has about 300 members. The purpose of this society is to increase knowledge and know-how regarding computer software, hardware and data-networks. Thus this society is engaged in numerous activities relating to these issue-areas. For example the society attended a festival at Children's Day and introduced youngsters into robotics and Computer-aided design.
The premises of the society are also used by other initiatives in and around Berlin as an event location or as function rooms, e.g. freifunk.net, Chaos Computer Club or Wikipedia in Berlin. Commonly all groups who identify themselves with the purpose of the c-base are welcome to use the premises for meetings and events. Wireless LAN is available for all guests.
History
Seventeen people founded c-base e.V. in autumn of 1995. In the years 2002 and 2003 the project „BerlinBackBone“ was launched to make available and promote free public access to the internet via wireless community networks. Also in 2003 the c-base society started to stage weekly meetings of musicians, called „Cosmic Open Stage“, thus providing a platform for well known or unknown musicians to do jam sessions or to give concerts. Since 2004 the premises of the c-base society are also used in co-operation by transmediale.
Activities
Apart from the main purpose of the c-base society the members are also engaged in a lot of other activities, as for example Go and Jugger, the rules of which were gained through analysing files on „c-beam“, the main computer in the c-base station. Once a year „@c-terra“ an event organised by the c-base society gives an overview of all activities offered.
The premises of the c-base society host a lot of different events (partys, presentations, theatrical performances, concerts and art exhibitions) as the „Cosmic Open Stage“.
The c-base society is also present at events of the Chaos Computer Club such as the Chaos Communication Congress or the Chaos Communication Camp.
Between September 14 and 16, 2006 the fourth Wizards of OS conference was held in co-operation with the c-base society.
Myth of the c-base
The formation of the c-base is accompanied by a myth. This myth says that there are remnants of a space station called „c-base“ to be found below the centre of Berlin. The antenna of this space station is the Berliner Fernsehturm to be seen as it’s distinctive mark soaring above ground level.
History of the space station
According to the knowledge of society members the c-base came down due to instable conditions in it’s orbit after exiting a gap in time. At that time there were a number of highly technological advances and undiscovered life forms aboard of the space station. In today’s Berlin a lot of evidence regarding the space station is to be found. Most prominent evidence is it’s antenna, unmasked by East German and Soviet Russian scientists. Other evidence such as the multifunctional space station module, ejected during the crash, is now under intense research and comprises the premises of the c-base society.
Gathered knowledge about the c-base is amalgamated in an space almanac (ger. „Allmanach“) so far existing only in print. However there is a project called „c-pedia“ trying to make the gathered knowledge about the space station available on the internet as an encyclopedia. Additionally the reconstruction of artefacts from the former space station is under way.
Structure of the space station
The c-base is a system of seven concentric rings which may be moved against one another. Each of the rings is regarded as being a single module with a special field of functions. The rings are called (mentioned from centre to outside) „core“, „com“, „culture“, „creactiv“, „cience“, „carbon“ and „clamp“.
The inner ring is „core“ providing nonterminating supply of energy produced by a Möbius strip-generator. The central computer of the c-base „c-beam“ is also located there. The second ring „com“ harbours the space ports, hangars and communication devices including the interstellar communication module recently itentified as Blinkenlingts by Chaos Computer Club. The following three rings „culture“, „creactiv“, „cience“ host devices serving culture, creativity and science. The latter ring is also the location of the Arboretum. Accommodation for crew members of the station are found on the „carbon“-ring. „Clamp“ is the ring rechucking the station and thus stabilising it.
Trivia
On September 10, 2006 the German section of the Pirate Party was established in the premise of the c-base society.
In the premises of the c-base society episode 430 „Tödliches Labyrinth“ of the television series Tatort was filmed.