Sri's Virtual Studio and Coworking Space

DS|CAFE is an open studio where I live-blog my daily work (graphic design, programming) while providing personal commentary. I like being around other curious and aspirational people, so the server is also structured as a coworking and shared studio space where sharing experiences and stories hopefully lead to friendship.

Who might like DS|CAFE?

I think DS|CAFE appeals to people who can relate to one or more of the following:

• You like aspirational people. This is very much a member-driven server, where the server is more fun as people chat about their day. We like to support each other!

• You like seeing others DO stuff. Beyond aspiration, this is a place for doing the work, so we provide areas for sharing todo lists and project progress. We also have low-stakes events where people can opt-into a short challenge, and occasionally "body-double" in the video chat rooms. Webcams and mics are optional.

• You are interested in productivity / personal development. You may know me from my productivity tools, and there are many others here sharing their own approaches! It's more fun that way!

DS|CAFE is also friendly toward LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent-identifying folks, as I fall into those categories myself! Collectively, DS|CAFE regulars tend to resonate with the following:

• You crave meaningful communciation with peers. Our conversations are thoughtful and curious. We provide areas to nerd-out about your deep interests.

• You value authentic friendships. The server culture is modeled on the idea that authenticity, transparency, and curiosity are the foundation of friendship, and that psychological safety is established through consistent expression of those values.

• You like positive-minded, self-empowered, conscientious, curious, generous, and kind people! And you aspire to be the same way yourself.

These values are important to everyone, not just LGQTQ+ and neurodivergent communities. A big part of DS|CAFE is figuring the practical aspects of making this work for everyone despite our different backgrounds and cognitive architectures.

How do I participate in a server like this?

If you're new to this kind of server, here's some easy ways to start!

• Add an emoji reaction to people's posts!
• Ask questions about other people's posts!
• Share positive reactions to something someone has reported they did!
• Post links to stuff you like in our link-sharing channel!
• Share pictures of stuff you made!

Avoid these toxic patterns!

• Don't assume the worst! State your assumptions to build understanding.
• Don't hide behind ambiguity! This is the opposite of authenticity, which is an important catalyst for trust.
• Don't "other" groups of people that you disagree with. Talk about the issues instead.

Another way to get oriented is to learn through lurking! Sit and observe the conversation, decide if you like the energy, and slide into the conversation. Remember, in a virtual community like this we can only "see" you when you actively share something about your interests.

How do I join?

When you first connect to the server, you’ll be asked to first read the community guidelines and then click an emoji to reveal the COWORKING part of the server.

• Our main discussion room is #chat, where you can introduce yourself and initiate conversations. We often redirect longer conversations to other rooms in the Social and Discussion areas.

• The Social and Discussion rooms are hidden by default. Gain access by visiting the #dscafe-settings room.

• For an overview of all our server areas, server documentation starts with #info-rooms.

Every room has a description at the top of the screen next to the channel name. It will tell you the room's purpose and etiquette rules (if any). In general special etiquette applies ONLY to the COWORKING section of the server.