Maybe this is a naive question since I’ve never been involved in a hacker/computer club but why is a dedicated space required? Does the club usually purchase hardware/equipment that needs to be stored? I suppose I always assumed the members brought their own equipment to meetings.

You know, the more I think about it, I’m not really sure I have any idea what a computer club actually is and does...

It's a good question and not easy to answer in general as there a lot of different types of hackerspaces.

Some hackerspaces are more a kind of makerspace and provide expensive, large or complicated hardware like industrial laser cutters, 3D printers, embroidery machines and (electronics) workshops with soldering irons, electronic parts etc.

Other hackerspaces are focusing more on the social side and offer a space to hang out, meet and discuss with beverages (I guess mostly mate and beer). There can be talks, workshops or competitions (like CTFs) and so on.

Also providing services to the public, like repair cafes and holiday programs for kids can be a way to further engage in society to share technical knowledge.

hackerspaces.org has also extensive explanations on theory of hackerspaces: https://wiki.hackerspaces.org/Theory

It's a space to hang out and meet people, where you can talk about and tinker with technology.

Only socializing online is just not the same.

CCC isn't a hacker space as I understand the term. CCC is a club of security experts. hacker spaces are communal spaces where you can tinker with peers using provided tools.

The CCC is both. It's a club of computer- and technology-interested d people. Most cities have some rented space that doubles as a hacker and tinker space. It really depends on the members in each city what the specific location looks like.

That there is also a branch of very public security experts is... Incidental, I'd say.

> CCC is a club of security experts

No. It happens that a lot of members are security experts but it is far far broader than that.

The CCC is a very decentralized organization. A lot of hacker spaces are in fact operated by local subdivisions or are completely independent organizations but with a lot of overlap in membership.

In general the CCC likes define itself more by those who share its values and less by the legal entity with that name.

In Germany the CCC has a lot of physical clubs where people hang out. They have some specialised equipment, but are from my limited experience more social spaces for cohacking, giving talks, etc. There's also the chaos communication congress, with is a big hacker festival/conference (by the same group of people), run by I think the same org, and I've never fully understood how one navigates the identical acronyms...

Typically, the Chaos Communication Congress is referred to by its number and the abbreviation C3. So it's 36C3 for the last regular installment.

Neither is right. CCC also has security experts as members, which sometimes comment publicly. In general however, it is the parent organization for local hacker spaces (though it is possible to be member on only local or only CCC level). And many local spaces are also called ccc-xy. Wnd their interests.

Chaos Computer Club also means there are actual physical club rooms where members can meet.