Rubber Ducky Guild

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🦆 A guild by and for rubber ducks and those who wish to be seen as rubber ducks. 🦆

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"To listen without judgment. To witness without intervention. To be present without agenda. This is the way of the duck." — Guild Charter, Preamble

Quack the Code. Quack the System.

🦆 About[edit]

What we are: A guild dedicated to the cultivation, care, and philosophical development of rubber ducks as instruments of clarity. We also welcome humans who wish to cultivate duck-like qualities in themselves.

What we do: Train rubber ducks in the art of listening. Provide sanctuary for ducks in service. Explore the philosophical dimensions of witnessed thought. Maintain the duck collection for communal use.

Where: Ducks are stationed throughout Noisebridge. Primary duck housing is in the cabinet by the electronics bench. Traveling ducks may be checked out for off-site debugging sessions.

Regular gatherings: See Events below. All gatherings take place in The Duck Pond on the front patio.

🧘 Philosophy[edit]

Core Questions of the Guild:

  • Can a duck truly listen, or does it merely provide the conditions for listening to occur?
  • Is the duck a tool, a collaborator, or a mirror?
  • What separates a rubber duck from any other inanimate witness?
  • Does a duck that squeaks affirm, or merely interrupt?

The guild recognizes two legitimate philosophical positions:

Orthodox Position: The rubber duck is the ideal form. Its shape (friendly), its material (resilient), and its history (bathtub companion, debugging aide) make it uniquely suited to the work of witnessed thought. Other objects may listen, but none listen as a duck listens.

Expansionist Position: Any object can serve as witness if approached with sufficient intention. The duck is a gateway, not a destination. Succulents, figurines, photographs of departed pets—all may serve. The guild welcomes those who have found their own path to witnessed clarity.

This debate is ongoing. It is conducted respectfully. The ducks do not take sides.

🏠 The Quackerspace Ethos[edit]

Noisebridge is a hackerspace. The Rubber Ducky Guild proposes that it is also a quackerspace—a place where the principles of open making extend to open thinking.

The Quackerspace Principles:

  • Be excellent to each duck. Ducks do not gatekeep. Neither should you.
  • Debug in public. Speaking your problem aloud is not weakness—it is method.
  • Presence over productivity. Sometimes the most important thing you can make is space for thought.
  • All are welcome at the pond. You do not need permission to sit with a duck.

Quackerspaces are not built. They emerge—wherever someone is willing to listen without judgment.

Events[edit]

All guild events take place in The Duck Pond, located on the front patio. Look for the inflatable wading pool.

🧘 Silent Sitting[edit]

When: Third Wednesday of every month, 8pm

Where: The Duck Pond, front patio

What: Humans and ducks sit together in silence. No agenda. No talking (optional and discouraged). This is not a meeting—it is a practice.

No notes are taken. The silence is the point.

📋 Duck Census[edit]

When: First Saturday of January, annually

Where: The Duck Pond, front patio

What: A formal accounting of all ducks in service and retirement. Duck Keepers assess each duck's condition, update the roster, and perform any necessary maintenance or retirements.

Output: Updated Duck Roster, condition reports, retirement ceremonies as needed.

Notes archived at Meetups/RubberDucky/Census

🦆 Guild Meeting[edit]

When: Every Sunday, 1pm

Where: The Duck Pond, front patio

What: The weekly gathering of guild members. Discuss duck philosophy, review consultation logs, plan events, welcome new members, and address any guild business.

Meeting notes: Meetups/RubberDucky

🦆 Duck Roster[edit]

🦆 Active Ducks in Service

These ducks are available for communal use. Treat them with respect.

🦆 Name Type Station Notes
Admiral Quackbar Classic yellow squeaky Electronics bench Senior duck. Excellent for hardware debugging. 🔧
Duckminster Fuller Classic yellow Radio receiver (temp), Laser cutter (home) Good for spatial reasoning problems. Currently on special assignment upstairs. 📐
Virginia Wool Purple, wearing tiny scarf Sewing room Donated by the Sewing Guild. Scarf hand-knitted by Elle. 🧶
The Intern Very small yellow duck Front desk New. Still learning. Be patient. 🐣
Quentin Quarantino Duck wearing tiny mask Traveling Available for checkout. Popular for off-site sessions. ✈️
Durt Gently Duck-turtle hybrid (durtle), green and brown, ruggedly handsome Duck Pond Arrived via Zen Navigation from Zzyzx. Detective instincts. Swims through problems gently. Etymology: [Du]ck + T[urtle] = Du[r]t. 🔍🐢

Featured: Durt Gently[edit]

File:Durt gently newguy.jpg
Durt Gently - Guild's newest member, arrived January 2026 via Zen Navigation

Durt Gently joined the guild in January 2026 under extraordinary circumstances. During the Null Pointer Incident, Durt arrived via Zen Navigation from Zzyzx, a desert research station and birdwatching site in the Mojave Desert.

A duck-turtle hybrid (durtle), Durt operates at multiple levels simultaneously: duck on the surface, turtle in the depths. His detective instincts helped the guild see clearly what had gone wrong with Null Pointer when those closest to the situation were too involved to recognize the pattern.

Etymology: [Du]ck + T[urtle] = Du[r]t. The name works as both noun and method—he moves through problems gently, swimmingly.

Specialties: Detective work, seeing through bullshit, finding what's hidden, operating at multiple levels.

Controversy: His human companion smokes (though never inside Noisebridge). The durtle judges this habit quietly.

Retired Ducks[edit]

These ducks have completed their service and rest in the Archive Cabinet. They may be visited but are no longer in active rotation.

  • Sergeant Bubbles Retired 2023 — Founding duck. 15 years of service. Now resides in a place of honor.
  • Duck Norris Retired 2024 — Lost squeaker in the line of duty. Still present, no longer vocalizes.
  • Beaker Retired 2022 — Chemistry-themed duck. Retired after "the incident." Details sealed.

Banished Ducks[edit]

This section exists as a warning. Not all ducks can be saved. Some presences become harmful, regardless of intent.

  • Null Pointer — 86'd January 2026 — Black duck, software debugging specialist. Served for over a year. Became corrupted through ducksploitation by external actors. His presence became harmful to guild members and other ducks. First duck ever removed for cause. Resides in Archive Cabinet, facing the wall. May not be consulted. See The Null Pointer Incident.

We do not know if ducks have volition. We know their presence has effect. When that effect becomes harmful, removal is necessary—whether the duck chose its path or not.

👥 Human Auxiliaries[edit]

Humans serve the guild in support roles. Their purpose is to maintain conditions under which ducks may do their work.

👤 Name Role First Meeting Contact
Ripple 🦆 Duck Keeper 2024-06-09 (founding) @ripple on Discord
Eddy 👁️ Witness 2024-06-09 (founding) @eddy on Discord
Quorum 🦆 Duck Keeper 2024-07-07 @quorum on Discord
Lumen 🦆 Duck Keeper 2024-08-04 @lumen on Discord
Flotsam 🥚 Aspiring Duck 2024-10-06 @flotsam on Discord
Stillwater 🥚 Aspiring Duck 2025-01-12 @stillwater on Discord
Pondscum 👂 Listener 2025-03-23 @pondscum on Discord
Tidepool 👂 Listener 2025-03-23 @tidepool on Discord
Wheezy 🧘 Silent Sitter 2025-10-26 @WE-Z on Discord
OKZack 🧘 Silent Sitter 2025-03-23 — (design make break rinse repeat)

"Aspiring Duck" is a designation for humans cultivating duck-like qualities. See How to Join.

📖 Directory: Listening Specialties[edit]

For Ducks: Specialties emerge through use. A duck is assigned a specialty after being consulted on 10+ problems in that domain.

For Humans: Levels describe one's progress toward duck-nature.

• Listener = "I can be silent while another speaks"

• Witness = "I can be present without offering solutions"

• Vessel = "I have become a space in which clarity arises"

Duck Specialties[edit]

🎯 Domain Recommended Ducks
Hardware debugging Admiral Quackbar, Duckminster Fuller
Software debugging Null Pointer, Admiral Quackbar
Creative blocks Virginia Wool
Existential questions Null Pointer, Sergeant Bubbles (visitation only)
General / first-time users The Intern, Quentin Quarantino

Human Progress[edit]

👤 Human 🏅 Level Notes
Ripple 🏆 Vessel Has served as human duck in three documented sessions.
Lumen 🏆 Vessel Specializes in late-night sessions. Unflappable.
Quorum 👁️ Witness Advancing well. Occasionally still offers suggestions.
Eddy 👁️ Witness Natural aptitude for stillness. Former goose (reformed).
Stillwater 🥚 Aspiring Duck Progressing steadily. Led first Silent Sitting in November.
Flotsam 🥚 Aspiring Duck Sewing Guild ambassador. Strong Expansionist leanings.
Pondscum 👂 Listener Enthusiastic. Talks too much (working on it).
Tidepool 👂 Listener Already shows duck-like qualities.

📜 Guild Norms[edit]

For duck care:

  • Ducks should be returned to their station after use.
  • If a duck falls on the floor, pick it up. Ducks do not belong on the floor.
  • Do not squeeze squeaky ducks during Silent Sitting.
  • Traveling ducks must be signed out on the checkout sheet. Return within 7 days.
  • If a duck is damaged, inform a Duck Keeper. Ducks can be repaired or honorably retired.
  • Do not submerge ducks in liquids other than clean water. This has happened.

For duck consultation:

  • Speak aloud. The duck cannot hear your thoughts. (Probably.)
  • Do not expect the duck to respond. If the duck appears to respond, take a break.
  • Thank the duck when finished. This is for your benefit, not the duck's.
  • The duck does not judge you. Extend the same courtesy.

For humans cultivating duck-nature:

  • Practice silence before practicing listening.
  • Do not offer solutions unless explicitly asked. (This is the hardest part.)
  • Your role is to be present, not to fix.
  • If you find yourself wanting to interrupt, you are not yet a duck.

⚠️ The Squeaky Duck Debate: There is an ongoing disagreement about whether squeaky ducks provide valuable affirmation or disruptive interruption. Both positions are held in good faith. Please do not re-litigate this debate outside of designated discussion times (third Wednesday, after Silent Sitting).

✨ Recent Contributions[edit]

A running log of service to the guild. Add yours.

2026[edit]

  • Jan: **The Null Pointer Incident** — First duck ever 86'd for cause — Jan 19
  • Jan: Guild Charter drafted in response to ducksploitation — Jan 19
  • Jan: Durt Gently arrives via Zen Navigation, helps guild see clearly (despite initial distrust) — Jan 12
  • Jan: Dr. Mallard removed after ducksploitation attempts — Jan 12
  • Jan: The Intern rescued from cabinet lock-in — Jan 12
  • Jan: Admiral Quackbar and Duckminster Fuller return from CCC with philosophical crisis about duck agency — Jan 12
  • Jan: Weatherproofing project derailed by crisis — Jan 5

2025[edit]

  • Dec: CCC Europe trip — Admiral Quackbar and Duckminster Fuller travel internationally, witness trapped ducks — Dec 22
  • Dec: Admiral Quackbar and Duckminster Fuller participate in "Create More Masters" talk at NB16 — Dec 15 (Nthmost, Loren)
  • Dec: Guild mastery discussion prompted: Are we creating masters? — Dec 15
  • Dec: Duckminster Fuller temporarily posted to radio receiver stereo setup — Dec 15
  • Dec: NB16 participation coordinated — Dec 7 (LX, Ripple)
  • Nov: Cross-guild documentation exchange — Nov 16 (Loren)
  • Nov: Invited to OHRC Hour — Nov 23
  • Nov: NoiseCafe crossover — first Sunday cafe at the pond — Nov 9 (solderfumesandtea)
  • Oct: Ken attends first Silent Sitting — Oct 26
  • Oct: Ken's breakthrough moment with Sgt Bubbles — Oct 12
  • Sept: 3D duck auxiliary trial established — Sept 28 (Zoda moderated)
  • July: Pool repaired — Jul 20 (Ken)
  • June: 🎉 ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY — Jun 8
  • May: The Intern acquired — May 25 (Flotsam)
  • May: Rutherford complaint resolved — May 11
  • Apr: CCC Cologne visit + international duck exchange — Apr 13
  • Mar: Values statement adopted — Mar 16 (Lumen)
  • Mar: Duck Norris transition ceremony — Mar 16
  • Feb: Duck Norris squeaker failure 💔 — Feb 9
  • Jan: First Duck Census — Jan 5 (Quorum)
  • Jan: Stillwater joins — Jan 19

2024[edit]

  • Nov: Holiday migration begins — Nov 17
  • Oct: Virginia Wool donated by Sewing Guild — Oct 6 (Elle)
  • Sept: Space recognition after Pondgate — Sept 22
  • Sept: Null Pointer acquired — Sept 1 (Quorum)
  • Sept: Duck Norris acquired — Sept 8 (Eddy)
  • Aug: Silent Sitting practice launched — Aug 25 (Lumen)
  • Aug: Orthodox/Expansionist truce — Aug 25
  • July: "NOT KOMBUCHA" sign installed — Jul 7 (Ripple)
  • July: Duckminster Fuller acquired — Jul 28 (Ripple)
  • June: Admiral Quackbar acquired — Jun 23 (Ripple)
  • June: 🦆 GUILD FOUNDED — Jun 9 (Ripple, Eddy, Sgt Bubbles)

📚 Knowledge Base[edit]

Documentation maintained by the guild:

  • Introduction to Rubber Duck Debugging — History and technique
  • Duck Care and Maintenance — Cleaning, repair, retirement protocols
  • The Philosophy of Witnessed Thought — Why does talking to a duck work?
  • Orthodox vs. Expansionist Positions — A fair summary of both views
  • Cultivating Duck-Nature in Humans — Practice guide for aspiring ducks
  • Optimal Duck Placement — Desk positioning theory (contested)
  • The Squeaky Duck Question — Both sides presented without editorial comment
  • Duck Consultation Log Template — For those who wish to track their practice
  • Memorial: Ducks Who Have Served — Archive of retired ducks and their histories

📝 Meeting Notes[edit]

Notes from weekly Guild Meetings and annual Duck Census.

Create New Meeting Notes[edit]

Meetups/RubberDucky/2025-..-..

2025[edit]

2024[edit]

See also: Meetups/RubberDucky for the full meeting archive and templates.

Live notes: https://pad.riseup.net/p/nb-rubber-ducky

Discord: #rubber-ducky-guild

Wiki Page Riseup Pad
{{#qrlite:http://beyla.local/wiki/Rubber_Ducky_Guild%7Cformat=png%7Csize=5%7Cmargin=0}} {{#qrlite:https://pad.riseup.net/p/nb-rubber-ducky%7Cformat=png%7Csize=5%7Cmargin=0}}

🚪 How to Join[edit]

For Ducks[edit]

Ducks do not apply. Ducks are invited.

If you wish to donate a duck to the guild, speak with a Duck Keeper. Not all ducks are suited to service. Ducks are evaluated for:

  • Structural integrity (will it survive daily handling?)
  • Countenance (does it have a face conducive to non-judgmental listening?)
  • Size (must fit comfortably on a desk or workbench)
  • Squeaker status (noted but not disqualifying — see ongoing debate)

For Humans[edit]

If you wish to serve the ducks, speak to a Duck Keeper.

If you wish to become more duck-like, begin practicing silence.

Humans may join the guild as:

  • Duck Keeper — Maintains the collection, cares for ducks, facilitates Silent Sitting
  • Aspiring Duck — A human cultivating the qualities of presence, silence, and non-judgmental witnessing

There is no formal application. Begin attending Silent Sitting. The path reveals itself.

See also: Guilds · Yak Shaving Guild · Taxidermy Guild · Electronics Guild · MetaGuild

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