[Wftl-lug] Tuxzine

Mon Jan 8 03:47:50 EST 2007

I had thought of doing something similar here in Western Sydney - we  
have a computer recycling group in Sydney, but they are so anally- 
retentive about what hardware they'll accept (and it's run by a  
cretin who used to work for me, but that's another story), but our  
biggest problem is that most large businesses don't trust anyone to  
securely destroy their data (if they are stupid enough to leave it on  
the hard drive) and would rather crush them than allow someone to  
clean them up for A Good Purpose.

As soon as you mention that they will have Linux installed on them  
because Microsoft will not allow Windows 95/98 to be used unless  
purchased (a small red herring, admittedly - I have no intention of  
EVER using Windows on them) they seem to think that Microsoft will be  
at their throats if they do that.

I even had one guy tell me that not only can't you move Windows from  
one machine to another if it's erased from the first one (yes, it's  
in the EULA !!), but that it is illegal to use Linux on a machine  
that was sold with Windows.

Yeah, right... And Bill Gates is a nice guy !!!

> Christian,
>
> Likely on a smaller scale, I do something similar to Charles.  I  
> hate seeing computers in landfills as well.  The neighbor who lives  
> across the street from me makes his living collecting trash (his  
> profit is based in selling scrap metal and rebuilding and selling  
> bikes, lawn mowers, etc.  He was laid off from his trucking company  
> and now makes more money than my wife and I put together collecting  
> trash in a 1984 chevy pick up).  Anywho, while he is trolling the  
> neighborhood for trash, if he finds a pc, he grabs it for me.  I  
> get about 4-6 from him a week.  The majority of them are 500-1100  
> mhz pc's and many work well on their own right out of the trash.   
> Heck...most of them still have all the data on the hard drive.  The  
> ones that do not work, there are a lot of good parts to scrap from  
> it before having it disposed of properly.  I have more legacy Ram  
> than I know what to do with.
>
> Between a local church, the local Hispanic Heritage Foundation, and  
> some Montessori schools, I can usually get rid of these.  There are  
> a lot of people who do such as this.  None of us will ever make  
> money or get to be at the scale we wish to do...you have your hands  
> full...focus on what you do best.
>
> Cheers
>
> Patrick
>
> On 1/7/07, Christian Einfeldt <einfeldt at gmail.com> wrote:
> hi
>
> On 1/7/07, Charles McColm < twccomprec at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Actually since I run a computer recycling project I'm in the unique
> position to install and provide screen shots of Linux installed on a
> lot of computers. What I would need is volunteers willing to put
> together and install Linux on the hardware. If you live in the
> Kitchener/Waterloo region and are interested in downloading and
> installing Linux on systems for the purpose of a big comparison
> article, please leave me a message on my work answering machine at
> (519)743-1151 ext. 225.
>
> Boy, I have a seething, burning desire to do this same kind of  
> business here in San Francisco, California.  I see thousands of  
> computers going into landfill; I see the kids in the public middle  
> school (from which I am writing this email) going without  
> computers; I see people buying new Microsoft boxes; and it just  
> kills me.  I mean kills me.  I'm busy with my law practice; I'm  
> busy with the Digital Tipping Point movie; I have a wonderful  
> girlfriend who needs and deserves attention; and I just don't have  
> the hardware skills to test hardware, and so at the school we have  
> lots of equipment that is just piling up waiting to be put together  
> into workable boxes, and it just kills me that I am not able to  
> bring that project together.
>
> All I really need are some volunteers.  The hardware is there.  The  
> FOSS software is there.  There just aren't enough hours in the day  
> to do all that I want to do.
>
> There is also a big issue with compatibility with the ISPs.  No one  
> want to make their Internet service readily available with Linux.   
> It's a Microsoft world.  It's the same damn chicken-and-egg  
> question that we see everywhere, and I'm afraid it's starting to  
> get to me emotionally.  I know that freedom takes a lot of work,  
> but time is precious, and there are more tidal waves of hardware  
> constantly moving toward the dumpster.
>
> If only I had a million dollars, so that I could do what I want to  
> do and fund it.
>
> Oh well.  Freedom ain't easy.
>
> Christian Einfeldt
>
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----------------------------------------------------------
semper in  excreto es sed profundum variat

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