[sf-lug] how to get computers?

[bobbie sellers]

jim stockford wrote:
>     i believe the process of giving computers away
> should be somewhat flexible. i buy what you've
> outlined to a rather large extent, but i know there
> are some who'd benefit who won't be able to
> come to the kipp school or even if they can come
> won't be able to take a computer away--this has
> nothing i can see to do with buy-in: they may be
> willing to buy in, but without an accommodating
> process, they lose, and, it seems to me, unfairly.

	This is sensible to me as few people understand
how difficult it may be for the differently-abled to
bring a computer back to their home.


>     it comes to mind to ask whose computers are
> these? if they're james', shouldn't the give-away
> process include james' blessing or direction? if
> by some stretch the people involved in working
> on these can make some claim, then perhaps a
> give-away process should include them.
>     do i understand correctly that there are some
> computers for give-away in the four locations:
> berkeley, marin (novato), san francisco, and san
> mateo? should give-away policy and procedure
> be uniform across all locations?
> 
> i'll see your two and raise you one.
> jim
> 
> 
> 
> On Mar 3, 2008, at 6:44 PM, Christian Einfeldt wrote:
> 
>> hi
>>
>> On Mon, Mar 3, 2008 at 5:25 PM, jim stockford <jim at well.com> wrote:
>>>  as to having a give-away meeting:
>>>     pluses are they come get the computers and
>>>  we can give them a one-shot training session.
>> In my experience, if you don't get people to "buy in" to the computer 
>> by coming to a class or two, they don't value the box, and there is a 
>> greater likelihood that they will just install Microsoft Windows on 
>> it.

	While it may seem counter-intuitive to let people install
other than FOSS operating systems on whatever computer they obtain
it may be just impossible to prevent.  There doesn't seem to be
any practical way to prevent any one who carries a computer away
from doing whatever they please with it including selling it or
giving it away to other parties.  You might expect to see the machine
come back to the stream of machines processed by the recycling center
until they become too old to be of further use.

>>   
>>>  it would be nice to give a CD-ROM away with
>>>  every computer so's each person has a copy
>>>  of the OS for recovery
>> This is a really good idea.
>>  .
>>>     minuses include a seeming restriction on the
>>>  window of time they can get one: only when
>>>  we're there to give 'em away; and only those
>>>  who can get there get one--what about people
>>>  without transportation or the single mom in
>>>  antioch....
>> Again, IMHO, this is a "buy-in" issue.  The real world digital tipping 
>> point is getting closer every day now, I believe, and so we no longer 
>> are in a position where we have to be extra special nice to get people 
>> to adopt these boxes.  We should try to impose some measure of 
>> discipline and desire in people who get our boxes, because there *are* 
>> people out there who will jump through a few hoops to get a box, and 
>> for the rest, we don't want them as "clients" anyway, because they 
>> will just waste our time.
>>      maybe have a give-away meeting as well as
>>>  another means to get computers to those who
>>>  need them.
>> Yeah, if we have a giveaway meeting and we do it regularly and get 
>> people to sign up, that again will instill a sense of having "earned" 
>> the computer, and it will build community.  People really need to 
>> "get" it that they must give back to the community.  I don't 
>> particularly like to support leeches any more.  I have supported a lot 
>> of leeches, and I am tired of it.  I feel that my time is valuable, 
>> and I want the "clients" to acknowledge the same by having some 
>> orderliness about picking up a box and showing that they will learn.
>>   
>> Just my two cents.

	Of course everyone who helps the disadvantaged should feel
that their time is valuable but there is no way you can force the
recipients to act in a particular way once they have the machine.
You have to let go of your expectations in this respect I believe.
You have helped someone and now what they do is up to them and only
to them.


    later
    bliss -- C O C O A  Powered... (at california dot com)

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