At 09:31 AM 11/11/98 -0800, you wrote:
>I frequently get given 286 and 386 computers as well as hearing about people
[...]
>A couple of places I have found: people who need word processing, but can't
>afford a computer; elementary school classrooms where the district either
>won't or can't buy computers for them; some "rescue mission" type places
The problem with these solutions is either that you need to take the time
to set them up and test them and do some training, or the organization
does. If they have such system in place, then great. If they have a
techie that volunteers, wonderful, but to just dump a bunch of '286's on a
school or shelter will only serve to eat up needed storage space.
I work with my girlfriend's school to keep a bunch of older macs running
and usable. Every summer, I lug them home so they don't get stolen, and
every fall I lug them back, test them, and get them set up. If you have
an older Mac (or even a newer mac!) that you want to get rid of, by all
means, let me know.
But we're not set up to handle PC's at the moment -- I don't have the time
to set them up/test them/train the teachers, we don't have software for
them, and there's no one else at the school who could do anything with them.
So, while I'm all in favor of the concept, I have to say that in practice,
it doesn't always work out as it should. You may find yourself doing a lot
of work that you don't have time for, or the organization may thank you
profusely as they shove them out the back door into the dumpster.
Old tech is very useful, if you know what to do with it. The mainstream
computer industry (ChumpUSA, TV Shows, AOL, etc.) does not provide that
support. Without it, old tech is worthless.
--------------------------------------------------------------------- O-
Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad
roger_at_sinasohn.com that none but madmen know."
Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates
San Francisco, California
http://www.sinasohn.com/
Received on Wed Nov 11 1998 - 16:24:48 GMT