Growing Up Free

The White House is encouraging technology professionals to use their skills to help those in need. Their 2010 MLK Day Technology Challenge is "to connect schools and non-profits that have technology needs, including skills training and mentorship, with web professionals, developers, graphic designers and new media professionals who are willing to volunteer their skills for the common good."

Stormy Peters' organization, Kids on Computers, needs someone to take a laptop cart from L.A. to San Francisco. If anyone around there can help make this happen, please get in touch with her.

QuinnCo will be hosting a build day/install fest on August 15th to benefit the Lakeland Florida Baptist Children's Home. If you are in the Central Florida area, come be a part of the event. QuinnCo is also looking for additional donations of hardware to be collected at the event.

Ken Starks writes about the Linux Against Poverty build/install/community fest that happened in Austin over the weekend.

Congratulations to all those who were involved in making the event a success!

The Ubuntu Pennsylvania LoCo and Free Geek Penn will be working together to bring computers to children overseas.

"We think starting out with Ubuntu Classes, working with their systems-to-Africa program, and in general being available as free “Linux Experts” will do wonders for the acceptance of Ubuntu over there."

Balay San Columbano is a Christian Foundation in the Philippines. It's purpose is to provide safe shelter, food, clothing and education to needy young people who come from a variety of family backgrounds. Some of the young people have been rescued off the street, some from abusive alcoholic homes. Others come from desperately poor families.

Computers for Charity is now an official Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher! No, Microsoft hasn't taken over our operations (thank goodness) or given us a budget (don't I wish). In fact, I still prefer to install Linux operating systems on the computers I rebuild but out of necessity I sometimes have to install a Microsoft OS on the systems due to software compatibility issues.

The future of technology is the Internet and not high end computing. An older refurbished computer can provide that just as well as any newfangled system can. But you say "How can you possibly get any use out of my old outdated Windows box?". Read on...

Providing a child with a computer is a gateway to a whole new level of education. Its one thing for them to work with computers at school to edit documents and learn typing skills. Its' a whole different world that opens up when they have the opportunity to use one at home for recreation and social activities as well. Computing and communication technology continue to make an ever-increasing impact on all aspects of cognition, education and training throughout a child's life.

Simply taking your computer to the nearest recycling center just doesn’t cut it anymore! Though well intentioned, your effort may be in vain. Most recycling centers simply disassemble the equipment ,shred it and melt it down for the precious metals and other raw materials the computers contain. ‘Recycling‘ in this manner consumes 20 times more energy than reuse.