Re: Recycled Macs and Junk where do you draw the line
Re: Recycled Macs and Junk where do you draw the line
- Subject: Re: Recycled Macs and Junk where do you draw the line
- From: MUG NEWS <email@hidden>
- Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2004 08:50:03 -0500
Thanks guys...
You've rekindled my interest in this topic.
We had been getting truckloads of Macs, printers, networks,
etc. since '98 and outfitted math labs at schools, and
needy families all over the region. I even shipped a skid
of powerbooks to Texas at one point.
I lost my energy and motivation in the project when people started
rejecting the machines because they don't do the internet
very well. (Or, not at all) Seems everyone wants MONEY these
days to buy new computers and don't want to entertain any
other alternatives.
The Technology Partnerships program (UGAcademy) petered out because
writing proposals for grants was more trouble than anyone had time for.
I only gave away just under $50,000.00 before the grant proposals
stopped coming in -- so many user group officers telling me that
members just don't want to be involved. The other $50,000 in
the foundation block was distributed to local schools and the
Habitat for Humanity project. They really appreciate help.
I worked my way up through the "Boys & Girls Clubs" from the
local level to set up Mac computer labs in their facilities
(new equipment for free) but at a higher level they turned
it down unless we would buy Windows computers. No way,
I took my money elsewhere.
So I've basically given up.
I've still got a trunk load of Powerbooks, 540s and so forth
that no one wants. They work perfectly with the exception of
dead batteries. No one wants to buy a battery for $125 when
it costs more than the computer is worth. So much for Apple's
proprietary battery. I have a pristine Outbound (The first
Mac Laptop) that still runs on a $29 camcorder battery available
at Wal-Mart.
If you've got a candidate, let me know. I had thought about
helping out Evan London (HOHMug) at his school in New York, but
getting a truck load of computers to New York presented problems
for me.
I've started sawing them up with a band-saw and using their
parts for awards, trophies and art objects.
(Like the piece we gave Maryland on their 25th annaversary
See:
http://www.aacug.org/MUG/2003/mdapple1.jpg) I'm working
on one now that uses 2 inches deep from the front of a
Mac SE... a backlighted image will appear in the monitor.
Anyway, all the rest, probably two to three pick-up loads
have been scheduled to go to the land fill when the weather
breaks. Perhaps I should reconsider -- they all work perfectly.
I understand undeveloped countries like Uganda are begging for
any kind of computer at all. But I do not know how to hook
up with whoever it is who coordinates those efforts. Heck,
some of those countries barely have telephone service.
It is sad to bull-doze perfectly working Macintoshes under.
But time marches on, I need to get them out of my building.
I think the best thing to do is buy a villa in the Virgin
Islands and go fishing. What do you think?
:-)
Fred
Fred Showker
Editor-In-Chief
User Group Network News
http://www.user-groups.net/
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