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(OT) Resources for unfunded computer clubs?

by Andrew_Levenson (Hermit)
on May 17, 2006 at 23:22 UTC ( [id://550127]=perlmeditation: print w/replies, xml ) Need Help??

I hope that this is where I post this, but...

I may have stated before that I am the president of the (poorly funded and all around depressing) computer club at my high school. We do programming for a competition annually. I just got involved, and we have maybe... 5 kids in it with little experience, and nobody really likes us. Ergo, we have no funding and no teaching, and we desperately need resources.

Would anyone here possibly know of any organizations who could donate outmoded or used laptops, equipment, or supplies?

Thanks in advanced!

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Donation Inquiry (OT)
by jZed (Prior) on May 18, 2006 at 01:11 UTC
    FreeGeek is an organization with offices in many cities that will supply linux computers in return for your help refurbishing a computer. You might see if there is a FreeGeek near you. ... Put up a notice similar to this one on your local CraigsList. ... Go to businesses in your area that use lots of computers and ask them if they can donate any old equipment ...
      I'll second jZed's suggestion to check businesses in your area. I work for a huge financial institution, and they have minimum specs for machines, and periodically surplus the below spec equipment. They might also surplus them once they're fully depreciated (I wouldn't know about that). Anyway, we recently let go a mess of 1GHz Celeron boxes.

      --roboticus

Re: Donation Inquiry (OT)
by marto (Cardinal) on May 18, 2006 at 08:26 UTC
    Hi Andrew_Levenson,

    In addition to the great advice you have already been given you may want to check out your local FreeCycle group (you can also post a 'Wanted' ad asking for equipment you are interested in). My younger sister managed to get a nice G4 Mac (sans hard drive). Since you are young adults (note this is not supposed to sound patronising), if you are going to someone’s house to pick something up, make sure you always take an adult along. There is also DIY Parts, which may offer items you want in your area, or for the cost of shipping.

    Hope this helps.

    Martin
      I agree with the FreeCycle mention above. Also depending on your city there may be other places that would be willing to donate to your cause.
      Here in Boise there is a ComputerForKids program that gives kids, young adults, machines to be able to do all of thier school work or for projects as what you are saying!
      Where there is a will there is a way!

      My sig Sucks!

      I second the recommendation that you take an adult along when picking up parts. Unfortunately there are too many sickos in the world.

      --MidLifeXis

Re: (OT) Resources for unfunded computer clubs?
by TedPride (Priest) on May 18, 2006 at 20:19 UTC
    I'll third or fourth the check with local businesses part. We've given away computers before ourselves, and we're just a small family business. I'm sure there are businesses in your area with older computers that they haven't bothered unloading yet.

    Also, assuming your club members have computers at home, you could always just pass code back and forth via AIM or IRC chat. You don't physically have to be sitting next to one another in school to collaborate, and since all the Perl reference materials are easily accessed online, you don't have the problem of sharing textbooks either. Plus you have us :) Things would be a lot more difficult if you were trying to learn something like C++.

    Incidently, what competition? Have you looked at the USA Computing Olympiad? That's probably the most prestigious programming competition for students in the US, though you do have to know C, C++, Pascal, or Java to compete. I didn't know there were competitions that accepted Perl code.

      It's just the regional florida competition that rose from the ashes when they scratched the statewide version.

      And we're fine for practices, we can do that at home, but for the competition we all have to go to a set location with a single laptop to use, hence needing the laptop.

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