When I first happened upon NextStep Recycling on 10th near Garfield, I thought
it was a helluva an idea.
Hearkened me back to the days of Stan's PC Training where used good PC's were
to be had for all. I've even bought
a microwave oven and a wifi card there.
However,
after volunteering there I've changed my tune considerably. I won't go
as far as to say that the largess of the establishment cancels out any
reduction in carbon benefit. I'm just not that savvy, but I have my
opinions.
So, first off, to get a "volunteer box" you need to
put in now 40 hours (Figure around minimum wage your wholesale net
worth is about $300 for argument's sake). Secondly, what you'll receive
is a Dell Optiplex GX50. Which is a single board non-upgradeable
celeron based POS around 1200 MHz with 384 MB or less ram and a 20 GB
drive. You'll also likely not recieive your "gift" for volunteering
until several weeks after you're done. I'm not sure if this is to
discourage you taking inventory or to encourage more hours out of you.
Probably both.
Why am I complaining? Well, they have pallets and
pallets of these little gomers, which can be had on e-bay for as little
as $7.99. $40 if you want it tomorrow. Instead of offering a choice or
being progressive and loading Ubuntu or some nice current distro, you
are stuck to the task of un-infecting the drive of it's case of Windows
2000. (The P4 1.8's littering the place seem to be ending up in
Guatemalen schools. You can purchase a P4 2.6 system for around $175
there).
I'm complaining because I feel that my hours of labor
are worth a tad bit more than a doorstop in which a full-sized PCI card
won't fit and an AGP slot doesn't exist. I'm complaining because I feel
that no matter what the cost, even free, a Microsoft license is a
Microsoft license and a non-profit has no business purchasing Microsoft
licenses when Open Source exists. When Ubuntu exists. If Ubuntu is good
enough for IBM, it's good enough for every American.
I'm
complaining because I feel the politics inside NextStep are about to
swallow itself whole and barf it back out. It looks like a Eugenian
Social Experiment, complete with a dot alt Board of Directors. It's
become really large inside and while still providing valuable services
to the community, most of thosse services should be borne by the
consumer purchasing home electronics. California now has a tax on
electronic goods, in effect a deposit law. Recycle electronics, net a
bonus. Toss them in the landfill, lose the bonus. Yet here in Oregon we
still can't control our Bottle Bill and recycle Coca-Cola Brand Water
Bottles.
I'm complaining because I feel NextStep should be using
Linux in every task from Office to Refurbishing. I'm complaining
because I hate to see people thumping their chests in the Weekly.
*Usually* if the Weekly has an overly positive take on something, it's
called damage control or a pre-emptive Media Strike.
Now,
don't go away just yet. Just because I've had a bad experience with
them doesn't mean you will too. After all, you can still give 40 hours
and opt for an iMac.
James S. Kaplan
[email protected]
currently under-employed
"Sic Semper Tyrannis"Marcus Junius Brutus, March 15, 44 BC
John Wilkes Booth, April 14, 1865 AD
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