Heaven¹s to Betsy. Such a conversation.

Hi BB,
We do put LINUX on desktop computers in the store. We now have a great kids
LINUX build on low end laptops that is killer to use. Check it out.
When I was growing up, I was called a ³trash picker². Now I get called a
Master Recycler. I still stop my car and bike when I see something disposed
of next to the road. I outfitted my home office with cast offs from the U of
O and apartment dumpster.
Proud of it too!
Yours in dumpster diving,
lorraine

From: BB <[email protected]>
Reply-To: Eugene Unix and Gnu/Linux User Group <[email protected]>
Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2009 09:21:12 -0800
To: Eugene Unix and Gnu/Linux User Group <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [Eug-lug] inside NextStep

A very honest critique...I had also wondered what was up, an empty case w/o
power supply for $10-20???  I would also like to see more Linux in my rear
view mirror.

BUT, I have to look at the totality of the journey that Lorraine has made,
from garage, and rummaging through the Goodwill computer section, to
national recognition.  There is a lot of good work, and will, built up
there.

As for parts, being on a bicycle, I find them all the time.  Two Epson
printers on Super Bowl Sunday, downtown, back alley, SCORE!  I get to junk
my ISA scanner w/ Millennium  eMachine  attached.  That Epson Stylus CX5000
USB scanner made my day.  Needless to say I have a few parts, if your
interested (Linux spoken here.)

BTW, I just found an HP all-in-one that will find it's way to NextStep...too
bad there isn't a South Eugene dropbox, but I know it's a turf war.

Brian

P.S. what ever happened to Stan?


On Sat, Feb 14, 2009 at 8:25 AM, JS Kaplan <[email protected]> wrote:
> 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
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Windows Live: E-mail. Chat. Share. Get more ways to connect.  See how it
> works. 
> <http://windowslive.com/howitworks?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_t2_allup_howitworks_02200
> 9> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> EUGLUG mailing list
> [email protected]
> http://www.euglug.org/mailman/listinfo/euglug
> 



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