Re: [GKD] World Computer Exchange Article
At 1:11 PM + 13/02/2003, Pamela McLean wrote: We are exploring possibilities for equipping a community centre, such as getting computers through World Computer Exchange (WCE). Any advice or comments would be welcome. In the long term we recognise that there are good reasons for using Open Source, but we have no relevant experience. Obviously if we do get computers we will need technical support, and as available expertise favours Microsoft, we are likely to start with Microsoft. I presume you mean the expertise available at hand. If Net based support is an option, I suspect you will find that it is far better for Linux. MS is always a backup option available to you since the computers you get will probably have that preloaded. Our teachers' initial interest is not in teaching computer classes, but in the potential of ICTs for communicating and gaining information. For instance, Adebite Johnson wants to use the potential of computers to support his subject work. His most urgent thought is that somehow it might help him to improve the standards of the geography department, which is terribly under-resourced. He also wants to exchange information with other schools. I have understood your concern about poor electricity and no telephones. But if the latter is the reality, you will find exchange of information a serious issue. One solution to this is Wi-Fi, an inexpensive technology for broadband wireless connectivity between computers. Its major limitation is distance, as effective bandwidth drops off seriously fast over 20 km. Even to get this distance you need special antenna - the technology was originally developed as an alternative to wired Ethernet. Perhaps you should also look at downloading data on a regular basis using Worldspace's Africa satellite. This may be the cheapest and easiest way to regularly update your computers with information on various subjects. Adebite Johnson can also access information on CD-ROMS, to share with his students, thanks to the OOCD2000+ field officer, David Mutua, and his laptop, Adebite Johnson will also be contacting groups such as SchoolNet and Teachers Without Borders through David, who currently travels a half day journey to Ibadan to do overnight web-browsing and email sessions on behalf of the project. (see thread on email for rural Africa) I think that Frederick's various concerns are perfectly valid (snip) he raises: What is the impact on recipients (snip) Are such gift-horses appreciated well, or simply abused and misused by recipients, who feel they've got the PCs in an easy way anyway? Even free computers would not be seen as 'easy'. OOCD2000+ has worked hard to get this far, laying all the foundations of the project, which ensure that it has excellent social capital. Without social capital, as you say, you would not have got this far. What lies next is harder: for you to sustain it and support it with infrastructure so that the project does not become an insufferable burden to the core team. We do have concerns about the level of technical support that may be needed, software costs, and the electrical power that will be needed to keep them running, but we will do our best to overcome these difficulties, just as we have done our best to overcome our previous and present difficulties. Incidentally, I saw a mail just a couple of days back about IBM Linux boxes costing only $199 retail now in the US. They need keyboard, mouse and monitor to be full-fledged computers, which WCE can probably help you with easily. Are you looking at solar power or micro-hydel for the electricity problems? We have some expertise with these technologies here in India, and I can help put you in touch with developers. The best thing about twinning your computer project with this technology is the fact that it will be of help in so many more developmental areas for the people in the immediate region. -- Vickram ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
Re: [GKD] World Computer Exchange Article
Dear All, On Thu 13 Feb, Pamela McLean wrote: We are exploring possibilities for equipping a community centre, such as getting computers through World Computer Exchange (WCE). Any advice or comments would be welcome. [...] In the long term we recognise that there are good reasons for using Open Source, but we have no relevant experience. Obviously if we do get computers we will need technical support, and as available expertise favours Microsoft, we are likely to start with Microsoft. We have heard that there are some problems about using 'normal' versions of Microsoft in some African countries, and that a special African version has to be acquired. (This is nothing to do with piracy. It is a completely different issue.) Can someone shed light, and let me know if it has any implications for use in Nigeria? As I understand it, the problem relates to the export of software (incl Windows) which contains encryption algorithms. Many areas of the Developing World are covered by UN sanctions or embargoes which prohibit such facilities being given, even as part of charitable aid, because the equipment can later also be used for military, terrorist, drugs- production or espionage purposes. This is referred to as Dual-use and Related Goods. In the UK notification of such UN sanctions are available from the DTI at www.dti.gov.uk/export.control the last time I looked. It is not necessarily just countries that are war zones to whom sanctions apply. I have beside me the list of embargoes against Rwanda which came into force in 1994 (Instrument SCR 918). Yet in June'95, after the genocide, the sanctions area and scope was *extended* to include Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda and Congo. I believe there are three likely categories of encryption software which we are used to having in The West, but which would fall foul of these sanctions: a) Secure Socket Layer (SSL) normally used to transmit credit card info across the internet for e-commerce purchases. There are two levels of SSL, 40-bit and 128-bit encryption. Most UN sanctions cover the export of *both* varients. b) backup software, where a password can be set to prevent the data on your CD (or whatever medium you choose) being reinstalled by someone else. c) wireless LAN cards (802.11b 802.11g) which are starting to be used in the Developing World with directional aerials to increase the range and provide inter-village links. The first two categories are standard features of MS Windows versions as sold in the West, and would need to be removed before any donated PC's were exported to (or through) a country covered by sanctions. Moreover, it would be prudent to purchase the genuine copies of Windows issued by Microsoft specifically for use in the relevant zones of the world. This avoids the ambiguities of whether the recipients are entitled to use 2nd hand copies of Windows (where the original donor company may have paid only an upgrade fee for the use of a newer Windows version on their new PC's). We should remember that the use of illegal copies of software is sometimes used in the 3rd World to blackmail the user into having to return to a particular dealer for ongoing sales/service. Whereas a nice crisp M$oft Certificate of Authentication would prevent such threats being made! My comments come from a little personal experience of such matters rather than my being a real expert on this subject. But I offer the comments in good faith in that others might avoid the problems of the (unfounded) threats which my company and our customers received when first taking computers into Africa in 1999. For the record, ExpLAN is the company behind the Solo (low energy) computer which Pam mentioned later on in her email. When production commences we will be using Linux or RISC OS rather than M$oft code. Even so we intend supplying the main OS components as ROM's from the UK and we will ensure that no such encryption systems are present on these chips, so as not to leave our 3rd World manufacturing bases open to allegations of supplying equipment that could benefit terrorism etc. HTH -- Paul - __/_Paul Richardson | / ExpLAN Computers Ltd. +44 (0)1822 613868 |-- RISC OS Computer Sales and Software Development |/___ PO Box 32, Tavistock, Devon PL19 8YU Gt.Britain /[EMAIL PROTECTED] - ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
Re: [GKD] World Computer Exchange Article
Dear Frederick, Timothy, Don, Cornelio, et al, I have been meaning for some time to put in some comments on these issues from a while ago, but am only now finding the time to do so. My message has two parts: 1) A description of my observations on the WCE distribution of computers in Nepal to the NGO, Committee for the Promotion of Public Awareness and Development Studies (COPPADES) http://www.interconnection.org/coppades 2) General comments on a few points made by others on this topic During the first several months of 2002, I had the privilege of visiting the COPPADES office in Kathmandu a number of times to meet with the director, Dikendra Kandel, and his staff to find out about their collaboration with WCE. I also visited a several schools in and around the town of Damauli which had received computers. This was part of my doctoral field research on social aspects of the introduction and spread of the internet in Nepal. A few months ago, COPPADES received recognition for their work when they were chosen as a finalist in Italy's Global Junior Challenge http://www.gjc.it/2002/en/mostra.asp?ID=352. I first met Dikendra and learned about COPPADES' project in March 2001 on an earlier field research trip. He was already deep into the process of getting the computers at that time. As Timothy pointed out, it is neither quick nor easy to organize this. When I returned in February 2002, they had only recently received the computers, and had been working very hard to match computers, monitors, keyboards, mouses, and printers into approximately 75 functioning sets, that were to be sent to schools spread across 5 different districts in Nepal. The components had numerous problems, but COPPADES had the technical staff necessary to fix whatever needed to be fixed and coordinate the components. They were just finishing this process, and had already started sending the computers out to the schools when I arrived. Distribution of the computers was no easy task either. Some schools were in towns on paved roads, but others had to be flown in to the nearest airport far from any road, and then ported on footpaths over long distances. The ongoing Maoist insurrection which affects many parts of the country made the task that much more difficult still. In my first trip outside of the Kathmandu valley, I spent four days in the town of Damauli, where I was able to visit several schools and a small college campus that had received WCE computers. The Education Society had taken charge of the coordination for their district. Several research informants in Kathmandu had commented that school staffs often wanted computers simply for the prestige, but that they were seen as too valuable to ever let the students touch them. So they were either used only by the school administration or kept safely boxed up in a locked room so that nothing could happen to them. In and around Damauli, though, all the schools had their computers out in freshly painted rooms on custom built workstations constructed by local carpenters. Teachers were anxious to get started teaching computer classes, and were interested in whatever ideas I might have to help them out. At the local junior college, classes had already started. In addition to the classes for students, there were two early morning sessions for the teachers to learn more about how to use computers. Everybody was enthusiastic and making the most of the chance they now had. By the end of my visit , I was so impressed with the enthusiasm of the teachers and staff at the various schools in the area that we agreed that I should return for slightly longer visit to run a set of workshops on tips for effective and efficient use of the internet and e-mail, given the constraints of high connection costs and slow connection speeds. There was no ISP point of presence in the district, so all connections involved long distance phone charges. There were challenges at all stages of the process. Nobody in Nepal had an easy time of it in acquiring the computers. Dikendra and his staff at COPPADES put in countless hours in the tasks involved: * identifying schools * putting together the proposal * finding funding for shipping costs * dealing with the customs office * arranging for teacher training * ensuring that all schools were committed and had adequate facilities for the computers or were willing to have them built * COPPADES focuses on development activities for the district of Lamjung, so they needed to find partner NGOs in the other 4 districts with which to collaborate. The schools had to set up or build facilities to house the computers, identify teachers at the school to teach computer classes and release them for training, and find funds for maintenance of the computers and e-mail/internet accounts. In Damauli, the junior college instructor was the only individual in town who was proficient with computer maintenance, so whenever any computer in the region did
Re: [GKD] World Computer Exchange Article
What Don Cameron states is very important as far as computer exchange is concerned. I think that no matter the legislation concerning the importation of such computers, it is important to continue and encourage it because most of the community centers in Africa always use computers donated, given the fact that they cannot afford buying them. So it is important, taking the case of Cameroon, to verify the use of such computers so that they are not threatened by businessmen who resell them. Olivier Tazo ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
Re: [GKD] World Computer Exchange Article
Dear Cornelio and all, IMHO Cornelio rasies concerns that cross the three tiers of PC redistribution (supplier; distributor/refurbisher; recipient). My comments are an attempt to perhaps offer a different perspective from each of these tiers. 1) Like many corporations, my employer will often donate computers to disadvantaged groups including to NFP computer distributor/refurbishers. In my capacity as the company IT Manager I usually approve (or otherwise) donations of this type, and generally do not regard these donations as a charitable contribution for the purposes of taxation... although were we to donate hundreds of computers (as some other companies do), then I possibly would seek tax relief to the value of the donation. The justification for such a course of action would entirely depend on the value of the donation and any other contributions we are asked to make. When considering the altruistic value of corporate donations it is important to understand that donations rarely include obsolete machines from any other than a corporate perspective. The machines we donate are usually Pentium or better industrial-quality workstations and servers, that for reasons of depreciated book value and for software upgrades are being replaced - these are not machines ready for the scrap-heap and will usually provide quite a few years of additional reliable service. Your comments on computer waste products and environmental legislation are correct and also apply in Australia, however this generally does not apply to the types of computers made obsolete by corporate donors for the aforementioned reasons - we do not need to 'scrap' old computers because they are quite marketable and can be easily sold at auction for a good return - further, machines disposed in this manner (at auction) do not require the considerable time commitment of erasing hard-drives, proper packing, palletising, and ensuring serviceability (as we do with donated computers - machines sold at auction are sold on-site as-is with the purchaser, usually a second-hand computer merchant, signing a waver and guarantee to erase any/all software found on the computers (although we do erase anything of a confidential nature beforehand!). To suggest that donating computers offers business a lucrative potential is, I'm afraid, simply incorrect - each and every computer we donate costs our business in excess of $100.00 in time and effort, and being a business with extensive transport infrastructure, we usually also donate freight to the recipients address free-of-charge (another +- $50.00 per machine). Compare this with the cost of dumping and compacting (about $20.00 per machine) or the potential to sell computers at auction (for anything up to $5-600.00 for a second-hand server), and rather clearly our donations are not a lucrative business-operation - they are a very real overhead, yet an overhead we adopt in our capacity as a socially responsible business. 2) From the perspective of an NFP distributor/refurbisher, your comment on the mean temperature of recipient climates is very valid and I would add to this a range of other factors including relative humidity, dust, the likelihood of electrical storms, and of course the quality of the local electricity supply - all aspects traditionally not conclusive to trouble-free computing - These are important considerations for donor organisations and often require the supply of harshware computers, line filters, UPS units and other peripherals to ensure that any computers donated are suitable for the environment they are going to. We are perhaps fortunate that few climates are harsher than rural Australia (where I live). Mean temperatures for this time of year commonly approach 40 deg C and severe thunderstorms and dust-storms are fairly commonplace (it is 34 C as I type this message in my non-air-conditioned home on a stock-standard 4 year-old IBM Aptiva). Most larger local businesses, my own included which is spread over 200 hectares, have computers located in non air-conditioned and subsequently quite harsh environments - corporate computers located in these areas are usually certified 'harshware' and donations of this type of equipment can offer a very good computing solution for other parts of the world with similar climates and environments. Wherever possible I do try to make our redundant harshware computers available for organisations with a need to distribute this type of hardware. 3) From a recipients perspective, (and I am also able to wear this 'hat' having coordinated a recipient campaign for our local Youth Cafe' and several Australian Telecentre's). Too often the view of recipients is that of free computers for life, leading to the perspective you have offered - yet this is not the intent of computer donor organisations. The intent is to foster interest; acceptance; and to ultimately provide some basic tools whereby a group or community can decide for themselves if computing offers any
Re: [GKD] World Computer Exchange Article
This is not the time to debate on such important issues but to act. Studies and assessments are good. However, they should not block the natural process of partnership in helping the poor and needy. Sharing the world resources both the developed and developing countries will prosper and it will help in reducing the knowledge gap. Increased supply of ICTs to developing countries from developed countries will be an appropriate approach towards solution to digital divide. This will ensure better access to ICTs in poor countries. For unconstrained diffusion of ICTs in developing countries, constraints preventing wider diffusion of ICTs should be critically analyzed. These constraints may vary from country to country and may be diverse in nature. At present diffusion of information technologies in developing countries is very poor and most of them are without information technologies. On the other hand developed countries have IT to dispose of. Information-rich affluent countries may donate information technologies to information-poor countries, which may remove many hurdles in bridging the digital divide. In many advanced countries PCs are being decommissioned. These PCs are worth something to poorer counties. = Dr. L. P. Rai, Scientist, National Institute of Science Technology and Development Studies,(CSIR) Dr. K. S. Krishnan Marg, New Delhi-110 012, INDIA Ph:(+91-11)5765380 Fax:(+91-11)5754640 E-mail:[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
Re: [GKD] World Computer Exchange Article
In a message dated 12/4/2002, Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: 1. Has any study been done as to the impact of how long such computers actually serve in Third World locations? Are these being used effectively? Given the way hardware is made incompatible with that produced just two to three years back, aren't we fighting an uphill battle? How do we ensure computers are kept in a state of fair maintenance? I think I will always remember a discussion as I worked with a group from African Schoolnet. In some schools in Africa, basic necessities like water and electricity are so rare that bringing technology resources to students might seem to be beyond their reach. I remember talking to a delegate from Togo, who shared the story of having to pay taxes on the incoming computers, and how there was really nothing to do with them, but all the same, they used the computers to teach students how to build and learn about computers. There were several townships that I visited, which had computers, with not much for them. The computers were locked down when the teacher was not there. But SchoolNetAfrica http://www.schoolnetafrica.net/, the first African-run nonprofit organization focusing on educational technology, is doing just that. Countries are at different levels (of technology access) but they all believe that information and communication technology will help the students to be critical learners and thinkers, said Heba Ramzy, the steering committee member for Egypt. You may not know Heba. But she is a bundle of energy who is involved in several international projects for RITSEC, and other initiatives. Ramzy is one of 10 steering committee representatives from 10 African countries that governs SNA. Twenty-eight African countries participate in the program. The nonprofit is focusing on several programs that, she hopes, will build technology resources and leadership throughout the continent. Maybe we are way behind, she said. Now is the time that we have to invest in the future to prepare our kids to play a role globally. Why should anybody else plan for their future? SNA is running ThinkQuest Africa http://www.thinkquestafrica.org/, a Web design competition where students collaborate over the Internet to build an educational website. It's based on the original ThinkQuest Internet Challenge. Ramzy said that SNA also wants to build a Knowledgewarehouse of online content that would include websites developed by students and online curriculum. Also, the organization plans to identify and train leaders who can head technology initiatives in their respective countries. Access to computers and connectivity is one of the major challenges, Ramzy said, and SNA is researching different models of funding, like the e-rate in the United States, to see what is appropriate for African countries. Ramzy said the organization is also working to facilitate relationships between telecommunications companies and different countries. About one-third of schools in South Africa have computers and/or Internet access, according to Ed Gragert, director of the International Education and Resource Network (iEARN) http://www.iearn.org/, a nonprofit that also works with African schools and SNA. Connections are almost always dial-ups, which can be slow and clunky. What SchoolNetAfrica is doing is so important, said Ed Gragert. A national program by Nigeria could be applied in Angola. SchoolNetAfrica plays the role of sharing that information. And there are numerous examples of successful projects that students have completed when given access to technology. Amr Hamdy, program manager for ThinkQuest Africa, said that students who participate in the Web design competition learn communication, in addition to technology, skills. Mohamed Abdallah, a 16-year-old from Alexandria, Egypt, built a website about blood as a participant in ThinkQuest last year. I didn't know anything when I started, he said. You're working with international partners and doing something useful and fun. I have been priviledged to work in many parts of the world with some of these groups and it is remarkable what they do. There are some groups like TENS, who help. It might be good to query some of the people who create possibilities for students with technology. They have wonderful stories. Bonnie [EMAIL PROTECTED] ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
Re: [GKD] World Computer Exchange Article
I will try to give you the World Computer Exchange answer to your 5 questions. 1. I am not aware of any such used computer life time study. We are under 3 years old and East West Educational Development did not do such a study (nor has anyone related to US schools). I have heard the stories of 10th generation computers in schools in India. We (with the help of International Technologies Group at Harvard's Berkman Center) are beginning such a study of use and impact. Included in this study are all schools that have and will receive computers from WCE. Each of our partners develop a sustainable implementation plan that explains how the computers will be maintained. These are posted on our website. In many of the countries where we ship, we are helping to involve universities to have their computer science students help with computer maintenance (and their education school help with teacher training). 2 4. We ship with donated MandrakeSoft Linux and have recently heard from Sun Microsystems about a donation of StarOffice for our partners and the schools that they recruit in Latin America. After two years of requests, we have just heard from Microsoft about their willingness in Africa to let our individual and corporate donors leave the Windows OS on their computers so that the schools and centres can use it. In many of the countries where we are working we are involving a local university in the role of helping to develop, adapt, and share local content. So our schools have more and more software options. We have found that in almost all of our shipments, we have hit our target of 90% of the computers arriving in immediately working order. In a couple of cases, we have sent troubleshooters to solve some problems to get well over 90% working. In one of our early loss-leader pilots, our partners reported far less than the 90% but did not want our troubleshooters to visit. 3. Our partners and the schools that they recruit do not feel they have gotten our donated computers the easy way. They have to complete a survey, agreement letter, and an implementation plan that responds to 25 questions on transparancy, sustainability, and scalability including issues of maintenance, connectivity, and use. They have to work to find most of the funds to cover our sourcing and administrative costs as well as the direct shipping costs. The impact reported by our partners in their post-delivery reports (6 months after the container arrives) have mostly been encouraging and are posted on our website. The least expensive new computers seem to be in the area of $200 (India) for far less computer or in the area of $350 (Viet Nam) for somewhat less computer than we source for between $35 and $57.50 each computer set. Neither of these options is available in most of the countries where we deliver used, tested, and working computers. 5. We appreciate tough questions as this helps to sharpen our ability and capacity. We are working to develop a transparent, sustainable, and scalable model. We welcome your criticisms, ideas, and help. Best wishes, Timothy Anderson Frederick Noronha [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: What is really needed is a radical review not just of how we compute, but how we consume the world's resources, and what solutions are offered to whom. Some questions: 1. Has any study been done as to the impact of how long such computers actually serve in Third World locations? Are these being used effectively? Given the way hardware is made incompatible with that produced just two to three years back, aren't we fighting an uphill battle? How do we ensure computers are kept in a state of fair maintenance? 2. What is the impact of software going the bloatware way, which makes perfectly usable computers turn to junk due to the market-driven planned-obsolence model? This is surely true of Windows, and this is also getting to be increasingly true of the major distros of GNU/Linux (Red Hat/Mandrake), where we are getting big and bigger packages, in the name of keeping up in the race. Is someone thinking about this? Apart from the RULE project in Italy, one has not heard of building, say a KDE-Lite, for us poor cousins out here. (For that matter, it would serve everyone, and make fewer computers turn to 'junk' in the first place.) 3. What is the impact on recipients in the Third World? Is there no better and more sustainable way of getting access to PCs? Are such gift-horses appreciated well, or simply abused and misused by recipients, who feel they've got the PCs in an easy way anyway? 4. Is this only a question of hardware, or are other issues like software and syllabi equally important? In India, quite some schools have Microsoft-only syllabi. What are the long-term implications of this? 5. Finally, are we willing to ask inconvenient questions, or just take the easy way out and swim with the tide? No offence meant... Just that we could go ahead if we asked the tough questions.
Re: [GKD] World Computer Exchange Article
On Fri, Dec 06, 2002 at 11:44:25PM -0500, Matt Rose wrote: 3. What is the impact on recipients in the Third World? Is there no better and more sustainable way of getting access to PCs? Are such gift-horses appreciated well, or simply abused and misused by recipients, who feel they've got the PCs in an easy way anyway? [snip] parts are getting so cheap at wholesale prices now, that it would almost make more sense to get cheap CPUs, motherboards, and RAM, and assemble them properly at a plant in the country. I think the person (not I, unfortunately) who could build and sell a computer for under $100 US in a developing country could make a fortune, and be seen as a philanthropist at the same time. I don't think this is a pipe dream, but something that could happen tomorrow. We always think of computers as expensive, but they're just a collection of parts. These parts are fairly inexpensive if you don't want the most horsepower. I can buy a PDA with a 33Mhz processor that fits in my pocket for 99 dollars. Why can't I buy a desktop with a 33MHz processor for half that, considering that most of that $99 dollars goes into making the PDA small enough to fit in my pocket? I think that is a really interesting idea to build low cost computers from components. What I am not so sure about is whether the USD $100 or USD $200 price point is easily achievable. I remember a time when a friend forwarded me a web page that showed a Walmart PC for $200 and I was just flabbergasted. I had been considered PDAs as a platform for developing applications and one of my driving, burning motivations was - how can one reduce the cost of computerization and bring technology to many more people ? So coming from a mindset where I was looking at PDAs, comparing prices and features to get a sense of what kind of value each platform can provide, it was an eye opener to see that a full PC could reach that same price point. That means the PC is not going away anytime soon to be replaced by the PDA. Or maybe not ... How many people thought the mainframe or the minicomputer would die ? This is not to say that the mainframe really died, it is still available, still relevant to some businesses and operates in many of the markets that it used to dominate. What really happened was that the PC shipped many more units than the mainframe did and this turned the tables. I think despite problems like the lack of a keyboard, small display size and fewer features as compared to PCs, the PDA is going to exhibit the same feature. It will sell many more units than the PC, especially as its technology evolves to counter its limitations. Sure it will not be as powerful as a PC of the same time but it will get powerful enough that you won't really care. At that time, the real insight that the PDA is not about cost but about mobility and ubiquity will come and hit you like a hammer. The PDA will rule at the nexus of price, portability (that translates to convenience for the consumer) and wireless internet access (websites == mobile data from your desk, wireless PDA == mobile data from anywhere and everywhere). But as soon as you do not need portability, the PC will rule, which is why I suspect that you are focused on the optimization of cost driver factors for your niche. -- Guido Sohne[EMAIL PROTECTED] 203, BusyInternet http://sohne.net -- Fain would I climb, yet fear I to fall. -- Sir Walter Raleigh -- ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
Re: [GKD] World Computer Exchange Article
On Wed, 4 Dec 2002, Frederick Noronha wrote: What is really needed is a radical review not just of how we compute, but how we consume the world's resources, and what solutions are offered to whom. Some questions: 1. Has any study been done as to the impact of how long such computers actually serve in Third World locations? Are these being used effectively? Given the way hardware is made incompatible with that produced just two to three years back, aren't we fighting an uphill battle? How do we ensure computers are kept in a state of fair maintenance? I too would be interested in some studies to see how these computers are being used, and what uses they're actually put to. I haven't followed up with World Computer Exchange, but I imagine they keep records of the projects to which they're donating. Maybe someone on this list could point us to some resources on their website? I don't think incompatible hardware is as much an issue as you make it out to be. Most hardware these days is backwards-compatible to a certain extent, and if all the equipment is of a certain age, give or take 5 years, then hardware incompatibilities shouldn't come up all that often. The maintenance question is the most intriguing. Without some kind of training, specifically in building and maintaining PC's from spare parts this is kind of fruitless. Old hardware breaks far more often than new hardware does, and without an adequate training, or at least certification component, all you're doing is shipping over soon-to-be doorstops. 2. What is the impact of software going the bloatware way, which makes perfectly usable computers turn to junk due to the market-driven planned-obsolence model? This is surely true of Windows, and this is also getting to be increasingly true of the major distros of GNU/Linux (Red Hat/Mandrake), where we are getting big and bigger packages, in the name of keeping up in the race. Is someone thinking about this? Apart from the RULE project in Italy, one has not heard of building, say a KDE-Lite, for us poor cousins out here. (For that matter, it would serve everyone, and make fewer computers turn to 'junk' in the first place.) This is again, not entirely correct. RedHat and Mandrake are becoming very big indeed, but it's only because that's what RedHat and Mandrake users demand. Even the latest Linux kernel itself can easily run on the minimum hardware specified. Even the latest RedHat, with just a minimal desktop (RedHat does ship with WindowMaker, a very lightweight and user-friendly desktop) can easily run on a Pentium 200, a machine that was state-of-the-art five years ago. Also, there are numerous Linux distributions that are geared towards lightweight resource consumption. Check http://old.lwn.net/Distributions for a fairly complete list of Linux distributions that fit all kinds of specific needs. 3. What is the impact on recipients in the Third World? Is there no better and more sustainable way of getting access to PCs? Are such gift-horses appreciated well, or simply abused and misused by recipients, who feel they've got the PCs in an easy way anyway? Again, a good question that might be better answered by someone at World Computer Exchange. I have a slightly different take on this, my question would be: Is this the best solution for developing countries? Slapping together old PC's that were once expensive is certainly one way of meeting ICT needs in the third world, but is it the one that best suits the Developing world? Would they not be better met by building a cheap desktop computer, out of brand new, inexpensive parts. Computer parts are getting so cheap at wholesale prices now, that it would almost make more sense to get cheap CPUs, motherboards, and RAM, and assemble them properly at a plant in the country. I think the person (not I, unfortunately) who could build and sell a computer for under $100 US in a developing country could make a fortune, and be seen as a philanthropist at the same time. I don't think this is a pipe dream, but something that could happen tomorrow. We always think of computers as expensive, but they're just a collection of parts. These parts are fairly inexpensive if you don't want the most horsepower. I can buy a PDA with a 33Mhz processor that fits in my pocket for 99 dollars. Why can't I buy a desktop with a 33MHz processor for half that, considering that most of that $99 dollars goes into making the PDA small enough to fit in my pocket? 4. Is this only a question of hardware, or are other issues like software and syllabi equally important? In India, quite some schools have Microsoft-only syllabi. What are the long-term implications of this? As I said earlier, most of the training should be centered around keeping the hardware well maintained. Otherwise you'll very quickly end up with very charitable paperweights. The question of software and syllabi is an entirely different (and longer and more
Re: [GKD] World Computer Exchange Article
Well, I received half a dozen copies of Tim Anderson's posting on the World Computer Exchange. [***Moderator's Note: Due to a server problem, multiple copies of this message were posted to the List. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.***] I have nothing against Timothy in person, and have in the past written positively about this project. But maybe it's time for some critical questions to be asked. This approach kind of encourages us to think along business-as-usual lines. The West can go on 'consuming' computers in an irresponsible manner, at unsustainable levels, and one man's junk is going to become another man's treasure. A nice thought What is really needed is a radical review not just of how we compute, but how we consume the world's resources, and what solutions are offered to whom. Some questions: 1. Has any study been done as to the impact of how long such computers actually serve in Third World locations? Are these being used effectively? Given the way hardware is made incompatible with that produced just two to three years back, aren't we fighting an uphill battle? How do we ensure computers are kept in a state of fair maintenance? 2. What is the impact of software going the bloatware way, which makes perfectly usable computers turn to junk due to the market-driven planned-obsolence model? This is surely true of Windows, and this is also getting to be increasingly true of the major distros of GNU/Linux (Red Hat/Mandrake), where we are getting big and bigger packages, in the name of keeping up in the race. Is someone thinking about this? Apart from the RULE project in Italy, one has not heard of building, say a KDE-Lite, for us poor cousins out here. (For that matter, it would serve everyone, and make fewer computers turn to 'junk' in the first place.) 3. What is the impact on recipients in the Third World? Is there no better and more sustainable way of getting access to PCs? Are such gift-horses appreciated well, or simply abused and misused by recipients, who feel they've got the PCs in an easy way anyway? 4. Is this only a question of hardware, or are other issues like software and syllabi equally important? In India, quite some schools have Microsoft-only syllabi. What are the long-term implications of this? 5. Finally, are we willing to ask inconvenient questions, or just take the easy way out and swim with the tide? No offence meant... Just that we could go ahead if we asked the tough questions. FN ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
[GKD] World Computer Exchange Article
Dear GKD members, I just wanted to share this article that was in the largest newspaper in San Francisco. Best regards, Timothy ** Click the link below to see the website version and picture: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/11/1 6/BU68249.DTL -- Saturday, November 16, 2002 (SF Chronicle) New life for old PCs/Nonprofit group collects donated computers to aid students in developing nations Henry Norr, Chronicle Staff Writer One man's junk is another man's treasure. That old adage hasn't lost its relevance in the Information Age. On the contrary: PCs that Americans are ready to toss on the scrap heap can serve as a bridge to the Internet and the world of modern technology for young people in Asia, Africa and Latin America. That's the premise behind the World Computer Exchange, a nonprofit organization that collects working but unwanted Windows and Macintosh computers and arranges for their delivery to schools, education agencies and community-development programs around the world. Under banners reading PCs for Peace, the group's Bay Area branch will hold a two-day collection this weekend in Mountain View and Sunnyvale. Since its incorporation in March 2000, the Massachusetts group has shipped 4,000 computers to 585 schools with 217,000 students in Bangladesh, Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Kenya, Lithuania, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. With the hardware it hopes to collect this weekend, the group plans to add the Republic of Georgia to the list. A shipment to Bolivia -- the group's first to Latin America -- is scheduled for next month. Projects with numerous other nations, from Afghanistan and Barbados to Vietnam and Zimbabwe, are in the works. We're seeing more demand for our donated computers than we can keep up with, said Richard Gingras, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and former Apple and AtHome executive who serves as chair of the group's Bay Area chapter. For donors, the program is not only a way to put unwanted equipment to good use, but also a bargain: They not only avoid the fees many computer-recycling operations charge but also get a tax deduction. Volunteers will fire up donated machines on the spot. If they work, donors will get a receipt to file with their tax returns. Gear that doesn't work won't be accepted. BUSINESS DONATIONS ACCEPTED In addition to consumer-oriented collection programs like this weekend's, the group seeks volume donations from businesses replacing older PCs. Last month, for example, it cut a deal with the Palo Alto Research Center (formerly Xerox PARC), which is providing volunteer assistance as well as hardware. To comply with license requirements, computers are usually shipped with the operating system that was on them when they were donated. When donors have stripped the hard drive for security reasons, the group installs a copy of the free Linux OS. For groups that would prefer to have Windows installed on such PCs, Gingras said, We are exploring a solution with Microsoft, but haven't yet closed an arrangement. The group doesn't just dispatch the hardware, he said. It also works closely with recipients to make sure the the educational implementations within each country are appropriately planned and appropriately funded. Recipient organizations prepare detailed, 10-to-40-page plans, which -- like all of the group's documents, including budgets and the minutes of meetings -- are posted on the Exchange Web site. The Exchange advises that 10 percent of the computers received be set aside for spare parts. The cost of collecting, processing, shipping and installing a computer (with keyboard, monitor and mouse) averages about $75, according to Gingras. That money typically comes from sponsors in the recipient country -- a local university or foundation or, in a few instances, government grants. Hooking up with the World Computer Exchange has resulted in tremendous cost savings, wrote Daryl Martyris, a representative of the Goa Schools Computers Project in Goa, India, in an e-mail interview. His group, he said, has placed 380 donated computers in community Internet centers in 100 schools serving more than 20,000 villagers. Low-cost, good-quality equipment is practically impossible to obtain locally, he wrote. In fact, according to Dikenra Kandel of the Committee for the Promotion of Public Awareness and Development Studies, a nongovernment organization in Nepal, there would be no computers in most of these parts we are approaching for many years to come, given their financial situation, had it not been through WCE. Kandel's group has placed five to seven donated computers and provided training and implementation assistance to 75 schools in rural hill districts of Nepal, according to his e-mail. Both Kandel and Martyris acknowledged that relying on old hardware, with relatively slow processors, limited memory
[GKD] World Computer Exchange Article
Dear GKD members, I just wanted to share this article that was in the largest newspaper in San Francisco. Best regards, Timothy ** Click the link below to see the website version and picture.: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/11/1 6/BU68249.DTL -- Saturday, November 16, 2002 (SF Chronicle) New life for old PCs/Nonprofit group collects donated computers to aid students in developing nations Henry Norr, Chronicle Staff Writer One man's junk is another man's treasure. That old adage hasn't lost its relevance in the Information Age. On the contrary: PCs that Americans are ready to toss on the scrap heap can serve as a bridge to the Internet and the world of modern technology for young people in Asia, Africa and Latin America. That's the premise behind the World Computer Exchange, a nonprofit organization that collects working but unwanted Windows and Macintosh computers and arranges for their delivery to schools, education agencies and community-development programs around the world. Under banners reading PCs for Peace, the group's Bay Area branch will hold a two-day collection this weekend in Mountain View and Sunnyvale. Since its incorporation in March 2000, the Massachusetts group has shipped 4,000 computers to 585 schools with 217,000 students in Bangladesh, Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Kenya, Lithuania, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. With the hardware it hopes to collect this weekend, the group plans to add the Republic of Georgia to the list. A shipment to Bolivia -- the group's first to Latin America -- is scheduled for next month. Projects with numerous other nations, from Afghanistan and Barbados to Vietnam and Zimbabwe, are in the works. We're seeing more demand for our donated computers than we can keep up with, said Richard Gingras, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and former Apple and AtHome executive who serves as chair of the group's Bay Area chapter. For donors, the program is not only a way to put unwanted equipment to good use, but also a bargain: They not only avoid the fees many computer-recycling operations charge but also get a tax deduction. Volunteers will fire up donated machines on the spot. If they work, donors will get a receipt to file with their tax returns. Gear that doesn't work won't be accepted. BUSINESS DONATIONS ACCEPTED In addition to consumer-oriented collection programs like this weekend's, the group seeks volume donations from businesses replacing older PCs. Last month, for example, it cut a deal with the Palo Alto Research Center (formerly Xerox PARC), which is providing volunteer assistance as well as hardware. To comply with license requirements, computers are usually shipped with the operating system that was on them when they were donated. When donors have stripped the hard drive for security reasons, the group installs a copy of the free Linux OS. For groups that would prefer to have Windows installed on such PCs, Gingras said, We are exploring a solution with Microsoft, but haven't yet closed an arrangement. The group doesn't just dispatch the hardware, he said. It also works closely with recipients to make sure the the educational implementations within each country are appropriately planned and appropriately funded. Recipient organizations prepare detailed, 10-to-40-page plans, which -- like all of the group's documents, including budgets and the minutes of meetings -- are posted on the Exchange Web site. The Exchange advises that 10 percent of the computers received be set aside for spare parts. The cost of collecting, processing, shipping and installing a computer (with keyboard, monitor and mouse) averages about $75, according to Gingras. That money typically comes from sponsors in the recipient country -- a local university or foundation or, in a few instances, government grants. Hooking up with the World Computer Exchange has resulted in tremendous cost savings, wrote Daryl Martyris, a representative of the Goa Schools Computers Project in Goa, India, in an e-mail interview. His group, he said, has placed 380 donated computers in community Internet centers in 100 schools serving more than 20,000 villagers. Low-cost, good-quality equipment is practically impossible to obtain locally, he wrote. In fact, according to Dikenra Kandel of the Committee for the Promotion of Public Awareness and Development Studies, a nongovernment organization in Nepal, there would be no computers in most of these parts we are approaching for many years to come, given their financial situation, had it not been through WCE. Kandel's group has placed five to seven donated computers and provided training and implementation assistance to 75 schools in rural hill districts of Nepal, according to his e-mail. Both Kandel and Martyris acknowledged that relying on old hardware, with relatively slow processors, limited memory
[GKD] World Computer Exchange Article
Dear GKD members, I just wanted to share this article that was in the largest newspaper in San Francisco. Best regards, Timothy ** Click the link below to see the website version and picture: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/11/1 6/BU68249.DTL -- Saturday, November 16, 2002 (SF Chronicle) New life for old PCs/Nonprofit group collects donated computers to aid students in developing nations Henry Norr, Chronicle Staff Writer One man's junk is another man's treasure. That old adage hasn't lost its relevance in the Information Age. On the contrary: PCs that Americans are ready to toss on the scrap heap can serve as a bridge to the Internet and the world of modern technology for young people in Asia, Africa and Latin America. That's the premise behind the World Computer Exchange, a nonprofit organization that collects working but unwanted Windows and Macintosh computers and arranges for their delivery to schools, education agencies and community-development programs around the world. Under banners reading PCs for Peace, the group's Bay Area branch will hold a two-day collection this weekend in Mountain View and Sunnyvale. Since its incorporation in March 2000, the Massachusetts group has shipped 4,000 computers to 585 schools with 217,000 students in Bangladesh, Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Kenya, Lithuania, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. With the hardware it hopes to collect this weekend, the group plans to add the Republic of Georgia to the list. A shipment to Bolivia -- the group's first to Latin America -- is scheduled for next month. Projects with numerous other nations, from Afghanistan and Barbados to Vietnam and Zimbabwe, are in the works. We're seeing more demand for our donated computers than we can keep up with, said Richard Gingras, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and former Apple and AtHome executive who serves as chair of the group's Bay Area chapter. For donors, the program is not only a way to put unwanted equipment to good use, but also a bargain: They not only avoid the fees many computer-recycling operations charge but also get a tax deduction. Volunteers will fire up donated machines on the spot. If they work, donors will get a receipt to file with their tax returns. Gear that doesn't work won't be accepted. BUSINESS DONATIONS ACCEPTED In addition to consumer-oriented collection programs like this weekend's, the group seeks volume donations from businesses replacing older PCs. Last month, for example, it cut a deal with the Palo Alto Research Center (formerly Xerox PARC), which is providing volunteer assistance as well as hardware. To comply with license requirements, computers are usually shipped with the operating system that was on them when they were donated. When donors have stripped the hard drive for security reasons, the group installs a copy of the free Linux OS. For groups that would prefer to have Windows installed on such PCs, Gingras said, We are exploring a solution with Microsoft, but haven't yet closed an arrangement. The group doesn't just dispatch the hardware, he said. It also works closely with recipients to make sure the the educational implementations within each country are appropriately planned and appropriately funded. Recipient organizations prepare detailed, 10-to-40-page plans, which -- like all of the group's documents, including budgets and the minutes of meetings -- are posted on the Exchange Web site. The Exchange advises that 10 percent of the computers received be set aside for spare parts. The cost of collecting, processing, shipping and installing a computer (with keyboard, monitor and mouse) averages about $75, according to Gingras. That money typically comes from sponsors in the recipient country -- a local university or foundation or, in a few instances, government grants. Hooking up with the World Computer Exchange has resulted in tremendous cost savings, wrote Daryl Martyris, a representative of the Goa Schools Computers Project in Goa, India, in an e-mail interview. His group, he said, has placed 380 donated computers in community Internet centers in 100 schools serving more than 20,000 villagers. Low-cost, good-quality equipment is practically impossible to obtain locally, he wrote. In fact, according to Dikenra Kandel of the Committee for the Promotion of Public Awareness and Development Studies, a nongovernment organization in Nepal, there would be no computers in most of these parts we are approaching for many years to come, given their financial situation, had it not been through WCE. Kandel's group has placed five to seven donated computers and provided training and implementation assistance to 75 schools in rural hill districts of Nepal, according to his e-mail. Both Kandel and Martyris acknowledged that relying on old hardware, with relatively slow processors, limited memory
[GKD] World Computer Exchange Article
Dear GKD members, I just wanted to share this article that was in the largest newspaper in San Francisco. Best regards, Timothy ** Click the link below to see the website version and picture: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/11/1 6/BU68249.DTL -- Saturday, November 16, 2002 (SF Chronicle) New life for old PCs/Nonprofit group collects donated computers to aid students in developing nations Henry Norr, Chronicle Staff Writer One man's junk is another man's treasure. That old adage hasn't lost its relevance in the Information Age. On the contrary: PCs that Americans are ready to toss on the scrap heap can serve as a bridge to the Internet and the world of modern technology for young people in Asia, Africa and Latin America. That's the premise behind the World Computer Exchange, a nonprofit organization that collects working but unwanted Windows and Macintosh computers and arranges for their delivery to schools, education agencies and community-development programs around the world. Under banners reading PCs for Peace, the group's Bay Area branch will hold a two-day collection this weekend in Mountain View and Sunnyvale. Since its incorporation in March 2000, the Massachusetts group has shipped 4,000 computers to 585 schools with 217,000 students in Bangladesh, Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Kenya, Lithuania, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. With the hardware it hopes to collect this weekend, the group plans to add the Republic of Georgia to the list. A shipment to Bolivia -- the group's first to Latin America -- is scheduled for next month. Projects with numerous other nations, from Afghanistan and Barbados to Vietnam and Zimbabwe, are in the works. We're seeing more demand for our donated computers than we can keep up with, said Richard Gingras, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and former Apple and AtHome executive who serves as chair of the group's Bay Area chapter. For donors, the program is not only a way to put unwanted equipment to good use, but also a bargain: They not only avoid the fees many computer-recycling operations charge but also get a tax deduction. Volunteers will fire up donated machines on the spot. If they work, donors will get a receipt to file with their tax returns. Gear that doesn't work won't be accepted. BUSINESS DONATIONS ACCEPTED In addition to consumer-oriented collection programs like this weekend's, the group seeks volume donations from businesses replacing older PCs. Last month, for example, it cut a deal with the Palo Alto Research Center (formerly Xerox PARC), which is providing volunteer assistance as well as hardware. To comply with license requirements, computers are usually shipped with the operating system that was on them when they were donated. When donors have stripped the hard drive for security reasons, the group installs a copy of the free Linux OS. For groups that would prefer to have Windows installed on such PCs, Gingras said, We are exploring a solution with Microsoft, but haven't yet closed an arrangement. The group doesn't just dispatch the hardware, he said. It also works closely with recipients to make sure the the educational implementations within each country are appropriately planned and appropriately funded. Recipient organizations prepare detailed, 10-to-40-page plans, which -- like all of the group's documents, including budgets and the minutes of meetings -- are posted on the Exchange Web site. The Exchange advises that 10 percent of the computers received be set aside for spare parts. The cost of collecting, processing, shipping and installing a computer (with keyboard, monitor and mouse) averages about $75, according to Gingras. That money typically comes from sponsors in the recipient country -- a local university or foundation or, in a few instances, government grants. Hooking up with the World Computer Exchange has resulted in tremendous cost savings, wrote Daryl Martyris, a representative of the Goa Schools Computers Project in Goa, India, in an e-mail interview. His group, he said, has placed 380 donated computers in community Internet centers in 100 schools serving more than 20,000 villagers. Low-cost, good-quality equipment is practically impossible to obtain locally, he wrote. In fact, according to Dikenra Kandel of the Committee for the Promotion of Public Awareness and Development Studies, a nongovernment organization in Nepal, there would be no computers in most of these parts we are approaching for many years to come, given their financial situation, had it not been through WCE. Kandel's group has placed five to seven donated computers and provided training and implementation assistance to 75 schools in rural hill districts of Nepal, according to his e-mail. Both Kandel and Martyris acknowledged that relying on old hardware, with relatively slow processors, limited memory
[GKD] World Computer Exchange Article
Dear GKD members, I just wanted to share this article that was in the largest newspaper in San Francisco. Best regards, Timothy ** Click the link below to see the website version and picture: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/11/1 6/BU68249.DTL -- Saturday, November 16, 2002 (SF Chronicle) New life for old PCs/Nonprofit group collects donated computers to aid students in developing nations Henry Norr, Chronicle Staff Writer One man's junk is another man's treasure. That old adage hasn't lost its relevance in the Information Age. On the contrary: PCs that Americans are ready to toss on the scrap heap can serve as a bridge to the Internet and the world of modern technology for young people in Asia, Africa and Latin America. That's the premise behind the World Computer Exchange, a nonprofit organization that collects working but unwanted Windows and Macintosh computers and arranges for their delivery to schools, education agencies and community-development programs around the world. Under banners reading PCs for Peace, the group's Bay Area branch will hold a two-day collection this weekend in Mountain View and Sunnyvale. Since its incorporation in March 2000, the Massachusetts group has shipped 4,000 computers to 585 schools with 217,000 students in Bangladesh, Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Kenya, Lithuania, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda. With the hardware it hopes to collect this weekend, the group plans to add the Republic of Georgia to the list. A shipment to Bolivia -- the group's first to Latin America -- is scheduled for next month. Projects with numerous other nations, from Afghanistan and Barbados to Vietnam and Zimbabwe, are in the works. We're seeing more demand for our donated computers than we can keep up with, said Richard Gingras, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and former Apple and AtHome executive who serves as chair of the group's Bay Area chapter. For donors, the program is not only a way to put unwanted equipment to good use, but also a bargain: They not only avoid the fees many computer-recycling operations charge but also get a tax deduction. Volunteers will fire up donated machines on the spot. If they work, donors will get a receipt to file with their tax returns. Gear that doesn't work won't be accepted. BUSINESS DONATIONS ACCEPTED In addition to consumer-oriented collection programs like this weekend's, the group seeks volume donations from businesses replacing older PCs. Last month, for example, it cut a deal with the Palo Alto Research Center (formerly Xerox PARC), which is providing volunteer assistance as well as hardware. To comply with license requirements, computers are usually shipped with the operating system that was on them when they were donated. When donors have stripped the hard drive for security reasons, the group installs a copy of the free Linux OS. For groups that would prefer to have Windows installed on such PCs, Gingras said, We are exploring a solution with Microsoft, but haven't yet closed an arrangement. The group doesn't just dispatch the hardware, he said. It also works closely with recipients to make sure the the educational implementations within each country are appropriately planned and appropriately funded. Recipient organizations prepare detailed, 10-to-40-page plans, which -- like all of the group's documents, including budgets and the minutes of meetings -- are posted on the Exchange Web site. The Exchange advises that 10 percent of the computers received be set aside for spare parts. The cost of collecting, processing, shipping and installing a computer (with keyboard, monitor and mouse) averages about $75, according to Gingras. That money typically comes from sponsors in the recipient country -- a local university or foundation or, in a few instances, government grants. Hooking up with the World Computer Exchange has resulted in tremendous cost savings, wrote Daryl Martyris, a representative of the Goa Schools Computers Project in Goa, India, in an e-mail interview. His group, he said, has placed 380 donated computers in community Internet centers in 100 schools serving more than 20,000 villagers. Low-cost, good-quality equipment is practically impossible to obtain locally, he wrote. In fact, according to Dikenra Kandel of the Committee for the Promotion of Public Awareness and Development Studies, a nongovernment organization in Nepal, there would be no computers in most of these parts we are approaching for many years to come, given their financial situation, had it not been through WCE. Kandel's group has placed five to seven donated computers and provided training and implementation assistance to 75 schools in rural hill districts of Nepal, according to his e-mail. Both Kandel and Martyris acknowledged that relying on old hardware, with relatively slow processors, limited memory
