I really wish there was a way to ensure the laptop is safe, regardless of its source. The chances with WMF laptop might be lower [citation needed], but nothing is guaranteed, and a clean reinstall should be done regardless (not a panacea).
On Fri, Mar 17, 2017 at 7:11 PM Risker <[email protected]> wrote: > Just noting as an aside that I'd be hesitant for the WMF to accept donated > laptops for redistribution. I expect that the WMF's own depreciated > laptops can be warranted to be virus- and malware-free; I'd be a bit > concerned from the risk mitigation perspective if they were to start > providing equipment from third parties that the WMF itself hasn't made sure > is safe, and I'm not sure it's the best use of WMF staff time to go through > that verification process. (Incidentally, I'd have the same concerns about > chapters and other groups.) > > I do really like the idea of the WMF and other groups with depreciated, > verified-safe hardware sharing this hardware with other Wikimedians, though > - it's a great idea. Laptops are the right things to start with; there may > come a time where other electronic equipment can be shared in a similar > way. > > Risker/Anne > > On 17 March 2017 at 17:11, Asaf Bartov <[email protected]> wrote: > > > I do know the Equipment exchange page, yes. I do not consider it an > > effective vehicle for this program. Reviewing it now, I stand by it > that a > > dedicated space on Meta with an explicit form gathering the information > we > > need is a better fit. > > > > Also, the program is about laptops at the moment, and is based on > > depreciated office laptops. We don't have much photography gear in the > > office, and aren't likely to have such gear to donate. > > > > Cheers, > > > > A. > > > > On Fri, Mar 17, 2017 at 10:14 AM Michael Maggs <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > > Thank you Asaf. Did you know that there is already a Commons page for > > > Community donations? > > > > > > https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons_talk:Equipment_exchange > > > > > > It would be worth linking your new Meta page to the existing one. > > > > > > Michael > > > > > > > Asaf Bartov <mailto:[email protected]> > > > > 17 March 2017 at 6:06 am > > > > Dear Wikimedians, > > > > > > > > The Wikimedia Foundation is pleased to announce a small new program > > > called > > > > the Hardware Donation Program. In a word, it is a program designed to > > > > donate depreciated (but fully working) hardware from the WMF office > to > > > > community members who would put it to good use. > > > > > > > > The program, including instructions on how to apply, is described on > > > Meta, > > > > here: > > > > > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Hardware_donation_program > > > > > > > > Please read the information carefully. I especially encourage you to > > pay > > > > attention to the program's design considerations, which determine > most > > of > > > > the decisions we'll be making. > > > > > > > > We currently have approximately 20 laptops ready to be donated. > > > > Applications are welcome. > > > > > > > > The upcoming Wikimedia Conference in Berlin (in about two weeks) > would > > be > > > > an excellent opportunity to deliver some of those laptops in person > to > > > > approved applications, so if you think you might be interested, I'd > > > > encourage you to apply as soon as possible. > > > > > > > > Please also help spread the word about this program, by forwarding > this > > > > e-mail to other Wikimedia lists you're on, and posting the link to > the > > > > program page on village pumps and *community* (not public) social > media > > > > channels or other communication forms you use. > > > > > > > > Special thanks to User:Anntinomy from Wikimedia Ukraine, who had the > > idea > > > > of asking about possible donation of older machines from WMF, and > > > inspired > > > > this program. > > > > > > > > Mini-FAQ: > > > > > > > > Q: Why are you doing this? > > > > A: WMF's Office IT determines a lifetime for work machines, and > > regularly > > > > replaces older machines. This creates a stock of older, working > > machines, > > > > that are available for donation. We can donate them locally to San > > > > Francisco charities, but figure that if we can find low-cost ways to > > > > deliver them to our own community members, that's so much better. > > > > > > > > Q: Am I eligible? > > > > A: Read the fine program documentation. > > > > > > > > Q: If I'm eligible, am I guaranteed a donated laptop? > > > > A: no. > > > > > > > > Q: Once these 20 laptops are donated, will there be others? > > > > A: yes, eventually. > > > > > > > > Q: How can you ensure people would use the machines for Wikimedia > > > > purposes? > > > > A: We can't. We'll be making a good-effort assessment of the > likelihood > > > of > > > > Wikimedia use, and make a decision to donate (or not) the equipment. > > Once > > > > donated, the equipment no longer belongs to WMF. We encourage, but > > can't > > > > enforce, reporting on impact achieved using the equipment. > > > > > > > > Q: I need a few laptops for my event in two weeks! Can I get them > > through > > > > this program? > > > > A: No. Read the fine program documentation. > > > > > > > > Q: I'm really happy about this! > > > > A: So are we! :) > > > > > > > > Q: I'm really angry about this! > > > > A: So it goes. > > > > > > > > Q: I have more questions! > > > > A: Hit 'Reply'. :) > > > > > > > > Cheers, > > > > > > > > Asaf > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > > > > New messages to: [email protected] > > > > Unsubscribe: > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > > <mailto:[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe> > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > > > New messages to: [email protected] > > > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > > <mailto:[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe> > > _______________________________________________ > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > > wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/ > > wiki/Wikimedia-l > > New messages to: [email protected] > > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > > <mailto:[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe> > > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > New messages to: [email protected] > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > <mailto:[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe> _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l New messages to: [email protected] Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe>
