[PLUG] Speaking of FreeGeek

Rick Konold cccs at teleport.com
Sun Mar 30 12:56:03 UTC 2003


On Sunday 30 March 2003 11:19, you hammered the keyboard to write:
> I was there the other day looking for a small/thin pc.  I was dismayed to
> learn that they don't sell their hardware to the public.  There is a bit of
> stuff in the "store" but there was many cool-looking boxes piled up next
> door in the window that are off-limits to non-non-profits (although I am
> unemployed, don't think that counts.)

This is true, but needs some clarification.  The www.freegeek.org website 
says it all, but this is the gist of it breifly.  The Primary Mission of Free 
Geek is to recycle computers in a responsible manner, and prevent their 
dumping into landfills.  

As part of that mission, we also provide a means for people who cannot afford 
to purchase a computer to get one in exchange for hours worked in our 
processing of donated equipment.  We also make equipment available to local 
non-profits as we are able.  

We try to provide other services to the community, including in various 
education classes, mostly Linux related.  (see website for listing).

It was never the intention of Free Geek to be a reseller of used computers 
and components.  However there are many items that are not needed to complete 
our main mission, and these are offered for sale to the public in our Thrift 
Store.  While not everything you might want is for sale, there are many cool 
things available.  For example large monitors, various expansion cards, 
inkjet and lazer printers.   We often have things like PDA's, Zip Drives,  
and speaker sets with sub-woofers, depending on the whim of the donating 
public.

In closing, I will make a plea to save some of our white elephants.  We have 
a lot of old Sun boxes and monitors, as well as a couple of SGI's, and an HP 
NetServer that we need to be rid of, before we have to recycle them by a more 
destructive means.

Thanks for your support of our mission.

Rick Konold ~~ Linux Advocate
Free Geek Sales Coordinator

> Question is, anyone selling interesting hardware?  Wacky Willies NW is
> mostly monitors & keyboards. I remember their Aloha store being better, but
> it's been years and I don't get out there much at all.
>
> There was the place off Belmont & 34th?, but they turned unfriendly and
> always seem closed.  As mentioned earlier, the Thrift stores have gone
> upscale, I actually paid for a CueCat ($2) but I got that much fun out of
> it before throwing it in the drawer of future projects.




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