[Yr7-10it] Retired computers available in bulk

Mon Apr 23 23:32:13 EST 2007

Our sister school in the Cook Islands doesnt want any more junk as throwing
it into the sea is no longer an option. They are just looking to extend the
life of the hardware they buy and the hardware they have. This is why they
are exploring stuff like Xubuntu, where we picked up the "No hardware left
behind" message.
     http://www.xubuntu.org/

Chap from GreenPC that I spoke to indicated that they established an Info
Timor enterprise in a tin shed and trained six East Timorese students for
six months in Australia to run a purpose-built IT Centre is being designed
to allow more Ubuntu Certificate-level training to be delivered. I was
really proud to read what they are doing to help empower a community with
this free libre open source software and the donated hardware.
     http://tulundili.infoxchange.net.au

Michael, that link to the computer recycling Byteback page from Boroondara
council<http://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/environment/waste/collect/recycling/computers>is
fantastic and an outstanding example of what every city council should
be
striving for. Sounds like a good letter campaign that IT student can
initiate to encourage a similar service with their local council. The guess
the thing we need to emphasis to the college admin is that it is now never
an option to fill the school dump master with toxic eWaste. If it costs the
school money and time to correctly dispose of this waste, then so be it.

I might be worth our while using some of the new suggestions posted here to
update the VITTA eWaste position statement and welcome your feedback.
     http://www.vitta.org.au/pubs/infonet/view.php?id=250 (may need VITTA
website login)

Regards Roland

On 23/04/07, Kevork Krozian <Kroset at novell1.fhc.vic.edu.au> wrote:
>
> Hi Roland,
>
> Yes, you are absolutely right to outline the great things we can do
> with our old computers.
>
> Actually I wanted to send these to East Timor, but the decision was
> made to see if local schools or groups could use it first after which (
> 30 days ) we would look at donating to East Timor.
>
> Alas, I am not sure what that poor fledgling nation would do about
> e-Waste when they are finished with them , when you consider the more
> immediate crises they are confronting just to survive ..........
>
> Thanks as always Roland for the magnificent work you do on these lists
> to keep us all informed and up to date.
>
> Best Wishes
>
> Kevork
>
>
> >>> rgesthuizen at gmail.com 22/04/2007 11:33 pm >>>
> www.*greenpc*.com.au  .. or pop a GreenPC brochure into buyers hands.
>
> Our school council supported the notion that college needs to consider
> the
> sustainable disposal of old hardware. Tossing it into the domestic
> rubbish
> or dump master was no longer an acceptable option. If there is no
> residual
> value, I can now pay for computer equipment to be recycled instead of
> pretending that the heavy metals do not exist and tossing it into
> landfill.
> We do a shuttle run to a merchant that disassembles the broken
> hardware.
>
> If we accept the notion that the supplier has a responsibility in the
> waste
> cycle, then schools need to consider the final destination for their
> old
> hardware. We already see this with printer cartridges and mobile
> phones. The
> prickly issue for me now is, should we take back old or obsolete
> hardware
> that was donated or sold in good faith to students? If we don't accept
> this
> responsibility, then we have to accept the practice of dumping toxic
> electronic waste in third world countries that don't have in place
> either
> the technology or systems for correct disposal.
>
> I must admit, when a student turned up with a "useless old computer"
> that
> refused to work, we managed to build a working Xubuntu Linux system he
> took
> back home as a second family computer. In an increasingly disposable
> world,
> the notion of "No hardware left behind" is appealing. Golly, I even
> remember
> John Widmer many years ago, getting the Internet running on IBM XT
> computers
> that others were donating to him.
>
> Kevork, I am greatly pleased and encouraged by your efforts to spend
> those
> extra hours (in your own time too I bet) to build up a batch of
> working
> systems and taking responsibility for its decomissioning, instead of
> tossing
> it all into the dump master. The return may be small but the investment
> in
> the future is priceless. Well done :-)
>
> Regards Roland
>
> PS: VITTA has produced an eWaste position statement if anybody is
> interested
> for a read:
>                http://www.vitta.org.au/pubs/infonet/view.php?id=250
>
> On 20/04/07, Kevork Krozian <Kroset at novell1.fhc.vic.edu.au> wrote:
> >
> > Dear Colleagues,
> >
> >    Please excuse cross posts
> >
> > Due a holiday upgrade of machines we have a total of 100 Pentium
> > workstations available for sale to any school or group that wishes
> to
> > buy in bulk ( 20 or more in one purchase ).
> >
> > The specifications are :
> > HP VL420 Workstation
> >
> > Intel Pentium 4    ....   1.5Ghz Processor
> > 256Mb RAM
> > 20Gb IDE Hard Disk Drive
> > Floppy Disk Drive
> > 10/100 Integrated Intel Network Card
> > AGP ATI Graphics Adapter
> > 4xUSB Ports (2 front, 2 rear)
> > Built-in Audio
> >
> > 17" HP72 CRT Monitor
> >
> > 104 Key PS/2 Keyboard
> > PS/2 Mouse
> >
> > Most machines will have a Windows 98 OEM Licence.
> >
> > Cost : $150 per machine.
> > Buyer to pick up
> >
> > Please email me off list if you are interested.
> >
> > Best Wishes
> >
> >
> >
> > Kevork Krozian
> > IT Manager , Forest Hill College
> > k.krozian at fhc.vic.edu.au
> > http://www.fhc.vic.edu.au
> > Mobile: 0419 356 034
> > _______________________________________________
> > http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
> > Year 7 - 10 IT Mailing List kindly supported by
> > http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment
> Authority
> > and
> > http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology
> Teachers
> > Association Inc
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Roland Gesthuizen - ICT Coordinator - Westall Secondary College
> http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au
>
> "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
> change
> the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has." --Margaret Mead
> _______________________________________________
> http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
> Year 7 - 10 IT Mailing List kindly supported by
> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
> and
> http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers
> Association Inc
>

-- 
Roland Gesthuizen - ICT Coordinator - Westall Secondary College
http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change
the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has." --Margaret Mead
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.edulists.com.au/pipermail/yr7-10it/attachments/20070423/c662cc57/attachment-0001.html