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Convincing Companies into Donating Old Computers?
tevk asks: "I work at a large corporation, and today I noticed the sysadmin was throwing a bunch of machines out. When I asked if I could take one, he said it was against company policy. When I asked if we could donate them to a school where my mother works, he said he would love to, but the red tape is almost impossible to work through. Apparently, due to legal concerns, it's easier just to throw the machines out! Does anyone know of any activism sites that might have tips on how to convince the company I work for to donate machines? Failing that, does anyone know any organizations who donate to schools? My mom's school is in rural Maine, so money is tight, and they don't see much in the way of Silicon Valley castoffs."
There are some problems with making donations.
One issue is software licenses. Many corporations have site licenses for software which wouldn't apply once the machine is donated. This may include the operating system.
Another issue is support. It may sound incredible, but there have been situations where a donated computer breaks and the school has called the donating company for support. That alone has stopped many a donation.