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US Geeks Recycle GNU/Linux Boxes for Ecuador

An anonymous submitter writes: "According to this article on Salon, geeks involved with Indymedia are recycling 300 GNU/Linux boxes to send to independent media activists in Ecuador. The machines will be used to create free public computer labs across South America, networked with donated wireless 802.11b cards. Anyone wanna chip in to help cover the shipping costs?"

3 of 293 comments (clear)

  1. Hey, I've got a better idea by unicron · · Score: 4, Insightful

    How about we sell our boxes on ebay, and then send the money to make sure some kids down there eat tonight? I'm aware that these boxes aren't meant to be some poor child charity but this is easily the stupidest shit I've ever heard regarding acts of kindness.

    And another thing, semi off-topic, regarding charity. Why is it that people ooh and aww and feel their heart sink when Sally Struthers shows them pictures of starving orphans in some god-forsaken place, but then the next day can be found in a Dillards parking lot mortified that a homeless kid almost touched their Lexus?

    --
    Finally, math books without any of that base 6 crap in them.
  2. Re:Shipping? We Don't Need No Stinking Shipping! by tmark · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I hardly think the US Military is going to want to get involved in shipping computers to people who fancy themselves revolutionaries and who want to get the computers over there so that they can better coordinate their riots and protests. Medical missionaries these people are not.

  3. Amazing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    There are already a couple of posts here with people griping about how "all this effort" is mis-directed and should be spent on "domestic" kids.

    Its never ceases to amaze me how quick so many people are to critique an act of charity.

    Somehow kids are more deserving because they happen to be closer geographically/politically/culturally?

    Some guys at some location which happens to be in our country have for some reason chosen to help some kids at some other location which is not within out political boundaries. Should they be slighted because they haven't first helped everyone in their neighborhood/city/state/country?

    If you think there's someone out there who needs help who isn't getting any try this... help them. That's what these folks here did.