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Major Linux Hardware Donor Is a CNN "Hero"
christian.einfeldt writes "James Burgett of the Alameda County Computer Resource Center calls himself a 'tattooed freak' and a recovering drug addict, but CNN is calling him a hero (video) for diverting tons of computers from landfills, installing Ubuntu Linux on them, and giving them out to schools, non-profits, and poor people. Burgett's filmed interview is currently leading a CNN contest among videos of 'ordinary people' whom CNN considers everyday heroes, narrowly edging out the video of a man who is saving gorillas from extinction. In his interview, Burgett points out that the people working for him are also recovering drug addicts or recovering mental illness patients." Update: 10/02 23:46 GMT by KD : Reader stefanlasiewski posted a journal article describing how, bewilderingly, the state of California is threatening to shut down Burgett's ACCRC.
Is a hero in all of our books!
Well, back to rejecting software patent applications.
A guy actually doing something useful is beating out another guy doing something equally noble but less practical? Checks outside Nope, clear skies, no cats or dogs...
Linux, you magnificent bastard, I read the fucking manual!
Getting off drugs, both him and his assistants. VERY Cool.
Helping out schools. Cool
Helping the environment. Cool (though some in the "movement" would gripe about the electricity consumed).
Linux. Uber cool!
Chas - The one, the only.
THANK GOD!!!
The term "Linux hardware" is as non-sensical as "Windows hardware" (something I've never heard or seen either). Hardware has nothing to do with an operating system.
I just thought about it.
My conclusion? Not many.
"He repairs discarded computers and gives them to people who otherwise could not afford one."
Seems like that means that he's really not diverting that many sales because the people that are taking these computers wouldn't have got one anyway. I'm not saying what he's doing isn't great, but I doubt it's a thorn in Microsoft's foot.
Good for him, on a number of levels.
First, on a personal level, for taking control of his life back.
Second, on an environmental level, for saving unnecessary rubbish from a landfill somewhere.
Third, on a charitable level, for donating the results of his work.
Fourth, on an economic level, for using free software and cast-off hardware to do something useful.
Fifth, on a geek level, for using Linux to do it.
My hat's off to you, sir.
Bad for the Gorillas
I say skip the energy waste and toss them out now!
If this man is the one I'm thinking of, he's saving a lot of computers from landfills. Even those of us in the movement have heard what an ecological disaster that can be. "Reuse" is often the best thing you can do with a used item, even better than recycling.
When the axe came to the forest, the trees said, "Look out - the handle was once one of us."
If they do then how long until a MacDonalds complains that they spent all that money on making the air outside their store smell *really* good only for someone to "steal some of the smell without coming in for a burger as they passed". The TV broadcasters tried it "Tivo should be illegal to use because we spent all that money on programs only for people to choose not to watch the advertisements".
A more apt parallel might be with attempts to shut down used CD stores.
Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
It's pretty clear to me that he's talking about a museum (or some other organization) finding it useful for display.
On an economic level, we now have a substantial number of people who can learn about PCs, and possibly even gain employment with them, who couldn't before. That is 100% win.
Rampant carbon sequestration destroyed the Dinosaurs' tropical paradise. I'm here to help repair the damage.
I can imagine the headlines coming out of Redmond already... Anyone who uses Linux is obviously a mentally ill drug addict.
...I'd come up with the idea myself. I must have thrown out so many computers in my time that could have been converted to the Linux cause with just a tiny bit of work. I applaud this guy, not only for spreading Linux to as many people as possible but also for kicking the drugs. Way to go.
When did I realise I was God? Well, I was praying and I suddenly realised I was talking to myself.
If you read his blog you'll find an entry that identifies the State is working with him to come to a sensible conclusion so it appears that sanity has prevailed in this situation (probably generously assisted by the bad press the situation had created, but that's only an assumption).
So it's not as grim as it appears.
I also think his stance on the CNN vote is admirable - he has a very good point.
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