[ale] Computers offered free to students

[Jeff Hubbs]

"Unlike commercial operating systems like Windows, Linux and software 
that runs on Linux can be updated for free and do not need to be 
replaced when new versions hit stores."

Great line to have included in the article.

- Jeff

Paul Cartwright wrote:
> why to go Brian!!
> http://onlineathens.com/stories/080908/news_2008080900419.shtml
> Computers offered free to students
> Group teaming with Clarke school district
> Story Photos - Click to Enlarge 
> Brian Pitts of Free IT Athens works on a donated computer recently at Common 
> Ground Athens, a group that assists local charities.
> Tricia Spaulding /Staff 
> By Blake Aued   |   blake.aued at onlineathens.com   |   Story updated at 10:43 
> PM on Friday, August 8, 2008
>
> Nearly 2,000 Clarke County students could get free computers this school year 
> thanks to an Athens nonprofit.
>
> A group called Free IT Athens is working with the Clarke County School 
> District to refurbish used computers and distribute them to students and 
> their families.
>
> The partnership gives poor children an opportunity to hone their computing 
> skills outside the classroom, said Ginger Jewell, director of technology 
> integration for the school system.
>
> "If you don't have access to the same tools at home, you're not going to be on 
> the same playing field as kids in communities where they take those tools for 
> granted," Jewell said.
>
> Free IT Athens recently finished a pilot project, loading free software onto 
> 130 used school computers and giving them back to the district for 
> distribution. Volunteers will refurbish 600 laptops this fall and another 
> 1,200 next year if all goes well, said Brian Pitts, a University of Georgia 
> graduate student involved with Free IT Athens.
>
> "This really aligns with our mission here - open-source software and getting 
> computers to people who need the resources, but don't have access to their 
> own," Pitts said.
>
> The used computers are 4 to 6 years old, but have enough memory to handle 
> Linux - an operating system open to upgrades by any computer expert and 
> distributed free on the Internet - and associated browsers, word processors 
> and educational programs, Pitts said.
>
> "There's no reason why a 10-year-old computer has to be a piece of junk," he 
> said.
>
> Unlike commercial operating systems like Windows, Linux and software that runs 
> on Linux can be updated for free and do not need to be replaced when new 
> versions hit stores.
>
> The school district keeps track of families who receive free computers so no 
> one gets two, but otherwise, there are no restrictions on who can ask for 
> one, Jewell said. In a district where more than 80 percent of students 
> qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, there is little need to check 
> income levels to decide if families are deserving, she said.
>
> The school system is not paying Free IT Athens, but asks computer recipients 
> to donate $25, Jewell said.
>
> Free IT Athens is located at Common Ground Athens, a nonprofit that provides 
> space in a Newton Street house and other assistance to local charities and 
> advocacy groups, but soon will start refurbishing computers in the more 
> spacious Hancock Corridor Development Corp. building, Pitts said.
>
> HCDC Executive Director Alvin Sheats said he hopes to work with Free IT Athens 
> to repair computers belonging to residents of the impoverished Hancock 
> Corridor community and teach them the trade of computer repair.
>
> Free IT Athens holds open houses at Common Ground's headquarters from 5-7 p.m. 
> Wednesdays. Volunteers are available to accept donations, fix broken 
> computers and give lessons.
>
> Erasing donated computers' hard drives and installing new software is easy - 
> it takes about 10 minutes, Pitts said - but Free IT Athens is looking for 
> volunteers to transport computers to and from the school district's 
> warehouse. For more information, e-mail freeitathens at gmail.com.
>
> Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on 080908
>