Community Center Set Back: Theft
I have some bad news for people who were following my progress in getting an Ubuntu computer lab set up for a local Boston housing project. someone broke in to the secure server room and pinched all the computers and most of the monitors.
Rather sad set of affairs really and now we only have 2 machines left (which were somewhere else for repairs) and we hadn’t even gotten the center off the ground yet. So the task force will be looking to the Boston city to see if they can get some more computers to replace the stolen ones and the police will do their best to track old city office computers.
I just have to think, what could they possibly do with computers that old anyway? They’d only just about run Ubuntu well enough to do browsing web and a couple of other things. Oh well, best to just move forwards I guess and there is a grant in the works and locals who will no doubt step forward with help, so never fear.
Update: There was yet another break in, although nothing was stolen since we moved everything that was left behind. It’s shocking that these people would have the gall to try it again.
Hmm, that’s really sad to hear.
I’m just in the process of giving away a lot of my computer equipment here in Toronto, Canada… so it’s too far to ship to Boston.
What about donations from the community? Would that help at all?
There are enough computers kicking about in Boston that I don’t have much of a fear that we’ll find replacements. Money wise I think we’ll do ok.
Thank you for your kindness.
Hey doctormo,
Sorry to hear about the theft. I’ve had it happen to me before (though not computers) and it was the same deal – they stole a bunch of old stuff that was barely still usable – AND forgot the power cables! Oh well.
I have just the opposite problem right now, but I’m too far from Boston to help. I’ve been fixing people’s computers for so long that friends of these people even give me old computers. I have 4-5 at the moment and all would run Ubuntu just fine. Any idea what the best method would be to get them into the hands of people that can use them? Unfortunately I’m disabled, so I can’t set up a lab somewhere right now even if I wanted to. Maybe the free section of craigslist?
Thanks, and good luck!
Where abouts are you in the world Aaron? It might be worth getting some contacts in other Local Community groups to get on board, you never know if they’ll be able to to set up or augment a computer lab with ubuntu machines.
I’m very sorry to hear about this.
The two old computers I repaired and upgraded (with CF cards instead of hard drives, if you’ll remember) already have good homes. But if you need a spare ATI X1050, I can send it to you (I still have your maily).
Email me if you’re interested. It shouldn’t be any problem sending it over, but worried about it surviving the trip though. ^^’
Not to worry, we’ll pull through with the local community. It’s better that your ATI machine should help those around you if you can manage it. I know there are good places in New York for such things.
The alternative is that those responsible are found.
True that,… I just read it happened again it seems, so the last thing we want is a nicer target.
[oh, and yeah the graphics card is all by its lonesome self, since all my nettops and netbooks are too small and underpowered to use it] ^^’
Do you think this might be due to desperation, or perhaps by someone who doesn’t want you there?
It’s certainly possible, we’ll see how things pan out because I’m not fighting for myself, I’m trying to fight for the best possible services for the whole community and various people know that.