the digital world for everyone... How to Get Involved
You can donate you time! In fact you can earn a GNU/Linux OS computer in exchange for volunteering. You can help us to repair and recycle computers; we will teach you any skills required.
If you want to get involved you will want to go to our contact page and give us your email so we can bring you 'into the loop'. We have many computers that need to be checked out. As we are getting moved into our new space there are certainly a lot ways you can help. 
Volunteer Opportunities With Us
LEVEL 1- No Experience Necessary
Computer Disassembly:
Take older computers and separate the parts out into steel, plastic, non-ferrous metals, light wiring, thick wiring, drives, circuit boards and processors.
Expect: to use a screwdriver and pliers. Minor cuts and scrapes. To become more comfortable with the inside of a computer.
Reception:
Hang out with us while we are open. Solicit donations, monitor fees, accept money, make entries into log. Be generally welcoming, answer the phone, and take messages.
Expect: to deal with a range of people, ranging from highly supportive to angry. To help carry computer components. Ability to carry heavy computer equipment a plus.
Outreach:
Help us by making copies, hanging up flyers, making radio announcements (PSA's), writing letters (bringing letters) to businesses. Sending thank you notes for substantial donations. Organizing our outreach information: flyers, brochures, hand-outs, etc.
Expect: work at your own pace.
Loading/Unloading:
- Go to people's houses who are unable to bring their equipment to the space (Access to a car important).
- Meet people at the space who can bring their equipment by, but not at one of our regular times.
- Load up vehicles bound for recycling.
Expect: Lifting heavy equipment. Erratic times (good transportation to space important).
Testing
(So far, this only exists for: printers, monitors, hard drives and RAM.) It will eventually also exist for: mice, keyboards, video cards, network cards, CD-ROM drives, floppy drives, and power supplies. This involves putting components into computers, and running a program in order to test it; then sorting between "good" and "bad" components.
LEVEL II: More technical roles (yes, you can learn how to do this!)
Builder
Building consists of three steps:
- Step 1- Eval
Determine CPU speed, check to see if a system posts. Label systems either with their specs or to scrap. Pull and sort drives, cards, RAM.
- Step 2- Assembly
Take a system that has been Eval'd, add a hard drive and RAM, make sure it has everything it needs to be a complete system. Test all basic functionality (keyboard, mouse, video, CD, floppy). Detailed instructions available.
- Step 3- Install GNU/Linux OS
Install a GNU/Linux operating system onto a system that has been assembled.
LEVEL III: Highly technical roles (these one will take some persistence to develop)
Network, Database, Software and Security Admins
Advanced skills needed to monitor the network, set up and manage a firewall, manage the database, manage the testing cluster, set permissions, maintain servers, secure the network.
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