Club Linux Coffs Harbour

Slashdot has been discussing this article:

Becoming a Linux OEM: A Roadmap

Which got me thinking... The Mid-North Coast could really do with a computer recycler. Matthew mentioned Computerbank, they seem to have a few outfits around the place but none that I know hereabouts. The general idea is to get old computers, stick linux on them and get them back into the community for as little money as possible!
Simple hey?

Armidale seems to be the closest, I'll have to go visit them next time I am over that way.

I have been a big fan of a Ralph's (sadly defunct) EcoGeek ever since I gave him a dead Apple Mac Classic and he got it going again using various bits and bobs from donated machines. As far as I remember it was just a dead hard-drive, so it must be more than the run of the mill repair job that stuck in my head. I did speak to Ralph a few months ago. I got the impression he was winding up because he was sick of being a sole operator on a low income - which is perfectly understandable. Thanks Ralph for sticking it out for as long as you did!!

I especially liked the cavern Ralph worked from (Not sure if he did!). It was underneath an old Queenslander house. The place was crammed with every imaginable bit of computer junk from the past decade or two. It still conjures up ideas of the perfect geek shed. In addition to the workshop was ReverseGarbage based on the same premise, I believe they have now taken over Ralph's 'computer cavern'.

Reverse Garbage is a great place if you have time to kill with the kids or even by yourself and you want some inspiration. It is a sanitised junkyard. This is great because we all secretly like digging through junk and picking out unusual items to take home. This is more popularly known as 'Consumerism' - you will see this widely manifested in the next few months as Christmas approaches. It is refreshing to go shopping in a shop that tells it like it is, "We would like to sell you garbage".

So anyone know anything about starting our own ComputerBank? or even Reverse Garbage?

I'm having a think about it.

More info:

Computerbank Victoria - http://vic.computerbank.org.au/

Reverse Garbage Brisbane - http://www.reversegarbage.com.au/

Ralph's (sadly defunct) Eco Geek - http://www.ecogeek.com.au/

Computerbank Queensland - http://www.cbq.org.au/

Computerbank NSW - http://www.cbnsw.org.au/

Computerbank Sydney - http://www.cbsyd.org.au/