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About the Program
We provide second hand computers to the community as part of our professional responsibility to provide an outreach service. We think that in extending the life of older computers and making them available to people who otherwise would not be engaged with any form of computing, we will encourage the use of new technologies.
This scheme makes it possible for people to get involved in computing at low cost and no risk to themselves. In this way they may well, sometime in the future, take steps towards their own purchase of newer computers and software.
The Adelaide-based ACS PC Recycling Group relies on the generosity of both donors of equipment and their members who work voluntarily in receiving the equipment, reconditioning it, redistributing it and providing short term support to the recipients.
The scheme will take selected working machines of Core Duo or above (desktops) and Pentium IV (laptops) recondition them adding appropriately licenced or freely available open source operating systems software and application programs for word processing, spreadsheets and games.
If a recipient has specific software or hardware needs and we can meet them we will.
The ACS PC Recycling Group can also provide computers to those who would not qualify under the (MRR) program. We have a limited number of Windows XP licences or will use free software such as one of the linux distributions. We favour, support and promote Ubuntu [(http://www.ubuntu.com/)].
Our focus is on refurbishing computers for re-use, rather than recycling itself.
Our History
In 2000 the Australian Computer Society (ACS) launched a Special Interest Group (SIG) to address the dual needs of people without access to computers and to extend the life of personal computers by relocating them to individuals and organisations in need.
In 2004 the ACS PC Recycling Group became a Community Microsoft Authorised Refurbisher (CMARS). From 1 July 2010 this program has changed and we are now known as a Microsoft Registered Refurbisher (MRR), which allows us to provide a Microsoft Windows operating system to computers for eligible recipients.
Between 2004 and 2007 we, together with the Salvation Army's Employment Plus Community work programs, started the Work for the Dole program which meant that we were able to handle and refurbish many more computers to put back into the community. This program was expanded to include Uniting Care Wesley Port Adelaide who we worked with to provide training to unemployed people in the North Eastern area of metropolitan Adelaide.
Between 2007 and 2009 the ACS PC Recycling Group operated from premises at Glandore. It shut its workshop doors at Christmas 2009 due to a change in the market with demand for second hand desktop computers reaching an all-time low. It maintained a limited clinic service until August 2010 when it shared premises with the SA Branch at Eastwood on Tuesdays. It moved with the Branch to Kent Town in 2010 and now occupies its own space at 54 King William Street to provide a computer club and computers to clients.
Sponsors and Supporters
The program is a result of generous donors of equipment the first of whom have included the Barr Smith Library of Adelaide University, FH Faulding Pty Ltd, Adelaide Bank Charitable Foundation, C&PA and RAA. In more recent times we are grateful for the support of the Computer Recycling Scheme (CRS) who provides a significant number of the machines we refurbish today and The Yalumba Wine Company.
We also acknowledge the support of the now defunct Computer Industry Association of SA (CIASA).
Our thanks also go to Robin at Laptop World [(http://www.laptopworld.com.au/)]for his support of our limited laptop program.
Where are we?
You will find us at 54 King William Street Kent Town. We are open to the public between 2pm and 7pm on Tuesdays.
Appointments at other times can be made by emailing mailto:acscomcomp@internode.on.net or by phoning 08 7127 1581 on Tuesday. Our telephone answering service is monitored at all times and messages left for us will be returned as quickly as possible.
For a map to the location and to get directions to the office see the google map [1].
I Want a PC please
Just dowload and fill in the form at http://www.iss.net.au/pcsigform.doc (in MS Word format) and email it to mailto:acscomcomp@internode.on.net or send to ACS PC Recyclers Program, C/- PO BOX 333, FULLARTON SA 50631. Please ring to discuss the application and arrange a pickup date.
To be eligible to receive a PC and Microsoft software from the ACS PC Recycling Group through the MRR program an applicant must be one or other of the following:
- a holder of a current Health Care Card, Aged Pension Card, Disability Pension Card
- have some other form of documentation relating to low-income or disadvantage
- a charity or a non-profit organisation
The machines we can supply have mostly been donated by companies because they are not suitable to run the latest software or with the latest devices. This means the machine we can give you will be at least 4 years old and will have the sorts of facilities found in business machines of that vintage. If you need a computer capable of running the latest games we are not likely to be able to help you.
We introduced a charge for the computers we refurbish to help with the ongoing cost of providing this volunteer based service.
The current costs, as at September 2012, for a desktop or tower computer range from $80 to $250. Our computer stocks include core 2 duo desktops and pentium IV desktops and laptops. From time to time we do get given more modern laptops. There are various option packs for both laptops and desktops/towers including DVD burners, Skype headsets and Memory when available, details are on the application form.
Please contact us to discuss the current rates and specifications at the time you apply.
Country clients will have their computer freighted for free where possible.
What happens next?
When we receive your application we will allocate a computer to you that we think will suit your needs, if necessary we will talk to you about it. You will be contacted to arrange a time for you to collect your machine.
Please note: The current waiting time for a PC is between 2 and 3 weeks.
I can give PC/s to this program
If you have computers in working order that you're no longer using and would like to make them available to this program please contact us. Our minimum specification is a Core 2 Duo CPU for desktops and Pentium IV for laptops. Note: We do not take monitors, older equipment or non-working machines or peripherals, if you have such equipment to dispose of, try http://www.recyclingnearyou.com.au.
Contact
Our contact officer is Stefan Kreslin mailto:kreslsj@gmail.com or telephone 0401 495 010. If Stefan is not available please mailto:acscomcomp@internode.on.net or phone 08 7127 1581 and leave a message.
Triple-C Computer Club
This is a computer club for people who want to learn about using their computer. The idea is that people will join the Club at no cost and come along as often as they can to learn and to share what they have learned with others. It is likely to be volunteer led and driven, so if you have an interest in helping with the Club or if you would like to register your interest in joining the club and participating in the group's activities, email us with your contact details mailto:acscomcomp@internode.on.net?Subject=Triple-C%20Registration%20of%20Interest and we'll get back to you.
Other Schemes
Give us a call or email us for details about other computer refurbishing and recycling schemes or visit http://www.recyclingnearyou.com.au/ to find a local recycler.
Footnotes: 1. For the pedantic amongst you, the form is provided in MS Word so that most people who will complete the form can do so at a computer, avoiding the problem of handwriting challenges. Most computers will have MS Word or similar available on them and thus can adequately manage using this proprietary product. To provide the form in PDF format would prevent this operation. Using plain text, as in emails, makes it difficult for volunteers to locate the information they need on the non-standard layout that plain text typically provides. If you really must show how committed you are to the open standards cause, feel free to send the form using OpenOffice or similar.
