Computer Recycling idea and new features of Ubuntu focused website

[Timmy]

Hi everyone, this is my Computer Recycling idea and new features of
Ubuntu focused website post
Linux Computer Recyclers (OSGUI division - upgrade from been just a
community site to serve dual roles)

The idea is to obtain free obsolete computers and breath new life into
them by fixing them up hardware wise and loading Linux onto them for
the software. Then they can be sold very cheaply to people who don't
have computers or want to buy a cheap computer with Linux on it to
learn Linux for example... Also for this site to promote this idea
that every Linux guru around the would should also do to help bring
Linux into the mainstream wile also providing a community service and
helping better the world we live in.

Read much more:
The following is a list of my idea's, they may not all be possible or
a good idea;

* Obtain free or extremely cheap desktop, laptop, server computers and
parts.
1. Drive the car around to places where I might find old computers
thrown out on the street or in bins and pick them up.
2. Drive to other Computer Recyclers to see if there is free stuff.
3. Ask friends & family for their unused computers.
4. Advertise free computer recycling pick-up service to consumers in
Melbourne Australia.
* Collect the best parts only - ATX minimum Standard cases - may need
to take rubbish from people as good will and dispose of for them as
long as there is something which is useful.
* Minimum specs to keep - Pentium 3/Athlon/Sampron/Duron - 128B RAM -
5GB HDD or better - hardware only needs to be able to run Ubuntu or
other light-weight Linux Distro like Xubuntu.
* Cleanup and upgrade computers with available free parts - strip
parts and collect them to build up decent computers.
* Format hard drives and install a user-friendly Linux OS, like: Linux
Mint with Wine or Xubuntu... Always fine tune the OS to be more user-
friendly, and include things like Links to this site in the browser.
Make an offical list of apps and settings to change in a SOE document.
* Create website to adversities the services. [make it part of
OSGUI.com ] (make facebook group/pages to promote it too)
* Could Sell the computers on eBay and/or Trading Post and link that
into OSGUI site. (Keep them cheap, low profits)
* Offer general PC repair Services with fixed rates comparable to
those of CPL to consumers in Melbourne Victoria.
* Offer Trade-in's of old PC's to consumers in Melbourne Victoria.
* Offer Free old PC pickup service to consumers in Melbourne Victoria.
* Offer Linux installation and Training services to consumers in
Melbourne Victoria.
* Sell CD's/DVD's with Linux OS's & Software both Online (probably
through a 3rd Party) and directly in person/shop.
* Keep costs to a minimum - initially do not spend any money at all so
all old hardware has to be free..
* Obtain business partnerships with other Computer Recyclers and Linux
companies and organisations.
* Create and Print Business Cards and Flyers to advertise OSGUI site
and these services
* Create and print stickers to go on the items that may be sold which
says support can be found on OSGUI.com and has the logo.


When Business grows to have own office can offer more products and
services, like;

* New computers pre-loaded with Linux and always running AMD CPU's
* No Intel or Microsoft inside any products or used in the company.
* In-house Linux Training
* Demonstration computers running versions of Linux supported.

Website Idea's:

* OSGUI.com will be upgraded and expanded to focus on everything to do
with promoting Linux
* The site will service as Customer Service to the Customers who buy
computers from me.
* The site will allow all users to trade their Linux computers and
services, so as well as advertising my own Linux related services,
like PC recycling with Linux as the only OS, registered users will
also be able to sell their Linux stuff.
* OSGUI to have expended tutorials on Linux/Ubuntu.
* OSGUI to focus on the OS's that are supported by the business side
of advertising services.
* Perhaps junk/unrelated/ripped/unoriginal content should be removed
or made less visible and altered to be original and of more
usefulness.
* Extra features must be added to the site:
o Downloads - Ubuntu apps & OS's section
o Classified Advertisements / Store / Marketplace - to allow me to
advertise my products and services and also allowing other registered
users to do the same. (There would have to be some rules for the users
that should be put into a document on the site for them to agree to
when using this feature of the site
o Jam-pack the site with useful things to enhance the Linux experience
like nice Desktop Wallpapers.
o Re-design site look to be much more unique, attractive, effective,
optiomised for speed.
o Make more use of Module Blocks for each component put its good
modules o the front page and maybe other places too.

Scale back other unused website projects that are costing money due to
domain names, like PanicIndustry.com might be dropped.

Question to self: How will OSGUI.com have both Google Advertising and
provide advertising for it's own services? I will have to either not
have any Google Ads on the pages related to advertising the services/
products or edit the Adsence account so that it does not show ads
related to the same services on any part of the site.... Needs
investigation...

Anyhow. please provide feedback if you can think of any ideas or want
to help...?

A very exciting New Section is in Development on OSGUI.com. I have not
come up with a final name for it yet. But I discribe it as the OS GUI
File Reposetory Directory Database Listing system. It can be used
currently under the button at the top called Files.

It is a customisable Database which will be filled up with listings of
everything to do with Open Source, Operating Systems's & Software,
plus much more. It has an awesome search function which will make it
so easy fo users to find the Open Source project or anything else they
are looking for. It includes drop-down options for things like Minimum
RAM Required to run and much more. It has features like its own Image
Gallery, Uploads & Downloads ability, and a Comments & Ratings system.

Users can submit their own entries to promote their projects or just
to help out in the development of this exciting new feature. Please
register to contribute.

Here are some steps you can take to help me out:

1 register

2 confirm your registration

3 login

4 read a article then post a comment and give it a rating... repeat
this process until you have read all the interesting pages and left
comments and ratings

5 take screenshots of your desktops and upload them into your gallery
in your account

6 think of your fav software and post something about it on the site

7 post stuff in the forums

8 check out all sections and find ways to interact and leave comments
and ratings

9 promote the site by posting the best stuff on sites like facebook
and digg

10get your other geek friends to join the site too

11 post ads for any computers you wanna sell on the site

12 post adds for any tech service u wanna offer

13 provide any feedback to me on how to improve the site orif you find
any bugs

14 look on your hdd's for any files you could upload to the site that
would be in line with it

15 try out Linux again yourself and take screenshots of it when you do
then put them on the site. you could also write a review of what you
liked and didn't like about using this linux

i'm new to this user-group, i hope it was ok to post this like this
here

thanks,
tim

__________________
www.OSGUI.com
The name has a double meaning: the OS stands for both ‘Operating
Systems’ and ‘Open Source’, and the GUI stands for ‘Graphical User
Interface’.
http://www.osgui.com/content/linux/ubuntu.html