[ubuntu-uk] [mgjbroadbent at googlemail.com: [lugmaster] Fwd: Linux-refurbished Laptops for Nepal Appeal!]

[alan c]

(thanks for the information)

I very much welcome the efforts by the organisers, although there are 
unanswered questions implied - I cannot really understand the apparent 
priority need for computers when the local communications (telephone, 
internet connection) are not in place yet.
A similar thought occurs relating to power, where a priority would 
come to mind for a power generator first, maybe for facilities other 
than computers. The suggestion of various distros is also a little 
unrealistic - to my mind anyway - for a learning situation in a remote 
location - each distro will make very different demands on the users 
(in)experience.

I note this possibility but I will be continuing to look for other 
possibilities.
alan cocks

Alan Pope wrote:
> With the discussion on this list about doing work for charity, and reusing computers I thought this mail on the UK LUGMaster list 
> might be interesting to the group.
> 
> Cheers,
> Al.
> 
> ----- Forwarded message from Mark Broadbent <mgjbroadbent at googlemail.com> -----
> 
> Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2007 11:27:38 +0000
> From: Mark Broadbent <mgjbroadbent at googlemail.com>
> To: lugmaster at mailman.lug.org.uk
> Cc: eccn at spherica.demon.co.uk
> Subject: [lugmaster] Fwd: Linux-refurbished Laptops for Nepal Appeal!
> 
> Hi All,
> 
> I've been asked by a member of my LUG (Herefordshire) if the following
> notice could be circulated around as many LUGs as possible please.
> 
> All follow-ups to this should be directed to Matt Rhys-Roberts at
> eccn at spherica.demon.co.uk
> 
> Thanks
> Mark Broadbent
> Herefordshire LUG
> 
> ---------------
> A small business in North Wales has hit upon the idea of supplying a
> school in an impoverished area of Nepal, with refurbished laptop
> computers running Linux. In their own words:
> 
> "The Shree Garma Secondary School is in the Solukhumbu district of Nepal
> and is only 40 miles from Everest. It is extremely isolated and there are
> no roads. It can be reached by an internal flight from Kathmandu followed
> by a three hour walk. It is obviously very poor and most people are
> subsistence farmers.
> 
> The school caters for around 150 children of all ages. They have only the
> most basic facilities and no electricity. Their main priority is to have
> computers. Initially we are going to try and supply them with six lap top
> computers which can be charged in houses which do have electricity and
> longer term our aim is to develop a hydro power station which could
> potentially provide electricity to many houses as well as the school.
> 
> Katlan Trading Company based at The Souk in Llangollen is committed to
> helping this school through importing goods from Nepal. A percentage of
> all sales will go direct to the school. We are not a registered charity
> but instead are aiming to help through direct trade."
> 
> 
> The company wishes to enlist the help of any UK LUG members who can a)
> gather unused laptops, b) install Linux on them, and c) send them to a
> central collection point to be announced.
> 
> The ideal Linux distro remains to be decided, since equipment will vary
> greatly. However it is hoped, hardware permitting, that each laptop will
> have installed on it a minimum of: a working X server, OpenOffice (or
> smaller office apps for lesser machines), a graphics package, printer
> and network support, email, IRC, and of course the Nepali language as
> far as possible. There appears to be a Nepali distro already underway at
> http://www.nepalinux.org/ , which may be suitable for some hardware. For
> lesser machines, perhaps Damn Small Linux, Vector Linux or Knoppix may
> be more appropriate.
> 
> The village has no phone network yet, but one is anticipated there
> within the next 2 years!
> 
> Please contact me if you can contribute in any way to this project. I
> aim to help coordinate efforts to source donated laptops, test them,
> install appropriate software, then perform a final quality check. We are
> still at the planning stage, seeing who's really available to help. No
> doubt this project could generate some very good publicity for Linux
> abroad, waste prevention and fair trade.
> 
> Regards,
> Matt Rhys-Roberts, Wrexham
> eccn at spherica.demon.co.uk
> (Herefordshire LUG member)
> 
> PS. Further reading for inspiration (it looks like there's already a
> good & growing Nepalese Linux user base!):
> 
> http://www.researchut.com/repository/linux-nepal.html
>  A non-profit organization dedicated to promoting GNU/Linux in the
> kingdom of the Himalayas
> http://www.nepalinux.org/
>  The new release NepaLinux 1.1 is a relatively bug-free and revised
> version of the previous beta release.
> http://www.linuxnepal.com.np/aboutus/
>  A Linux enthusiasts' site in Nepal
> -------------------------
> -------------------------
> 


-- 
Kubuntu user#10391