[DC LoCo] "Less is more" laptops initiative

[Phil Shapiro]

Hi ubuntistas,

   When I saw that Staples is selling this pretty nice HP laptop for $349,
it made me want to install Linux Mint on it.

http://tinyurl.com/64svqjc

    Then the thought came to mind that it might be fun for our Loco to
have a little scholarship and sells this laptop, dual-booting to Linux
Mint, for $300. That means 10 of us would each chip in $5 to bring
another person into the Linux fold.

    The person receiving (i.e. buying at a discount from us) would apply
for the scholarship on a web site, listing their skills and interests.
This might be one way to get Linux into the hands of some local
college students who otherwise would find it difficult to buy a
laptop.

     We could load up the Linux side of the computer with tons of great
programs including GIMP, LibreOffice, Inkscape, Scribus, OpenShot
etc. -- along with screencasts explaining how to use those programs.

       I could also write up such a project for PCWorld magazine,
spotlighting the people who have received laptops via the "Less is
more" initiative.

        If you're interested in participating in such an initiative in any
way, thanks for sending me an email off-list with the subject:
Less is more

            phil

Interestingly, this laptop has a DVD burner, so the person receiving it
from us could help us in copying FOSS DVD's for free distribution here in
our area. They could also produce their own Blu-Ray DVD's using that DVD
burner.


-- 
Phil Shapiro  pshapiro at his.com
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"Wisdom begins with wonder." - Socrates
"Learning happens thru gentleness."