idea: hardware donation

[Carl Karsten]

Sam Tygier wrote:
> i dont know if this has already been done, but i was thinking.
> 
> i am sure plenty of people here have bits of hardware knocking around.
> i am sure some developers could benifit from testing machines, (either 
> for specific hardware support, or so they can run a stable desktop for 
> work, and mess around with a second).
> 
> 10 + 10 = 100 (sorry i was doing binary in lab today)
> 
> so how about a hardware donation system.
> 
> i can offer 128mb PC133 sodimm ram for a laptop
> to a worthy cause, can post to UK, can hand deleiver in Manchester (or 
> Bath)
> might speed up someones compiler or something.
> 

I had a similar idea.  I was going to put the word out to locals that I 
will take various boxes on loan and do 
http://www.ubuntulinux.org/wiki/LocalNetInstall every day until Breezy 
is released.  If there are problems, I would submit bug reports just 
like any other tester.  Once Breezy is released, the boxes get wiped 
clean and the owners can come pick them up along with a CD and any 
relevent notes, bug reports, etc that will help them get the box up and 
running.  (I am not going to be responcible for squat unless I am gettng 
paid, which might happen but I am not really counting on it. )

I was also thinking of helping the local computer store setting up a 
similar thing for the boxes they sell.

The advantage is the assembly line aspect of it. 
http://www.ubuntulinux.org/wiki/LocalNetInstall is a bit much if you are 
only going to install once.  If you are going to test, it keeps you from 
burning a CD every morning.  If you have a whole row of boxes, it really 
  starts to pay off.  This includes the bug reporting process - I wrote 
up some scripts to cp log files to a floppy and a 2nd to post everything 
on the floppy to a web server along with any jpeg's I had just shot of 
the screen.

Carl K