DC Area Linux Geeks and Do-Gooders- How Useful is this?

[PatriotX]

Here's an idea that could use some evaluation- an open source approach to computer recycling/re-use.
What are the lmits here?
How useful can these things be?
Are they only going to be geek-boxes or can us laymen use them too?

Dumpsternet.org
Dumpsternet.org "Mission statement"

Moore's law is awesome. To paraphrase, it states that processor capacity will double every 18 months. So far, Moore's law has never been broken. People rush out to get the latest and greatest processor as soon as it comes out. Great for video games. Companies can take advantage of new power to work more efficiently. Everyone profits. That's why we love technology. But let's slow down. Moore's law DOESN'T state that the "old" computers should end up in a landfill or on a slow barge to an underdeveloped country. In 1995, a 166mhz desktop with a 10gig hard drive was more computing power than NASA used to send humans to the moon. You can still USE this stuff, folks.

Dumpsternet.org is an open source approach to computer recycling. It's not a non-profit organization (maybe that will change, it's up to us). It doesn't aim to make material profit (however, you might add a couple trashed boxes to your network). The goal of dumpsternet is to merge the efforts of computer hobbyists into a community that will find applications for discarded hardware. In short, computers don't become obsolete, they just become undervalued.

Couldn't your local library use a few more computers for people to browse the online catalog with? Does your local church need a computer to keep track of events? Are you looking for a dedicated firewall/virus scanner for your home network? People throw away hardware that can do all these jobs and more. All it takes is a bit of effort, some creative thinking and GNU/Linux.

Dumpsternet mainpage