[svlug] Let them eat cake (Linux for the poor)

[Hans Cathcart]

Let me first qualify that being poor in Silicon Valley means you are not
making enough to pay for rent by yourself in a cheap place.

But, on Wednesday I was chatting with a 3Com security guard, he was on the
graveyard shift, and he mentioned something about: "Someday I'll buy a
computer." And I wondered why he didn't have one already. Well, he said
that his salary wasn't all that good. (I'm guessing close to minimum wage),
which got me thinking. I reassured him that computers are getting cheaper
and cheaper and soon they'll be trivial even for someone with a not so
great a salary.

So I'm wondering is there any value finding used computers for low income
people, assembling them and installing Linux.  Is there any value in trying
to teach people that don't have computer experience at all, something as
relatively complex as system administration.  If it worked could people who
learn Linux, but have few years of computer experience get well paying jobs
in the valley? I always hear people focussing on giving computers to
children, which is a good thing, but adults need them also. In fact, if
adults manage to raise their incomes through computer technology skills,
this is a very positive sign for their children, perhaps even better than
focussing so much attention on kids.

Is the fact that Linux is free, and runs on really cheap hardware
potentially an opportunity to help minimum wage workers raise their
incomes?  I would never think of thinking about this in the Windows world,
because in order to improve skills there, you need money for software. With
Linux you only need time and patience.

What things would be required?

1.) CPU that can run X and Netscape
2.) Monitor
3.) Printer
4.) Phone and Internet connection
5.) Instruction and advice at Installfests and online.

I'd be interested in hearing what you all think.

--
Hans Cathcart ________________________ http://www.itavera.com/~hans/
   Itavera Inc. - Web developers for the embedded systems market
        w:650-369-8381 - hans at itavera.com - c:650-400-2707
________ Linux - The Operating System for the 21st Century _________



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