U Weekly. Serving The Ohio State University in Columbus Ohio

Going 'Geek'

Helping the community, saving money, one computer at a time

By Adam Konvalinka

How can you prevent toxic metals from entering the environment, learn computer skills and get a free computer? Become a volunteer for FreeGeek Columbus. The organization builds refurbished computers out of donated parts, recycles what they cannot use and donates the computers to nonprofits and other community groups.

It's a great deal for the "geeks" as well, who have the opportunity to take home a refurbished computer after volunteering 20 hours and building two computers.

"People interested in computers tend to be loners, so this is a great way to make friends and share your knowledge," said Steve Lefevre, board member and Friday night Shop Geek (aka the person in charge, as he said).

But you don't need to be a computer whiz to join.

"I've always been interested in computers, I just didn't know where to go or how to get started," said Barb Waltz, a volunteer since 2007. From knowing nothing about computers she has progressed into an expert at computer hardware, she said.

Volunteers begin by taking computers apart and learning about the operations from the inside out.

"The more I disassemble, the more I learn about what goes where and how things fit together," said volunteer Latisha Head as she disassembled a computer into pieces to be recycled.

Volunteers then learn how to test parts and then how to build computers, board member Miles Curtiss explained. The final task volunteers must conquer before earning their free computer is completion of a one-hour "adoption course" about using the software.

"It's awesome. It's free and it can do anything you want," said Curtiss of the Package Synaptec Manager loaded on the computers. "If I want a music player, I just type music player and it will give me a list of free programs I can download."

FreeGeek started in Oregon as a way for people to responsibly dispose of their used electronics, help others get access to technology and teach people how to use free open source software (which comes with all FreeGeek computers).

The Columbus chapter was created in 2005, after an OSU engineering student pitched the idea to University Area Enrichment Association director Catherine Grives. The UAEA works on quality of life issues in the campus area and provided the initial funding to get FreeGeek off the ground.

The group eventually became its own nonprofit and is experiencing growth after moving into the Summit on 16th United Methodist Church, 82 E. 16th Ave., in January 2008.

According to the group's Web site, www.freegeekcolumbus.org, FreeGeek Columbus recorded almost 1,700 volunteer hours from nearly 300 volunteers during the first half of 2009. During that time, almost 200 computer systems were donated - 17 of which were refurbished and redistributed to volunteers and local nonprofit organizations.

The UAEA runs a computer lab out of the same church that is open to the public and used to teach computer classes. FreeGeek donated the computers and also provide a "Shepherd" to assist with technical issues or other support. Current classes include a group of students, college age and younger, learning the free photo editing program, "Gimp."

Grives praised the reliability and quality of open source technology. Yet for her, using it and spreading the word about open source is more an issue of economic justice.

"In my community and throughout the world, proprietary software is outside many people's availabilities," Grives said.

If she was offered new computers with proprietary software for the UAEA offices, Grives said she would probably turn them down. She stopped using conventional software programs when the UAEA moved into their new offices.

"I've become a software snob," Grives said. "I wouldn't go back."

Originally Published: January 27, 2010

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