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Update: Linux Laptops, desktop computers.


Much has changed since the last post was originally posted here. The biggest change is the Computer Recycling project has started selling AS-IS Linux Laptops. All laptops go through several stages (not necessarily in this order):
  1. Evaluation
  2. Testing
  3. Wiping
  4. Linux Installation
  5. Cataloguing/Processing
All laptops are sold AS-IS with no warranty. This brings up the obvious question "why even test/wipe systems?" if you're just going to sell them AS-IS. The answer is a combination of things:
  • We rely completely on donations, Computer Recycling doesn't buy equipment through vendors or anywhere else (we simply don't have the budget to do this).
  • Much of the equipment is difficult to get parts for. Laptops tend to be very proprietary - two laptops with the exact same model number may have a different keyboard connector depending on the date and factory they were manufactured in (we've actually seen this when we tried replacing a particular laptop keyboard).
  • We help people from all walks of life, some people are a bit more rough on their laptops than others.
  • Laptops generally take more time to service than desktops.
  • It helps us keep the price down.
  • We only have a small set of skilled volunteers that work on laptops. While we have a huge amount of interest in repairing laptops we only have longer-term skilled volunteers working on laptops.
There are other reasons we don't sell Laptops with a warranty, but these are the main reasons. Generally we try to only build Core 2 Duo or newer laptops as older laptops tend to not stutter a lot when displaying Youtube. Every laptop comes with a sheet that lists any potential issues the laptops might have (1 hour battery for example).

Testing involves a number of steps that include:
  • Testing the hard drive
  • Testing RAM
  • Testing the wireless
  • Testing sound
  • Testing the battery life (playing a youtube video while on battery power)
  • Installing drivers (Nvidia, wifi, etc).
 Laptops start at roughly $60 for a Core 2 Duo with 2GB RAM and an 80GB HDD and go up from there depending on the CPU, RAM, drive size and battery life.

Of course we continue to build desktop systems and have an array of both Windows 10 and Linux desktops. To buy a Windows 10 system from our project you must qualify (using the Region of Waterloo Low-Income Cut Off) as a low-income individual/family. We buy new "Citizenship" licenses of Windows 10 along with licenses of Office 2010 Home and Business. Our Linux desktops (and laptops) are available to everyone.

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