knowing what to do

[alexr_rwx]

So on yesterday's long run, I figured out what I need to do... I need to get involved with the local computer clubhouses again, this time with no particular agenda aside from "help out and get the kids exposed to cool stuff".

The degree to which Atlanta is segregated -- not just along racial boundaries, but class ones -- really hit me yesterday, and something needs to be done. And there are two clubhouses right here in the city, and there are a lot of kids who could benefit from this sort of thing... so I should help out. So I'm going to, so I sent some email and said "hey, I'm a CS student and I want to help; how can I help?"

Sound like a good idea?
http://www.computerclubhouse.org/

And for the Atlanta folks:
http://www.genesiscoalition.net/youth_services.html
http://www.whitefoord.org/

Comments

[scottique.livejournal.com]

That is a stellar idea. Good on you!

This occurred to me the other night, and I hadn't had the chance to talk to anybody about it yet, and you provide the perfect opportunity...

I know that GaTech kids tend to either hoarde or tinker with/destroy old computer and computer parts; furthermore, there is probably a classroom's worth of old computers lying around campus, unused. Georgia Tech should have drives to collect all these old computers and computer components, then get some lovely CS types to assemble/reassemble them into working computers, fit for donating to classrooms. You're right, something does need to be done.

Yay for Alex! :-D

[schizobovine.livejournal.com]

We've been doing this for our own group for some time. I gather up all the relatively old computers from brothers and try to make them do something useful, usually as a web/programming terminal.

jessejoe and I have been musing about the idea of building a Frankenstein-esque cluster of these machines to do some interesting computations, but that project is stalled as long as we both have school. =\

Helping out the disadvantaged always seemed like a good idea to me, especially when it's in my field of interest. The trouble is that I am a poor teacher to those that don't know much about computers. However, the gathering and assembly of machines for people to use would be quite up my alley.