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Writings of EggXpert and Newegg staff, with contributions from the community.

Computer Tree

 

The following is a proposal only, and nothing is finalized or concrete until EggXpert can obtain approval, guidelines and disclaimers from our Legal department. Still, we are eager to help out and hope for more information soon, especially in regard to the roles that our community and Newegg will play. Be sure to keep an eye on the forums as we continue working out the exact details in the coming weeks. This idea and draft (albeit with some details edited out as of right now) originated with root and IamHydrogen, and the inspiration was a result of the good will in this thread.

 

Draft#1:

Subject: EVERYONE READ: Computer Tree

ATTENTION ALL GUILTY PEOPLE!

Do you feel guilty about something, or just want to help someone less fortunate this holiday season?

Today is your lucky day. We are hosting the first annual Computer Tree event!

 

What is the Computer Tree?

Similar to the Angel Tree, the proposed project would involve building machines for those less fortunate. Tons of people have spare (working) parts lying around that could be used towards a Frankenstein computer. While not powerful, these machines would be a working computer for people who can't afford one.

How can I help?

If approved, we would need donations. Lots of donations! Whether it's 5 dollars, an old 5GB hard drive, or a legit copy of windows XP, we can use it! If you have any spare parts (or money) that you are willing to donate for a good cause, please keep this in mind. More details will be released in the near future. We have a number of builders that will be building these machines and the bigger the inventory, the more machines we can build!

I know someone who could really use a computer ...

If you know of someone close to you that you feel could really use a computer, you'll have an opportunity to let us know and tell us why you think so. Remember, this would be for those out there who do not have a computer and could really benefit from one. Please know that you would be required to give us your physical shipping address (no PO Boxes) as well as the person you have in mind. We will also be publishing your story to the community, so they know who they helped and why they did it. If you have a camera and could record the 'unveiling' of the computer to the recipient, even better!
 

We hope to make this a learning experience for our community as well. So, as we begin to build these machines, we will be documenting all of the builds, step by step, from start to finish and publishing our work to the site.

 

Published Wednesday, November 21, 2007 9:06 PM by Archive

Comments

 

TempestKing said:

Awesome! I would be involved if possible :)

November 22, 2007 8:32 AM
 

Phoenix34 said:

I think this is a wonderful idea. Its about time someone started thinking of others instead of only thinking of them selfs. The rich get richer and the poor get pooerer.  

How about tax right off donations? The " Salvation Army " does it.

Another thought. If people donated money to newegg, then Newegg could build a computer at

cost for the poor.

Another thought for the owners of companies such as " Intel, Evga, an all the rest " if they sold their products at a fraction of the cost, then more people would buy them. If they did the math, they would clearly make more money.

Money making is a addiction for some people.

November 22, 2007 11:43 AM
 

jimtruscott said:

I'm in! I think this is a great idea, especially this time of year. I have a lot of parts to donate and maybe a computer or two for the right person. There will need to be some kind of control on this as some people will take advantage.

Let's get the ball rolling!

November 22, 2007 12:12 PM
 

HOGHAULER said:

HOGHAULER says let me know what you need in spare parts or if you want I'll help build some computers for you if you want to send me the parts to do it. I have spare floppies, cd rom drives vga cards, and a spare PSU 20 pin. I just voluntered my HDD's to someone else so sorry on that point.

November 22, 2007 12:16 PM
 

Selroth said:

This sounds great!!  I used to have tons of working, but old, crud laying around.  Schools and charities seem to be picky.  I already disposed of most of it, but I'm sure things will accumulate again.  

November 22, 2007 2:13 PM
 

tigere said:

I am in - I ve got a garage full of stuff - "dated" but configurable in able hands

Tigere

November 22, 2007 6:18 PM
 

sfenton said:

I have some really old stuff form a FreeCycler that I could contribute. Just let me know what is needed and I can check the pile before my wife throws it all out, me included.  :-)

November 22, 2007 6:45 PM
 

EkaInfinitos said:

I'm totally in for this one. I already do stuff like this at my local MAR site and I have some old goodies of my own laying around too! Keep us informed!

November 22, 2007 7:55 PM
 

freezy said:

I'm ready lets roll

November 22, 2007 9:56 PM
 

eLement said:

Agreed: This is a great idea,

If you need anyone to help build the PCs, I'd help out as much as possible.  Even if it was just making sure the parts of a computer would go together.

We would probably be best off getting a Windows 2000 Professional CD, they don't need a Key.  Let's just hope it's a legit CD.  If all else fails, we could install Ubuntu Linux.

Get me a few computers to build, and I could have then running with Ubuntu it a day or two.  I even have a Legit Windows 2000 CD laying around, although it's a special edition.  But no matter, no key is needed.

If are are putting some older computers into one machine, for stability.  Win2k or Ubuntu would be the best bet.

November 22, 2007 11:42 PM
 

jbc1394 said:

I also have a nice size collection, some dated but some not quite so old. this is a great idea. I also like the idea of a Linux Distro, they run graet on older hardware and less resorurces.

November 23, 2007 6:45 AM
 

root said:

I'm so glad that so many people are ready to help! I knew this was going to be a big hit with our helpful community. I'll announce in here when we have a thread open to start getting an inventory going. If you have a neighbor/friend/family with an old computer, get them involved too. I know I have at least 1 old laptop with a dead battery that could be used. Stay tuned!

November 23, 2007 8:54 AM
 

AlBob said:

i'm in have lots of parts...do we get tax brakes or something

Al-Bob

November 23, 2007 11:28 AM
 

eLement said:

I was thinking, maybe we should shoot for 2009.

Make it a big debut of this project.  We can try to get some publicity about it, if we manage to get out like 100 PCs.   Spend about a year gathering equipment, and assembling them, making sure everything works, etc.  Maybe the next year we can get more PCs out if we get some donations.  It would be a great thing for EggXpert and Newegg alike.

I think we should also keep a reference who sent us what part, and then when we build a computer give it an EggXpert model number.  EX<number>.  And then when we ship the PC out, we send a credits list with it., like who donated the parts for this PC.  We could also publish the credits list online for each EX<number> PC.

So a person could go on the site and type in the model EX-000-01, or EX-007-84 and get the name of who gave a stick of RAM, who built it, etc.

I can probably try to get some donations to buy brand new parts when we lack some.

We could also setup a sub-domain for EggXpert.com for the whole thing.  donations.* ; c-tree.* ; etc.  Could setup an E-Mail donations@EggXpert.com.  If organized, we could make this thing huge!

I am offering my assistance in the organization of the whole project.

-eLement

November 23, 2007 7:43 PM
 

AlBob said:

nice idea eLement

it would take alot of time but it would be a nice goal

Al-Bob

November 24, 2007 10:48 AM
 

eLement said:

Well,

As I said I can help out as needed.  But 2009 would be good to shoot for, so we know we have more computers running.

November 24, 2007 8:11 PM
 

CShilney said:

I think this is an awesome idea and I like what eLement said. I think this is a very realistic goal.

November 24, 2007 9:12 PM
 

eLement said:

Wow, I am an i***t.

Mind you when I've been posting I am ready for bed. So I was posting something I never clarified.

When I say '2009', I mean shoot for Christmas 2008.  Never really clarified it.  Which would ideally be November 15th - December 1st 2008.  That way the hardware can be delivered prewrapped in a large box.  And what not.

November 24, 2007 11:10 PM
 

IamHydrogen said:

Great ideas and support.  Another perspective / just some food for thought:

Why are we doing this?  Seriously, *ask yourself.*  The potential for good press for the egg and all of that was immediately recognized.  In fact, that potential was used to our advantage to get this going.  But that wasn't our focus, per se,  it was just more of a means to an end.

I tend to think more on the individual level.  Just picking a number here, if we could help out a dozen eggs....er people with a pc for the holiday, if you had the chance to have those 12 people in front of you, you'd probably see that quantity isn't directly related to the difference you can make.  Given our time constraints, admittedly, not much more may be possible.  But does that mean we shouldn't do it, or even try?

Hopefully we can answer that question together once we can discuss it in a thread.  The experience of the small-scale may help us to do the large-scale even better next year.  I'll be in support of whatever the group decides is best.

November 25, 2007 8:49 AM
 

cuggie said:

Hey, sounds like a good thing to do.  I would love to be involved

Cuggie

November 26, 2007 4:13 PM
 

eLement said:

I just threw out numbers, and ideas about the press, so the whole tree could become larger.

And I understand quantity isn't everything, I was simply trying to sound optimistic.  

I plan on helping out, but as I said.  We need to get a thread going, I would start one, but I didn't come up with this idea, so I think it should be best if someone like Root or IamHydrogen does it.

November 26, 2007 7:02 PM
 

root said:

Wow. I hate this commenting thing (and the auto comment of my vblog) Auden, was that ever fixed?

Anyways, you are thinking along the lines I was eLement, credit list (serial number--didn't think of that one though), and thinking about it on a large scale. I agree 100s would be AWESOME and we should realistically aim for the triple digits. And while it would be easier for us on the organizational part (as well as gaining donations), I'd like to aim for THIS Christmas, even if it's just a few computers.

I realize this was done late, but I think even if we just get 1 computer done, that's 1 person we helped and that (IMHO) is worth the rush. Next year will just be even bigger and better (and hopefully more funded).

Am I alone on this one? Comment back!

November 26, 2007 8:12 PM
 

IamHydrogen said:

Hey, for sure, bigger will be better, I just thought to remind of what we still can do, that's all.  I should really learn to type less...

root, in all his uber glory, obviously has more contact w/ staff, so I'm just another user on this one.

...so are you trying to figure out a way to work Zombie into the title, or what?  :P

November 26, 2007 9:30 PM
 

DaveM said:

I'm in for sure.  I actually have two machines that are sitting in my office to be donated to two families that desperatley need a new machine.  I'd be happy to build or configure any of these machines.

Dave

November 27, 2007 6:31 AM
 

bubbleman said:

Hmmm, I have 2 older Dell setups I've already refurbished.  I am having trouble finding a "needy donee".  There is a new halfway house in town, maybe I offer one to them next week.

November 28, 2007 6:55 PM
 

root said:

Sorry for the long delay guys. I'm trying to push this through but due to recent events (Black Monday), they are a tad busy lately. Hopefully we can get an Inventory Thread going and open up some type of method of PM'ing your 'needy donee' as bubbleman put it.

I will post up in here when we officially get the ball rolling. Please subscribe to this blog (comments as well).

November 28, 2007 8:30 PM
 

root said:

Can't believe I missed your comment Hydrogen...

Yes. I will have to think on how to use the word "Zombie" in the CT project.

hmmmm

November 28, 2007 9:55 PM
 

root said:

December 8, 2007 9:07 AM
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