We The Geeks

I just got back from the Community Partnership and VoluneerFair at BGSU and am still reflecting on the whole experience. As a geek to the core I've been on the outside of society looking in for some time now. That familiar feeling came over me again today. Just how does a charity that refurbishes old computers to those in need fit in to the mix of all the other charities out there. to be honest with you, our table didn't attract that much attention,even though we were holding a drawing for a fee laptop!

Being a square peg in a round hole is nothing new to me. After all, while other people can't wait to get home and watch the game, In can't wait to get home and hone my recon skills in battlefield Bad Company 2. I'm the guy who does not own a Mac but recently received a copy of OS X 10.4 and is fantasizing about installing it in a virtual machine on my windows XP box for no purpose other than to prove I can do it! I got four versions of Linux running on my desktop and bootable Linux and Windows XPE on USB keys.I look at a computer loaded with spyware and viuses as a fun challange, not a job.

I'm really NOT tired of being that guy with his face buried in a computer screen 90% of the time. After all, who else can people call when their Windows box gets a virus, or crashes with a blue screen of death, or they accidentally format their drive and their important data, or they suddenly can't connect to the internet except for some damnable pop ups that tell them they have a spy ware infection. I can fix these things. I've got skills man! But what are we doing with our mad computer skills other than impressing our friends and coworkers?

We have developed our own cultures and subcultures around our favorite, moves/games/software/hardware. We now can frolic with other nerds in various venues and demonstrate that our fandom exceeds theirs. We have Mac Fests and Linux Fests and Microsoft Big Days. We have conventions to celebrate even the most obscure of geek fascinations.We can feel at home for a little bit with like minded individuals before we must return to the normal world of work, family and community.

Computers for Charity was started as a charity to connect us outsiders to the inside of the community. Its an outlet for those geeks with a social conscience to make a difference in our world. It would be much easier to return to my Army of Darkness Directors Cut on a nightly basis and let the world be damned. I know some of you look forward to watching the world burn from the comfort of your terminal window. Consider this though...

At the partnership fair I made connections with a other charities that were very interested in what we geeks do. Many of them are interested in providing computer solutions to their clients. One was interested in helping the disabled set up assistive technology software on their systems. Another wanted to add computers to their computer room in trier nursing home. Yet another wanted to set up a computer to their youth center and many need assistance with things like web development and setting up pages and causes on the social networks and the list goes on.

We have a lot of needs in our community going unmet becasue the right geek has yet to step up to the plate and take on the casue. Thats what were here for. At Computers for Charity we provide an outlet for you to use you God given talents for a good casue. Will you help us to take on these types of projects in our communtiy? The harvest is great but the workers are few. I'm praying that the Lord of the harvest will touch your heart and send you to assist us in this worthwhile endeavor.