I'm looking for free laptops for my classroom

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I plan to come to the UK next month (London) to find some school books for my class.
I wondered if anyone has an old laptop somewhere that doesn't serve anymore, still good enough to install ubuntu so that I could
teach my pupils a bit of computer skills.

I teach in English to French speaking pupils, being able to use a computer in English would be great for my pupils,
with programs as OpenOffice and Gimp I could easily do that. The only problem is I don't have the financial resources to
pay laptops myself. Since some people do not know what to do with their old laptop (laptop because my class isn't very big),
I thought maybe someone would like to give it away for free to help the school kids.

you can ask me any questions right here, or pm me

thanks

Lemon, if no one on WP offers you a computer, take a look on http://www.craigslist.com/ and http://www.gumtree.com/ . (Select the appropriate city.) Under the "for sale" section on Craigslist there is a "free" subsection, and under the "Stuff for Sale" section on Gumtree, there is a "Freebies" subsection. (A few years ago, before I moved back to Europe, I gave away some of my things via those websites.) They also have "wanted" / "Stuff Wanted" subsections, where you can post your request.

Unfortunately (and before you get your hopes up), the odds of getting a free computer via either website is pretty low. In the past I have seen used computers, often without an operating system, for sale at very low prices on ebay.

I'm just trying Logan5, who doesn't ask doesn't get anything,
I know that there are people who think education and school are important,
and who like helping schools. Also there are people who change computer every 5 years or less,
I'm suggesting a new life for the old one

Lemon,

How many computers are you hoping to get?

Are you aware that UK computers won't work in mainland EU?

If you don't mind, what school are you teaching at?

I - as a private individual - may be able to help/donate a few systems to your school, however, I will need to confirm that you are actually a teacher for an accredited school, and not some weirdo collecting tech for Pakistan/Afghanistan.

Get some cheap netbooks off of eBay when you get here. They go for about £200 new so I imagine they'll be really cheap used.

There's no way anyone on this forum will send you a free one.

I don't see anything wrong with Pakistan, but no I'm a real European teacher in Belgium, I'd say you can come an visit us, but I don't have any idea where you from. It might not be a practical invitation

Asp-Z, I think you haven't seen what people do in this life yet, they do amazing things,
education is one of them, every teacher you have spends hours teaching you, preparing his lessons,
patiently have your comments, and not be paid so very much for that, when i see all my colleagues doing this every day, people supporting this (building schools, pay the central heating, preparing all the food, do the cleaning, etc etc) for millions of children, then sometimes i think it's close to a miracle

(and i know there are lots of ugly things too)

Lemon,

Please see my PM to you.

I will re-clarify here - I won't be donating laptops to your school, unless you can confirm several issues for me:

1. The name and location of the school involved.

2. That the school will own the laptops, and not a private individual.

3. That the laptops will not be donated to any political or religious institution or group.

4. That the laptops are for 'pupil' use, and not 'teacher' use.

5. That the laptops will not leave the school premises at any time, for any reason.

My stipulations may seem a little restrictive, however, I'm not in any way interested in dealing/donating to an individual who will not adhere to the above conditions.

Asp-Z. your insistance that no one would share on this board just made me chuckle. I made my needs known about 4 years ago when WP would grind to a halt around 10PM (my time) every night because it was 2AM on the east coast and the WP server was being backed up and my ancient computer could not keep up. Out of the blue, someone just asked for my mailing address and a beautiful HP Pavilion laptop was shipped my way. The generous WP member didn't want to send it to the recycle after she got her brand new Apple computer and until it walked away in a home invasion burglary, it was a fabulous asset to my computing life. I am forever grateful to a stranger for an act of kindness that changed my life and have become more generous and selfless with others because someone was generous and selfless with me.

And Fixer-girl, I have known Lemon, and her family for years. I have pictures on my computer of her family with another WP member she visits when she goes to England, have her on my Skype and have followed her stories when she got the teaching job in her native Belgium, how she struggled as an Aspie her first very difficult year teaching, and cheered when she started to get her feet under her in her second year of classes. Lemon has many pics of her art work on the web and I have two of her marvelous paintings under consideration for my book cover. (executive dysfunction on my part, they are just too good to chose between! )
But anyway, she is no Pakistani/Afghan, but I commend you for asking those crucial questions. I have never recalled Lemon mention religion or politics, however she is a very spiritual person. I am typing this all out, and realize that you don't know me from Eve, either. (sigh) Anyway, I was just hoping to help a friend out.

thanks for caring, Fixer-girl. The world needs people that care!

Merle