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JHMI Mug Newsletter Volume 4 Issue 1
Table of Contents
- Notes from the JHMI Mug Desk
- Article on places to donate/recycle your old computers
- Current Schedule of events.
- Vendor Discounts or Specials
Notes from the JHMI Mug Desk
It has been awhile since we have published any Newsletters, but this one will be a quick one.
As always, we are looking for folks to write software reviews or do write ups on how they use Macintosh computers in their environments. If you are interested, please contact me at mugadmin@mug.jhmi.edu
Some of you may have noticed already, but after months of neglect, I have begun redoing the JHMI Mug Website. I hope the redesign makes this site easier to use along with the information.
I have added a few new sections, one being the Reviews section which gets its own link on the left as well a a few others that are still in the works.
As always, more to come, so please keep coming back and checking out the new additions to the site.
Where can you donate/recycle your old computers?
Have you have trouble finding what to do with your old computer hardware after it has been replace? Below is an article that has some possible solutions for you.
You may also wish to view the Maryland Dept. of the Environments list of computer recyclers at
http://www.mdrecycles.org/computer.htm
Reprinted with permission from MDEnvironment, a monthly publication of the Maryland Department of the Environment. To see the original source you can go to http://www.mde.state.md.us/mdenvironment/index.html and look in the archives for the July, 2000 Issue
Non-profit links schools, businesses through hardware
By Richard McIntire
Tucked away in a small warehouse not far from downtown Baltimore is a months-old nonprofit organization that is filling the technology gap many schools are straddling while helping reduce the solid waste stream of businesses throughout the region. Less than eight months ago, Computer Donation Management Inc. (CDMI) began taking in abandoned computers and peripherals, then started tearing them down only to rebuild them for use by schools, nonprofit organizations and Third World nations.
Bob Donald and Mike Fannon, left, founders of Computer Donation Management Inc.,show computer drives and circuit boards that can be used in rebuilt machines. Standing among a convenience stressed computer graveyard neck-deep in central processing units and monitors, are Bob Donald and Michael Fannon, CDMI’s founders.
“We’re the first ones, we believe, that are doing this, trying to pull out the good machines to donate them first,” said Donald. “We’re getting in the middle making sure that only the good stuff gets through to those who need it. Then whatever is left, we do a salvage operation. We are primarily a donation operation.”
CDMI is unique in another way. It is set up so corporations can also donate to a specific group, school or charity.
Since opening, CDMI has provided machines to battered women’s shelters for vocational training, schools, and other nonprofit organizations. “We need specifications for what clients require in a system,” Fannon said. “We’re acting as a facilitator for them. We’ll do the grunt work and they get the byproduct.”
CDMI gets its reusable treasures from corporate, community college and school donations or during local government sponsored public drop-off days. During a two-day public drop-off event in Montgomery County earlier this year, CDMI collected 15 tons of computers—two tractor trailer loads.
Normally, CDMI brings in about 200 machines per week. Most of the machines are 286s, 386s, 486s & low end Pentiums that are usually 100 or 133 megahertz. A lot of 13- and 14-inch monitors also are collected. The firm saves 486s and better for donations, the others are salvaged.
The partners said the plastic used in computer hardware is hard to recycle since its is composed of “a mixed bag” of plastics. A precious metal refiner will incinerate old printed circuit boards— found inside a computer—to re-cover gold, silver, paladium, copper and other metals from the ash. The metals are separated, then used in the manufacturing of other goods.
Fifteen-inch monitors can be repaired in most cases. Fourteen-inch monitors are used in inner city schools and exported to markets in Asia and South America. There is actually a world shortage of smaller monitors, the men said. The only monitors that are “truly trash” are ones with amber or green monochrome screens. But the cathode ray tubes in irreparable monitors can also be recycled. They are made of glass, copper and lead. Tubes can be ground up and the remaining material given back to computer monitor manufacturers to make more tubes, so it is a closed loop system.
Other salvaged parts can include video cards, floppy drives, power supplies, hard drives, modems, sound cards, CD-ROM's, zip and tape drives. Floppy disks can be reformatted and reused as well. CDMI’s leadership also views its operation as a clearinghouse for spare parts. The men advise computer donors against removing hard drives, disk drives and other components. Without those key mechanisms, the machines are essentially useless and will more than likely end up on the scrap pile.
Donald and Fannon have known each other for a few years through joint school projects with their children. Donald has worked for Harford County’s solid waste division, while Fannon has been in waste equipment sales and waste hauling/management for many years.
As the nonprofit corporation grows, the men hope to work with other non-profits to provide training for clients so they can earn and learn a marketable skill. Training participants would assist in breaking down and rebuilding machines. High school students could come in and earn community service hours by dismantling, upgrading or testing rebuilt machines.
“As we go along we’re seeing more avenues of how this company could evolve, and how there is such a tremendous potential for it in so many different aspects,” Fannon said. “Not only in handling a waste stream that really isn’t being addressed right now, but also in where it is giving back to the community by providing training and jobs.”
The organization is currently seeking grant funding and partnerships for testing equipment so it can certify that rebuilt or upgraded machines are in prime condition.
“Whenever you read about computers and people doing computers, it’s always the latest and greatest technologies,” Donald added. “We’re more like the guys following behind the elephants in the parade with brooms and shovels cleaning up after everyone else has finished playing games with their computers.”
For more information on Computer Donation Management Inc., to arrange a donation or make a request for some computers, call (410) 525-1400.
[JHMI Mug Note: the number listed here is the updated phone number. Their Address is P.O. Box 27506, Baltimore, MD 21285 ]
Currently Schedule Events
Meeting concerning AppleTalk Migration Strategies
Where: West Lecture Hall, WBSB East Baltimore Campus
Date: June 6, 2001
Time: 9:30AMThere is an effort underway to bring our network to an all IP environment by Fall this year. As a result, AppleTalk will be discontinued on the JHMI Campus by that time. To assist you in migrating from AppleTalk to an IP only network, there will be a presentation by Apple regarding IP conversion strategies for the Macintosh platforms.
Please plan to attend to understand how these changes will affect your area and to gain ideas on now you can migrate your Macintosh computers to an all IP network. The conversion of your departmental systems remains your responsibility.
( Member userid/password needed. If you don't have it and you are a member, please contact mugadmin@mug.jhmi.edu )
- MUG Store Specials
- Strider Software
- Specials from Wacom
- MovieWorks
- Modem Magic 5.0
- Velocity Upgrades/RAM special
- QuickTime Streaming Consultation
