[Computerbank] the LETS movement and us

[Peter Eckersley]

Bruce,

it does make sense to promote CB amongst LETS people (let's face it,
GNU/Linux is naturally popular amongst hippies ;P )


On Wed, 18 Jul 2001, Bruce McCubbery wrote:

> 
> Hello everyone,
> 
> It's my view that this is a whole ball of wax thing. What do I mean?
> 
> Wherever we are, we do what we can, in the ways we are best at doing. I,
> for instance, am just lucky enough to know how to switch my computer on.
> But that does not mean I can't help Computerbank, it means I do what I can
> for it outside of knowing about Linus or Linux, motherboards or ironing
> boards.
> 
> Also, the perceived difficulties of 'where do we get our next donations?',
> 'where do we get more helpers?', 'where will the money come from?' are all
> really part of the one thing. More requests for computers from the
> recipients we are set up to serve, means more people focusing on getting
> more donations, more to refurbish means we need more to fix them ready to
> go out ... but it's all bits of the same thing. The major donation stream
> will always be in the capital cities but relatively small towns can get
> local donations and the fabled can-do of the bush will see Computerbank
> nodes (branches?) like Coolah springing up across Australia. Coolah is what
> it is because of Michael White but the bush has many Michaels like him.
> 
> It happens I'm on a few strategic lists where I can promote the idea of
> Computerbank.
> 
> I'm on one called "ozlets", for people across Australia devoted to the LETS
> concept of trading goods and services for locally recognised "chips" (not
> money). I can't explain it well but to a degree they are simpaticos of
> linux people, fighting against 'the system' as it is. I mow your lawn, you
> give me a massage, Mary does babysitting, Jane is a dressmaker, Harry
> tidies up your backyard, you borrow tools and equipment -- all traded in
> gumnut terms, each local trading group having its own 'coinage'.
> 
> With your permission, I'd like to tell them about Computerbank, primarily
> saying "check out this site" but also saying what I've said before on here
> ... as long as you have a local who knows linux well enough and YOU supply
> the transport, anyone anywhere in Australia who fits Computerbank's other
> criteria can submit an application -- wherever they live.
> 
> I hope a few others on here can help me explain LETS better. 
> :-)
> 
> I want your permission to post about Computerbank to the LETS list in the
> terms I have said. Don't think there will be a flood of applications, there
> won't be, the membership of the list is small -- but they are scattered
> across Australia.
> 
> Regards, Bruce (melb)

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Peter Eckersley
(pde at cs.mu.oz.au)
http://www.cs.mu.oz.au/~pde
	
for techno-leftie inspiration, take a look at
http://www.computerbank.org.au/