Corey Snipes 🌱Jan 13

🛠️ 💻 In the spirit of repairability and keeping good equipment alive, I've gathered up a few retired Thinkpads from local surplus auctions. I'm upgrading the RAM and drives and will be making them available in the next few weeks. These will be cozy little Solarpunk machines, older equipment preinstalled with a lightweight linux desktop and all the software you need for browsing, writing, docs, email, managing passwords, and videoconferencing.

I would like to find each one a good home with a nice person who will appreciate and take care of it. If you know of someone in the USA who would be a good fit, please put them in touch. I will be sending these for the cost of shipping (estimating about $40) with a completely optional tip jar to help cover the cost of upgraded parts.

When I have more details together I'll send out a link but for now ping me with any questions. Thanks! 🙏

Show threadCorey Snipes 🌱Feb 18

Shipped out the first two rehabilitated Thinkpads this morning. These have SSD drives, upgraded RAM and are running Linux Mint instead of the usual bloatware/spyware. Light and lean. Yay for repairability. 🛠️

If there's someone in your life that needs decent laptop for general use, let me know. I will refresh and ship one at no charge. (Donations are welcome, to cover the cost of shipping.)

More info at the top of this thread.

#SolarPunk #RightToRepair #Linux #EthicalTech #reuse #EthicalTech

Show threadBrennan Kenneth BrownFeb 20
@coreysnipes wonderful initiative! I've done the the same locally (I just wanted an excuse to tinker with ThinkPads mostly), how do I donate to you for this?
Show threadCorey Snipes 🌱Feb 20

@brennan Excellent! My motivations are really similar, if I'm honest. Giving them away locally is a smart move. I've been thinking about that too, possibly integrated in a low-key linux install fest or small tech meetup. Maybe that's overcomplicating it. How have you found homes for yours?

TY for the donation offer. That's very kind. There's a "pay what you want" tip jar at the bottom of this page, if you're inclined: https://elephant.computer/tip-jar.html

Tip Jar

If you would like to help offset the cost of pairing, refreshing, and shipping an Elephant laptop, use one of the payment links or QR codes below. Thank you for supporting repair culture and equipment re-use! $40 (US) covers the packing materials and shipping to…

Elephant
Show threadBrambleBearSnoringFeb 21

@coreysnipes

@DoomsdaysCW is there anyone in Maine doing this kind of laptop refurbishment? Who could maybe teach folx how to do it too? Increase and spread cozy #solarpunk laptops?

Show threadDoomsdaysCWFeb 21
Not that I know of, @BrambleBearSnoring . But I will do some research and will post the results here!
@coreysnipes
Show threadBrambleBearSnoringFeb 21

@DoomsdaysCW @coreysnipes

I will try asking around (but don't really know a lot if folx) and maybe post some paper queries at libraries, coops.

Show threadDoomsdaysCW

So, I know I was using the correct search terms, @BrambleBearSnoring , because I found some events in Massachusetts from 2024 and 2025, but there is a serious lack of Linux Install Parties (I did find one that's tomorrow -- in Edinburgh, Scotland!). There is definitely a need for those sorts of events. Lots of paid courses on DIY and/or computer places that will do installs, but nothing free or low-cost. And the Linux meet-ups seem to have petered out. I wish I had better news, but maybe your idea is the way to go.

@coreysnipes

Feb 21 at 5:09pmWeb
Show threadBrambleBearSnoringFeb 21

@DoomsdaysCW

There must be some people around who know it. Worse case scenario, I can learn pretty effectively from books and messing around if no one else is around to topple my concentration.

If that works, a good project might be a visual art/graphic display book sort of tool for non-techy folx to learn this critical to future skill. Like a kids picture recipe only for grown-ups.

@coreysnipes

Show threadBrambleBearSnoringFeb 21

@DoomsdaysCW @coreysnipes

Well, I'll be solarpunked. Looky what I found in the interwebs~

https://www.linuxnest.com/reviving-old-laptops-with-lightweight-linux-distributions-performance-guide/

From Dust to Desktop: How to Revive Your Old Laptop with Linux - LINUX NEST

Got an old laptop? Don't toss it! Our guide shows you how to breathe new life into it with a fast, modern, and secure Linux operating system.

LINUX NEST
Show threadDoomsdaysCWFeb 21

Excellent, @BrambleBearSnoring ! That's way more up-to-date than the guides I found.

@coreysnipes

Show threadBrambleBearSnoringFeb 21

@DoomsdaysCW

Would that we could hop a solarpunk dirigible thingy to Edunbugh for that!!

Show threadDoomsdaysCWFeb 21
Exactly, @BrambleBearSnoring ! With old laptops en tow!