Build Form Response

This is the form response emailed out to prospective builders from the Volunteer@ email list.

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Thanks for your interest in Free Geek's Build Program. For even more detailed info than what we've listed below, you can check out our wiki page on the subject at http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Build.

Anyone who wants to volunteer time at Free Geek and can make it to our facility is welcome. Those younger than 16 years old must volunteer with a supervising adult. No computer experience is required. Our facility is mostly handicapped-accessible, and we are sensitive to and can work with people with different abilities.

HOURS: We are open from 10am to 6pm, Tuesday through Saturday. We are closed on Sunday and Monday.

TOURS: If you're interested in building 6 computers for us (and taking home the 6th one you build, if you like), your first step is to come down for a tour to check out our facilities and culture. Your tour guide can then get you into our system and sign you up for your first volunteer shift. We are located at 1731 SE 10th Avenue in Portland, and we offer tours at 11am and 4pm, Tuesday through Saturday. You do not need to make an appointment to take a tour, just come on down. Please try to arrive a little early.

You will learn a wealth of information about computers in our Build Program, which we break down into several sequential steps:

1. Hardware Identification -- builders learn to identify a myriad of legacy and modern component cards, RAM, drives, cases and motherboards. (Those with extensive hardware knowledge may test out of this step.)
2. System Evaluation -- determine which donated computer systems are up to Free Geek's specifications by examining motherboards and determining processor speed. Learn lots about hardware and basic troubleshooting in the meantime!
3. Linux Command Line Class -- this class is offered a few times per week. It teaches our builders some basics about how to navigate a computer using only the keyboard (not the mouse). (This class is no longer required, but interesting for people without Linux experience)
4. Build Workshops -- we teach volunteers how to perform quality control on systems that have been prepared by other students, assemble the hardware, and conduct basic tests to ensure systems are working properly. Build instructors are available to get you going and answer your questions. We offer build workshops twice per day, but it's a popular program so it can be hard to find times that fit into your schedule. The issues you'll encounter during this step will teach you a lot about troubleshooting.
5. After Build -- Once you've completed the build program you're welcome to continue helping in the build workshops. There are also opportunities to volunteer in Advanced Testing, Laptops, Macintoshes and Enterprise (servers).

We don't require any prior knowledge of those entering the build program, just the dedication to build 6 computers (which, in turn, are given away, sold in the store at very reasonable rates to help support Free Geek, or in the case of the sixth one, to keep if you like), and a desire to learn.

If you're primarily interested in getting a free computer and don't know much about them yet, you may want to consider volunteering in our Adoption Program before you start the Build Program.