Freekbox support policy

This document has been largely replaced by one located here.

The official policy for adopted boxes

Adopted by Council on 3/17/2004 http://lists.freegeek.org/pipermail/council/2004-March/000821.html

Free Geek will support you in your efforts to use your FreekBox, with certain limits. For the first year after adoption you are welcome to phone in or drop in with questions during Technical Support hours or join the FreekBox e-mail list (http://lists.freegeek.org/freekbox) and write in questions.

Free Geek promises that the hardware and software on this system will work properly for one year after adoption if:

1. the system has not been modified (except by Free Geek) and
2. it has been used as intended regularly since adoption and
3. it is used by the original Adopter or someone else who has taken the Adoption class at Free Geek.

Free Geek will attempt to correct problems over the telephone, if requested, but the adopter should be prepared to bring the machine back to Free Geek. Free Geek will solve the problem by either repairing or replacing the system or any of its components, including re-installation of our software if necessary. Replacements will be similar to or better than the original equipment. Every reasonable effort will be made to solve the problem quickly, but because of Free Geek's volunteer nature the machine may need to be left with us for some days.

While Free Geek will make an effort to protect user data including screen savers and other personalizations this cannot be guaranteed. It is often not possible. Adopters should keep backups of their important data.

Third party software (software not provided by Free Geek) is not covered by this agreement. We will help you, or point you to sources of help, if possible, but don't have the resources to keep up with changing conditions.

Hours

Tech Support Hours are from noon to 5.45 pm, Tuesday through Saturday or by appointment. We are closed, to walk in customers, for lunch from 1-1.30pm.

Other boxes not covered by the above policy (In Progress)

Grants

We support granted boxes in the same way as adopted boxes, as long as the OS is unchanged. We may help with installing special (open source) software but cannot guarantee functionality or usefulness beyond our standard install.

Store boxes

Laptops and Desktops purchased through the Freegeek Thrift Shop, are covered by a 6 Months warranty. After this they are supported for 1 year at a charge of $10 per issue + the cost of any parts needed. This charge may be waived by Free Geek staff for the following reasons:

• This is the first call.
• The solution to the problem is trivial.
• The problem is determined to be something we feel should have been dealt with before the box was sold.

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We do not offer tech support on Servers or boxes which have been changed to a different OS or distribution than we installed, or for which the hardware has been substantially altered after sale. We also cannot and do not guarantee that the boxes are going to work for your particular needs.

Older than one year.

We do not support boxes which were adopted, granted or sold after 1 year from the end of the warranty period except at our sole discretion. We retain the right to refuse to work on any system

What about Windows?

We do not support MS Windows or the Apple Mac OS. We have the knowledge and time to support Linux. You are free to install any OS you wish on a box obtained from Free Geek, but we do not have the resources to help you with it.

For similar reasons we do not support dual-boot issues.