Last updated: 11/29/99
Making Computers and the Internet Available
low cost / no cost

Computers, the Internet and the World Wide Web are becoming more and more important in our daily lives. Finding good jobs increasingly requires these skills, and people often need Web skills just to find job listings and make their qualifications known. Clearly there is a problem here; those without good jobs may lack the money necessary to find the computers, Internet connections and knowledge necessary to find a good job, and so become caught in that situation.

Here on this web site, a group of people concerned about this issue is attempting to locate, list, and provide resources to help combat this problem, especially in the Detroit Metropolitan Area. This will be a work in progress, always incomplete but becoming more complete all the time, and open to suggestions and contributions from all who wish to help. Right now (November 1999) we do not have a formal organization, but we will create one when it will further this effort. And one web site cannot cure the whole problem, but it can help, and we will do what we are able to do.

  1. Why computers and the Internet are important
    1. Computer and Internet skills open up possibilities for more types of jobs, frequently with better pay
    2. The Internet is an important way to look for jobs today
      1. Places to post a resume and search for jobs
      2. Email communication is very quick and efficient. It is often used in finding jobs. An email address can help to demonstrate your skills
    3. While shopping the Internet does not guarantee the lowest prices, it often does have lower prices and more choices
    4. Literacy and literacy services can be part of the solution, since the Web is language-based
  2. Places to go to use computers at no cost
    1. Libraries, including Detroit Public Library main branch
    2. WSU
    3. etc.
  3. Low cost / no cost computers
    1. http://www.free-pc.com/home.tp
    2. eMachines
    3. Requirements (RAM, etc.). Suggestions for a good but inexpensive computer to use for the Internet
      1. 32 MB Ram (MB = Megabytes or millions of bytes, one byte is approximately one letter of the alphabet)
      2. Hard drive 1 to 4 GB (GB = Gigabytes or billions of bytes)
      3. 56 kb modem for Internet connection through telephone line
      4. Microprocessor. Speed (MHz or Megahertz) is not particularly important. Any rating of 100 MHz or higher should be fine.
        1. For IBM-compatible, Intel Pentium, or equivalent for Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) or other manufacturers
        2. For Apple, G3 or G4 processor
      5. A printer is nice, and there are many available for $100 or so, but at a pinch you can take a diskette to Kinko's and print it out
      6. Monitor, 15" is adequate, generally available at around $100
      7. Software
        1. Word processor for documents such as a resume
        2. Basic operating system (Windows or OS for Apple) will provide basic Internet connection, unless you get a commercial connection through an Internet Service Provider (ISP) -- most of these provide their own software
        3. For using the World Wide Web, a Web Browser. The two main ones are Communicator from Netscape (often just called "Netscape") and Internet Expoorer from Microsoft. Since these are free, it is most likely that there is at least one already on your computer.
    4. Remanufactured computers often meet the specifications above, at lower prices than for new computers.
    5. Donated
  4. How to donate computers to this effort
  5. Software -- see above
    1. What you will need
    2. Does it come with the computer?
    3. Buying software
    4. Installing software
  6. The Internet
    1. What you will need
    2. Low cost / no cost connections
      1. Detroit and other Freenets (free)
      2. www.netzero.com (free)
      3. www.worldspy.com (free)
      4. Others
    3. Web sites
    4. Wiring the schools
      1. Net Day
  7. Help, support and training
    1. Ask us
      1. David Bowen
        2311 A/AB
        Wayne State University
        (313) 577-1498
        email: d.r.bowen@wayne.edu
    2. Other sources - cross links
    3. Self help
    4. How to volunteer for this effort
  8. Spreading the word
    1. PSAs
    2. News stories
    3. Talks / workshops