Lil' Nick Neg recycles old PCs for those in need

He may not yet have the resources to build his own PCs and sell them on the cheap, but 15-year old Jacob Komar looks like he could well be a young Nick Neg in the making. As ABC News reports, Komar has already prevented some 1,500 PCs from ending up on the scrap heap since starting his "Computers for Communities" organization in 2001, with him performing all the necessary repairs and finding new homes for them among those in need. Now all he needs is a rivalry with another, bigger company trying to muscle in on his territory, to be followed by the inevitable announcement that the two have made up and will now be working together.

[Via The Inquirer, photo courtesy of ABC News]

[wmc @ Jul 30th 2007 2:26PM]

... he was 9 when he started "computers for communities?"

[Ben @ Jul 30th 2007 2:16PM]

nice to know that there are young people who still care about something. My little brother is 16 and who knows how he's going to turn out

[Evan @ Jul 30th 2007 2:21PM]

It is great to see a story like that pop up. We definitely need to take some responsibility for our waste. I know I have more than a few computers I could send over there sitting in my basement.

[strider_mt2k @ Jul 30th 2007 2:25PM]

I am reading this post and responding to same on a decent little machine I built entirely from spare parts to play with.

It's a Sub-1Ghz Duron CPU in a do-everything-averagely integrated motherboard with 630+ MB of PC133 ram, USB 1.0, and a 40GB HD. A USB 2.0/firewire card and 16x CDR drive round out it's bargain basement-itude.
I probably spent 50 bucks out of pocket on the WHOLE thing.

The system is running Ubuntu Linux and doing limited tasks like surfing Engadget or using AbiWord while listening to Slacker in the background.

These parts would have been in the trash or collecting dust in a hoard somewhere if I hadn't taken an interest in doing more with less for basic computing tasks.

As long as you go into it accepting the limitations you can do a lot with less, or even a little.

This kid is to be commended for helping folks out with his efforts to keep good machines running and useful!

Not to mention the fact that the robots will probably go easy on him when they finally take over.

[swampy @ Jul 30th 2007 2:33PM]

There's a much better photo of him here:

http://www.computers4communities.org/BOP/images/muah%20hahaha/136-3692_IMG.JPG

Screw Nick Neg: He can be the next Kevin Rose!

[Zzephyr @ Jul 30th 2007 2:47PM]

Awesome. I wish Jacob success.

[StrangeBum @ Jul 30th 2007 3:01PM]

I say that what this kid is doing is fantastic, especially on the level that he is doing it at. I worked at a local BestBuy for a little while and when customers would come in looking for a new PC, I would often ask them what they were doing with the old one and did the same thing that Jacob Komar here is doing. However, I went through a few computers before the workload from school, my job and repairing the computers themselves became too much.

I hope that he is able to take the coverage he is getting from this and really start something great from it.

[victor v @ Jul 30th 2007 3:02PM]

WHERE CAN I RECYCLE A OLD COMPUTER??
my area code is 90802
email- [e-mail]

[Miguel @ Jul 30th 2007 6:15PM]

A quick search for computer recylcers near Long Beach, CA turns up this:

Socal Computer Recyclers
1430 240th S St
Harbor City, CA

Also:

1st Free Computer Recycler
2301 Redondo Ave
Signal Hill, CA 90755

They're not IN Long Beach, obviously, but short drives all around.

[victor v @ Jul 30th 2007 9:27PM]

ok ty ty ty

[Rob @ Jul 30th 2007 3:02PM]

Although I applaud anyone who gets involved in recycling older computers to pass them along to those who can't afford them, it's important for the more developed countries to introduce more effective recycling programs. The PC companies don't particularly care about it. They may do some sorry attempt just for PR reasons. Other than that, they don't want to deal with the pc and/or peripherals once they leave their warehouses.

The worst thing I think is when these recycled computers are sent to less developed countries with no efficient recycling program of any kind. All this waste end up in the landfills burning with the rest of the garbage.

I don't want to sound like an environmentalist freak. But the PC industry needs to be more responsible.

[coffeepot64 @ Jul 30th 2007 5:53PM]

Once you buy something it is no longer the responsibility of the company to take care of it, or in the event dispose of (recycle) it. When you buy a gallon of milk is it the responsibility of the farmer to recycle your empty container? Same thing here, it is however up to local, state, or federal agencies to take care of recycling efforts in their communities. I respect what this kid is doing and if there were more like him, we would not be over taxed because people think it should be someone else's responsibility to take care of their trash.

[Rob @ Jul 31st 2007 7:18AM]

I wasn't implying that the pc manufacturers should be held 100% responsible for the pc waste. However, they do know of the thousands of toxic chemicals that go into their products, therefore should at least inform their consumers on how to dispose of their pc's once no longer needed/wanted.
Obviously just dumping it in the regular trash can is not the best solution/idea.

[sbrown @ Jul 30th 2007 3:19PM]

What a great idea. I wish him well for the future.

[Tom Fitzgerald @ Jul 30th 2007 4:53PM]

This is an inspiring story, but I do recommend that you look at a place called free geek (www.freegeek.org)

1500 computers is a nice start..

[js @ Jul 30th 2007 5:58PM]

Anakin Skywalker?

[johnzilla @ Jul 30th 2007 6:16PM]

Kudos to the kid, but this is by no means new or even news. People were recycling old computers and donating them to those in need long before this kid came around.

[Vic @ Jul 30th 2007 10:01PM]

I sort of recycle old PCs that I find outside by cleaning them up and giving them away to my extended family or friends when they don't have a PC or need one to "practice on" esp for the older family members. I can't ever see my self having room for 1500 computers though.

[Rex @ Jul 31st 2007 5:18AM]

cool, but u cant send them abroad cheaply,can u? hence be are back to the OLPC...

[noodle @ Jul 31st 2007 8:23AM]

1 ring to rule them all!