For one reason or another, I have not been as aggressive in terms of finding and/repurposing mobile tech to people who not just have a need for access, but also a need to learn some tech skills. I will admit, part of the issue is certainly linked to current financial difficulties, but a more signifiant aspect of this is linked to motivations.

Now, I can clearly remember most of the people that have received something from MMM. From students, to parents, to missionaries, it is something neat to see and at the same time the kind of change that effects the ground-level needs of communities (which is one of the reasons MMM is designed for teaching and training over building products).

I think that is why this tweet about tech-skills enablement that is happening in San Francisco is pretty neat. Not only is it the case that generations of users are getting the skills, but that their success in the program merits them a physical computer. At a teen center that I used to work at, we did a similar program, and had mixed results. Still, it made for an accessible and cleaner way for companies to relieve themselves of older tech while enabling communities to grow along with the times.

Do you do this with your old tech, or, is the hardware likely to stay in a closet or drawer while your skills stay for you to hone and others to receive from?