Posted on 26-4-2002

Reincarnated As A Linux
by Robin Rowe* (Photo does not show Robin Rowe)

What is happening to the old computers being replaced by new Linux systems
at Industrial Light & Magic? They're being recycled at ACCRC (Alameda
County Computer Resource Center), the world's largest non-profit
electronics recycling center. Located in Oakland, California, ACCRC is a
self-sustaining, self-funded organization that trains unemployed, unskilled
volunteer workers how to build and maintain Linux computers.

ACCRC processes more than 200 tons of discarded electronic equipment per
month and provides refurbished computers to schools, scientists,
governments, non-profits, the underprivileged and the handicapped. A
Microsoft-free organization, ACCRC donated more than 5,000 computers last
year at no cost to recipients. Thanks to a donation from SuSE, every
computer that ACCRC distributes runs a full copy of SuSE Linux.

"We recently turned down donations of an aircraft carrier and a 727", says
executive director James Burgett. "But we are ready to handle a 727 the
next time one is offered." The ACCRC 38,000 square foot complex, a
converted ice cream factory, is home to a Linux cluster and a radio
station, and they are building a TV studio and a computer museum. The radio
station is KOOX 93.7 FM. The Linux cluster is 30 Athlon 850MHz PCs and up
to 350 recently refurbished PCs that are Pentium 166 or better. Rather than
throwing away cycles on test diagnostics, the cluster performs useful work
as a POVRAY-based renderfarm while the units are undergoing burn-in. The
cluster uses MOSIX (see MOSIX: A Cluster Load-Balancing Solution for
Linux") to transform racks of cast-off PCs into a single supercomputer.

ACCRC-provided computers find many uses. In Antarctica, the Chilean
expedition is using them to study ozone depletion. The Russian Space Agency
used them to keep Mir in space far longer than it was designed. Cambodia is
writing its new constitution on them. And every public school in the
Oakland area uses ACCRC computers on a daily basis. In addition, using the
Linux cluster as an encryption testbed and as a honeypot is under
consideration.

* Robin Rowe is is a partner in motion picture technology company
MovieEditor.com. He has led video R&D at a Fortune 500 IT company, taught
C++ at two universities and was an NBC-TV technical director. He leads two
users groups: LinuxMovies.org and OpenSourceProgrammers.org.