"Find A Computer A Home": Help
What We Provide
If you meet our requirements (see Obtaining A Computer) we will provide you with a refurbished, working, Internet-ready and fully-tested 3-8 year old computer which normally contains the following hardware, or better:
- Pentium 4, 1500 MHz processor
- 20GB of free hard drive space
- 512MB of RAM
- CD Writer, sometimes a DVD drive
- USB ports
- sound card
- network interface card
- keyboard and mouse and power cords
- a 17" CRT or a 15" LCD monitor
- a fully installed operating system (normally Linux) and numerous useful software applications.
If You Have Problems With A FACAH Computer
The majority of problems users have with their computer relates to unfamiliarity with either the operating system or the software. Please start by thoroughly reading and understanding the Help Files accessible on your system. The answer is probably in there or in the Help Menu item of the software in question. Help is always the rightmost menu item. You might also want to discuss your problem with a friend or relative who has more computer experience than yourself. Lastly, there are numerous computer texts at the GVPL for loan. There are also free computer training courses given by the Salvation Army and the Public Library.
Service
Given that there are only two of us volunteers, and our time is limited, we are only able to respond to malfunctioning hardware problems. This includes:
- your computer not turning on,
- your operating system does not load properly to the desktop interface,
- your monitor gets blurry or looses a colour, etc.
Please call us and we will replace the offending hardware component.
What we cannot help you with:
Because we have only 2 volunteers with limited time to dedicate to FACAH we are also unable to assist you with the following situations:
- teaching you how to use your computer and software problems
- problems caused by your attempting to load MS Windows over top of the Linux system we provide
- problems with any computer not supplied to yourself by FACAH
- problems caused by attempting to attach expensive new electronic devices (digital cameras, iPods, cellphones, etc). If you can afford these you can afford to purchase your own computer ;-)
Connecting to the Internet in Victoria
The Internet is a wonderful resource. Unfortunately, it does cost money to have a connection to it (unless you are happy to use the free 30 minute Internet sessions available at the Greater Victoria Public Library).
The least expensive Internet access is Telus HiSpeed Lite. That costs $20/mo, but you must be a Telus long distance customer. Full Telus HiSpeed ADSL costs about $35/mo. Shaw Cable Lite is $27/mo but you must already be a Shaw TV Basic Cable subscriber. Shaw Cable normal speed is about $40/mo. All the above prices include taxes and are from February 2011. Both Telus and Shaw offer special deals at certain times of year. Check with them. You do not need to be Internet connected before obtaining a FACAH computer.
Wireless: Many of our new clients expect that the desktops we provide come with a wireless card. Unfortunately this is not the case. Only laptops by default have a wireless card. You also should be aware that to obtain free wireless you must know the password to the router or assume there might be a free router in your building. This is usually not the case. You may request a wireless card from us but we rarely have these so you could be waiting for months. If you absolutely must have a wireless Internet connection then you will have to spend $25-$40 to purchase a wireless USB adapter.