Organizers' Collaborative

Technical Tips for Small Nonprofits and Social Change Groups:

Sharing a High-Speed Internet Connection in a Small Office

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[last updated 9/30/02]

Many non-profit groups with 2-10 staff or interns use plain old modems and phone lines for their Internet connections. These phone lines operate a speed of 56K, which means that if you want to download updates to the virus protection on your computer it can tie up a phone line for 45 minutes or more.

Moreover, if your staff is logging into Hotmail or surfing the web for 15 hours a month, your phone bill is easily incurring $70/month of Internet expense. This money can instead be used to buy you something much better.

Agax is an expandable free Mac antivirus program. It offers both standard virus-scanning facilities and more advanced background protection - so you don't get infected in the first place.

The private and individual use of the AntiVir Personal Edition is completely free of charge!

The AntiVir Personal Edition offers the effective protection against computer viruses for the individual and private use on a single PC-workstation. In order to make possible an easy operation, the AntiVir Personal Edition is developed to the essential points.

For information about the fully featured, network-enabled AntiVir Professional Edition please visit http://hbedv.com.

Technical Tips for Small Nonprofits and Social Change Groups:
Acquiring an Inexpensive PC

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For old PCs, there are many more surplus computers on the market than for Macs. There are basically two options:

If have no funds to spare, and if you are located in a more populated area where recycled computers are likely to be available, you might want to sign up to receive donations at the Share the Technology website. We did it, and someone gave us a Pentium computer that they no longer needed. The minimum speed requirement we recommend if you want to get work done and use the internet is a 100Mhz computer. For using recently developed software like OpenOffice or Word2000, or for browsing complex web sites, we recommend a 300Mz (Pentium) computer. You will be able to get by with a slower computer only if you are planning to use software that, like Organizers' Database, is tailored for older PC's.

Technical Tips for Small Nonprofits and Social Change Groups:
Acquiring an Inexpensive Macintosh

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An old Macintosh is actually a lot easier to deal with than an old PC, because the user interface has remained fairly consistent over the years. For the older systems we are suggesting, you can go to the Low End Mac website for hints on upgrades and maintenance.

An older model Macintosh with a 13" or 14" screen is perfectly useful for word processing and database management and can be purchased for as little as $25-$50. A "Want Ad Weekly" magazine is a good place to go, provided the seller is willing to include the basic operating system word processing, spreadsheet, or database software (System 7.1, MacWrite 5.1, Excel 2.2, or Filemaker 4). Some of the models in this price range include LCII, LCIII, and IIsi. Just make sure you get at least 8Mb of RAM and that all components are in working condition.

Technical Tips for Small Nonprofits and Social Change Groups:
Obtaining Low-Cost Internet Access

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For $22-$24 a month -- the price of dial-up Internet service with a national Internet Service Provider (ISP) -- you should be able to obtain dialup Internet service from a local ISP along with support and software to help you get started. (In more remote areas, large providers like America Online (AOL) or Earthlink may be the only options that allow you to connect with a local phone call, so always check the access numbers before you sign up.)

If you can get by without telephone technical support, many areas have smaller Internet Service Providers who charge only $7 to $10 per month. In most places, Mac users can also use MacDialup.net, a Mac-only provider that charges $10 a month for 100 hours of internet access. With a low-cost ISP, there might not be a phone number to call and you might not receive an installation CD. Signing up might require web access in a library, at work, or at a friend's house, so that you can obtain your dialup numbers as well as detailed instructions for setting up your computer to access your new account.

Online Communication and Promotion