Ubuntu Wiki

About Me

I am from New Mexico, and have been environmentally friendly/conscious from childhood, when my grandmother gave me an "Ecology" sticker book, followed up with a subscription to Ranger Rick.

I have a degree in Computer Science from the University of New Mexico (1991) and 16 years of work experience at Nokia (in varying positions). I have lived in Finland for 20ish years.

In 2010 I decided to finally try a long-time business idea -- simply to refurbish old computers, install Linux on them, and sell them cheaply to those in need of a good, reliable computer. Wanting to bolster my skills in the area I spent the summer of 2011 in Portland, Oregon as a full-time volunteer at Free Geek. Slightly side-tracked, it took me til 6/2012 to register "Koneet Kiertoon" ('Cycled Computers, as a rough translation) as a secondary name for a local co-op. The following December I rented permanent space in downtown Tampere (pop. about 220k) and have been promoting Linux and open source since.

Contact Information

Contributions

• OpenOffice advocate at workplace (Päivölä adult education center) 2008-2010.

• Converted PC lab to Ubuntu in Päivölä.

• Helped organize LTSP Workshop in Päivölä (2010).

• Full-time volunteer Free Geek Portland summer of 2011.
• I have been building and selling used computers installed with Ubuntu, Lubuntu and most recently Ubuntu MATE since roughly 1/2013.
• Sponsored Ubuntu Global Jam in 9/2014

• Currently about 50% of Code Club World's 1st year's material translated into Finnish

Future Goals

Hoping to continue selling refurbished, Linux-installed computers, "spreading the word" about Linux and open source in general. My hope is to help create not only a supply of Linux computers, but also a demand for Linux-savvy tech people AND help in educating said tech people.

Testimonials

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