Second Boot¶
A Big Nerd Idea Mutual Digital Aid program — refurbished devices get a second boot; people get a second chance.
Recover → Refurbish → Educate → Empower → Award.
Second Boot is a hardware recovery and digital literacy program operated by Big Nerd Idea Foundation. We collect donated and discarded laptops, data-cleanse and rebuild them on Ubuntu Linux with a curated open-source software stack, then deploy them through a structured digital literacy program. Completion of the program awards a device.
We serve schools, recovery communities, elderly adults, youth, veterans, the economically marginalized, and the incarcerated or previously incarcerated — meeting each group where they are.
Base: Charleston, WV · Status: Phase 0 — Blueprint & Foundation
The pipeline at a glance¶
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Recover | Collect donated laptops from businesses, schools, individuals |
| Refurbish | Triage, repair, secure data wipe, install Ubuntu 24.04 LTS |
| Educate | Modular seminars: digital basics, AI literacy, job skills, more |
| Empower | Hands-on practice on the device that will become theirs |
| Award | Program graduates receive their refurbished device |
See the full hardware pipeline →
What's on every device¶
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS plus a curated open-source stack: LibreOffice, Firefox, Signal, Bitwarden, GIMP, VSCodium, Ollama for offline AI, and more. Zero proprietary bloat.
What you can learn¶
Eight modular tracks. Self-contained, adaptable per audience, all completable in-person, hybrid, or at a partner site.
- Computer Fundamentals
- Internet & Online Safety
- Social Media Literacy
- AI Literacy & Tools
- Job Skills & Career Tech
- Creative & Expressive Tech
- Coding Foundations (optional)
- Seniors & Late Adopters Track
How a device is earned¶
The laptop is not a giveaway — it's earned. Four award tracks (Starter, Full, Youth, Seniors) plus a Mentor Grad upgrade path for alumni who return to teach.
Who we work with¶
Partners map →: makerspace · K-12 schools · recovery centers · reentry housing · senior centers · after-school programs · shelters · corporate IT donors.
Get involved¶
- Donate hardware — see Contributing
- Volunteer or partner — see Contributing
- Funders — see Grants & Funding and Impact & KPIs
- GitHub — github.com/Big-Nerd-Idea/big-nerd-idea
On our claims
Second Boot documentation follows the Big Nerd Idea Epistemic Honesty directive. Year 1 KPIs are planning targets, not promises. Outcome claims about program participants are hypotheses until validated with real cohort data.