MUSEO DELL'INFORMATICA FUNZIONANTE
FREAKNET MEDIALAB
DYNE.ORG FOUNDATION
POETRY HACKLAB

PRESS RELEASE

About Us

We are the Freaknet Medialab, since 1994 we are the first free computer lab in Italy to provide free email and Internet access; Dyne.org, forge of free software programmers; Hacklab Poetry, a free computer lab in Palazzolo Acreide, a village 40 km from Syracuse, famous for its Greek Theatre and its historical and natural beauties. With us collaborate a world of enthusiasts, researchers, scientists and artists. Our activities' are recognized throughout the world and we enjoy the confidence of UNESCO and of the Free Software Foundation.

What have we done so far

We have succeeded in recent years to collect almost 2000 historical computers, with pieces coming back since the '60s. We have repaired many of these that are now fully functional, others are waiting to be fixed and brought back to life. This research and experimentation requires space that we never had; local institutions have never gone beyond the 'words'. Since many years we are looking non-stop for a place to start our activities around our museum: the challenge is to offer an alternative culture in southern Europe where unfortunately, so far, the only way to grow professionally was to emigrate for many of us as well.

What do we want to do

We decided to join our forces and rent space for a project to which we have already spent 10 years of dedicated research and cataloging: a Museo dell'Informatica Funzionante : a place where visitors, both physically or on the Internet, can use the historical computers we have collected, know their history, learn the basics of electronics and computer and share a piece of our path. A place to preserve, restore and share on the network the heritage made of hardware, but also documents, software, wiring diagrams, books and media of various kinds.

The vision of a museum like this motivates us already since a decade, making us pioneers in the emerging museum area, one that takes care of the history of computing and information technology (both hardware and software). Such museums are being built in these years around the world, attracting the attention and goodwill of both the public institutions and private benefactors. but after having visited some we realize that the uniqueness of some of the pieces we collect, as well as the history and software production that have made us famous in the world, make our Museo dell'Informatica Funzionante in Italy an excellence in its sector: in fact already since few years we have been able to attract in the village of Palazzolo Acreide experts from all over Europe, people to whom we are offering access only to certain computers in cramped and private premises.

We need help

We are looking for help to pay the cost of this first step and to be able to ensure a year of local structural expenses which amount to ~7000 euro: so we ask anyone interested to sponsor, to contact us and discuss what would not be a simple donation, but an investment that would have a strong response in the long run. Once assured the space in which to work at the museum for a period of X years, we know we can count on an ever-increasing visibility and a team of experts who have specialized outside Italy in both academic and commercial sectors.

To donate something, please visit this link: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=FYQHTJEFRKJU6

An initiative of this kind will pay back your trust with the gratitude of many fans and we will going to write a story together, we are confident that the museum sector in which we find ourselves will buy more and more importance in the years to come, and we are committed to respect the memory of those who, at this early stage, will believe in our work.

ComunicatoMuseoEn (last edited 2011-10-28 17:21:52 by asbesto)