Help
Me Buy a Laptop!
Buy a laser-etched advertisement on the laptop! Have your ad
shown all over the San Francisco Bay Area! Check back often for progress updates
and photos...
Current Funds Raised (minus fees): $1,458.64
Example Laptop Design: (will be updated as I get more ads!)
Current Sponsors
Contributors (please let me know if you want your name here): Ted Grubb, Joseph Sardone, Victor Rios, rempire, Dejan Pantic, Alexander Kellett, Tommy Williamson, Bruce Webster, Anthony Pitale, Phiroze Dalal, PC Pal of Connecticut, Tsunhin Wong, Bill Fong, Mark Khalife
Coming soon... beers for contributers photo gallery!
How to purchase an ad:
If you're making a donation but not buying a square, please let me know if you would like your name and a link on this page.
Update 2006-09-27 (night):
Ads! Ads! Ads! I think seeing the laptop covered with ads would be really funny and way better than making money. I've sold a few ads, but no artwork has been emailed to me yet ... boring.
So now I've changed the price to only $50 per square inch! That's plenty to cover the cost of the laptop expenses. Send me your best ads - funny, creative, and original! Best ad design wins this amazing Apple mouse!
you
know you want it!
Update 2006-09-27:
Hi all! Thanks for checking out this page and supporting my computer upgrade. I didn't expect such a large response (thanks Digg and Gizmodo!) so I'll try to get a bit more organized about this. Please check back often for updates!
Day 1 
google analytics!
I've added more information about purchasing ad space, specifically a nice image and email instructions. Please support the generous sponsors by visiting their websites!
About the cost of ads: I didn't give too much thought to the price of the ads. This is definitely not a get-rich-quick scheme, just laziness and bad math. At the going rate, if I sell all those squares I will have made: 9 x 14 - 4 (Apple, you owe me) - 6 (Squid Labs laser etcher usage) = 116 squares x $150 = $17400 (minus some Paypal fees). This is way more than the going rate for a Macbook Pro! If I make more than needed to purchase the laptop, I'll come up with something nice to do with the money. Suggestions are welcome. Perhaps a way to buy many people some beer.
This is my current computer. A Special Edition G3 iMac (Summer 2000) nicknamed "Banquo."
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About My Computer
My computer just turned six years old! Banquo
survived five years of college (three in dorms), twelve relocations (one cross-country),
two operating system upgrades, and three mouses. I got Banquo for my birthday
my senior year of high school and he stuck by me all through college. After
completing my B.S. in Computer Science at the University of Minnesota, I moved
to Silicon Valley to seek my fortune as a computer programmer. After six years
of constant use, I feel like its time for Banquo to retire. Unfortunately I'm
completely broke and can't afford to replace him.
How You Can Help
You can contribute a bit of money to help me buy a new computer - a
MacBook Pro laptop.
ooooooooh!
For $150 $50
a square inch, I'll etch (almost) whatever you want on the top of my new laptop.
Your ad will be shown all around the Bay Area coffee shops, start-up offices,
and Web2.0 conventions! I now work at Instructables,
a how-to/DIY website full of cool projects. Instructables is located at Squid
Labs and I have access to their laser etching/cutting machine. Click
here to see other laser etched laptops.
Can't afford to buy laptop ad space? Contribute $30 or more and I'll buy you a drink at any bar I can get to by BART.
Want to give
a lot of money? The greatest contributer will be rewarded with this awesome
Zip Drive (250 MB!). I'll even autograph it for you, with love.
so
awesome!
Contributions can be made
by PayPal: Please help me out! Any
amount is appreciated. This really is my everyday computer and I can't upgrade
my operating system anymore or even get the new iTunes. Please send your ad as an
illustrator/eps/coreldraw file. My old computer
will be donated to Cameron's mom. Don't worry, your laser-etched ad will probably
be around longer than your internet company!
Thanks
so much for your help!
Leah C.
(leah dot culver at gmail) 
me!
