This is a movie made and released for free under the creative commons license.  Made with free software [Blender] by regular (very talented) people.

It's about 60% of the way there in comparison to a Pixar movie.  No words, slightly simplified graphics, slightly amateurish acting.  But I'm splitting hairs, it's great.

Here is the project Blog: http://www.bigbuckbunny.org/

Ties right in with Clay Shirky's Cognitive Surplus speech: [linky]

So in this post over at BoingBoing [linky], our intrepid poster, Cory Doctorow, posted an interesting link regarding the DMCA.  It is an interesting article, but what was interesting to me was a derivitive on the post, the problem and his call for help and the response of his readers.

...(McGill University's crazy media player won't play the video in my browser for some reason, and they don't have a direct download link -- someone rip/post this and send me the URL?)

Link, Link to video

Update: Here's the Windows stream -- still won't play for me, but maybe someone can transcode it to something less brain-damaged. -- Thanks, Whiteg!

Update 2: Thanks to Jason Turgeon for ripping this video to something easier to see. Here's the whole thing, and here's Bruce Lehman's bit.

The "crowd" jumps in and solves the issue.  This is the benefit you get by ceding unnecessary control to your audience.  Excellent example.

This has got to be one of the coolest things I have read about in a long time. [linky]

This would be exactly something that I could devote my volunteering efforts towards. The synchronicity statement at the beginning of the video lays it out very well: "People need computers, people had too many computers, they'll come together...one problem will solve the other."

Awesomeness occurred. They do actually defray their costs a tiny bit with some small required fees and suggested donations. But if you need a computer and can't afford one...this is your way to get it. It also encourages the "teach someone to fish" philosophy. One way people earn a computer is to work in the shop putting computers together for donation. You build 6: 5 for others and the 6th you keep.

Like I already stated awesomeness.