I've had a run of bad luck with computers in the last week, with two Mac laptops failing to boot. Chalk it up to age, volcanic dust, or who knows what, but it's left me with a problem: how to get work done while I'm out and about and don't have a working computer to carry with me.

Here's a roundup of some of the places you can go that have public computing facilities, where if you have the right credentials or access you can sit down and use a computer. It's not an exhaustive list, but it's a start - and it's my crib sheet for places to go until I have something that works to carry with me.

AnnArbor.com community offices

The AnnArbor.com offices on the first floor of the office building at 301 E. Liberty St. have four computers, two Macs and two Windows systems, for public use. Stop in sometime - you'll see us working here. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and there's wireless Internet here as well if you want to bring in your working computer to get online.

Ann Arbor District Library branches

The Ann Arbor District Library branches around town have public computing labs open for AADL card holders. Anyone who lives in the district is eligible for a free library card, and with that card you can go in and reserve a computer for your use.  

If you don't have a library card, speak to a staff member who can provide you with access.  Consult the library's computing policy for details on acceptable use.

Ryan Eby wrote up some build notes for the library's public computer setup, which is based on a mix of Linux-hosted web management software, Linux thin clients and Windows terminal servers. The library replaced a previous Citrix installation with this new setup and what kinds of issues it addressed in managing a large set of largely identical systems.

University of Michigan libraries

The U-M library system has computing facilities in all of its libraries. Most of these are set up in some kind of way for at least limited public access, so that you can locate books in the online catalog and get to other online resources available through the libraries without having to have any university affiliation. If you do have a U-M login, you can connect to additional online resources; the rules for who is eligible for a U-M computing account are somewhat complicated but these rights are extended to Michigan alumni.

U-M public computing facilities

There are 29 ITS Campus Computing Sites available for general use - 25 on Central Campus and four on North Campus. Public computing facilities at the U-M are limited to faculty, students, and staff. In addition to a login, you may need an MCard to get access to some of the facilities. Many of them are open long hours - check for details.

Apple Store

The Apple Store in the Briarwood Mall will let you touch and ooh and aah over Apple's new computers, while you wait patiently to figure out how your old scuffed laptop can be resurrected. The systems have full Internet access and many have interesting software running on them to test.

Digital Ops

Digital Ops is a computer gaming facility located at 525 E. Liberty St. in downtown Ann Arbor, across from Dawn Treader Books. It's mostly for playing games, both PC and console, but I'm certain that if you asked nicely they would set you up to read your e-mail. There is a fee for use.

U-M Computer and Video Game Archive

If you're taking a break from public computing, check out the Computer and Video Game Archive at the U-M. Located inside the Art, Architecture and Engineering Library in the Duderstadt Center on North Campus, the archive collects a wide variety of games from the 1970s to the present for the purpose of scholarly inquiry (and good old fashioned fun). There are more than 1,200 games in the collection, going back as far as the 1978 Atari 2600 "Adventure" carefully cataloged under "Labyrinths - Computer Games".

Today, Edward Vielmetti carries a pad of paper and a pen instead of a laptop for AnnArbor.com. Send him a postcard at 301 E. Liberty St., Ann Arbor MI 48104.