Bill Gates and friends got started in their own polymath society, now called Microsoft , by hanging out in computer centers, begging or borrowing whatever computer time they could. What we have on our desks today is so incredibly better than what they had to work with. Unfortunately, the distraction of playing with what already exists is also high. There are plenty of people who only surf and never write. The point is not to just learn to use existing software but to be creative on our own, to make new things.
Polymaths make new things.
Never waste your time in long meetings unless you are learning something at the same time. Detailed organization is better carried out by committee, by delegated responsibility for a particular area. For example, many libraries, universities, and computer clubs offer such resources. Most resources are under-utilized because the people who would benefit do not know about them. One of the best web based free e-mail providers is usa.net .