your old computers
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when you upgrade to a new computer, what do you do with your old one? i have an old Dell 1.7GHz desktop that I recently replaced. i could sell it to a friend who needs one, but i'm a little worried that i'll become the tech support guy. i could put it up for sale on eBay, but it's probably not worth the shipping cost (since you can get a new PC for just a few hundred $, if you shop around). i don't need it for a file server or anything like that. donate it? junk it?
Let's execute on the customer-facing market-driven swim-lane paradigm!
I just keep the parts in a box until the day I want to make a little home-server. Actually I could make 2 now :~. But if you don't want to do that, maybe the nicest thing to do would be to donate it to someone that may need it (and that couldn't pay for it).
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Michael A. Barnhart wrote:
Being one who helped clean up donaged systems for a charity the amount of donations that are broken junk does infuriate me.
So, donating a broken machine for parts is a bad thing?
Jeremy Falcon
Jeremy Falcon wrote:
So, donating a broken machine for parts is a bad thing?
When the donated box has a blown MB, 8Meg of memeory, no hard drivem and a 1 meg video card (i.e. anything that was usable has been removed) and claims new purchase price as the donation. Which accounted for 90% of the donations and now the charity has to pay to dispose of it. Yes it is a bad thing.
"Yes I know the voices are not real. But they have some pretty good ideas."
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when you upgrade to a new computer, what do you do with your old one? i have an old Dell 1.7GHz desktop that I recently replaced. i could sell it to a friend who needs one, but i'm a little worried that i'll become the tech support guy. i could put it up for sale on eBay, but it's probably not worth the shipping cost (since you can get a new PC for just a few hundred $, if you shop around). i don't need it for a file server or anything like that. donate it? junk it?
Let's execute on the customer-facing market-driven swim-lane paradigm!
lately I have been upgrading slowly, trying to hang on to the case/MOBO as much as possible...recycling HDDs and such. I had 3 cases kinda gutted and I got rid of one, but am keeping the other two filled with old components, till I move at least. I'll remove the CPUs and keep them as colelctibles :)
www.solvengineer.com Code Exchange for Scientists and Engineers
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Jeremy Falcon wrote:
So, donating a broken machine for parts is a bad thing?
When the donated box has a blown MB, 8Meg of memeory, no hard drivem and a 1 meg video card (i.e. anything that was usable has been removed) and claims new purchase price as the donation. Which accounted for 90% of the donations and now the charity has to pay to dispose of it. Yes it is a bad thing.
"Yes I know the voices are not real. But they have some pretty good ideas."
You could mix and match parts to make working computers. My point is, don't look a gift horse in the mouth. You have no right to complain if people are GIVING it to you.
Jeremy Falcon
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Well, people are very picky nowadays. If you have to donate, you have to donate good working computer, no more than 6 months old, gaming mouse, 21" LCD is prefferable. On a more serious note, it's actually true, I'm always amused when churches or any other charitable organizations ask for clothing and then add in the end, like new condition and prefferably never worn or something. Kind of kills good will spirit in me. I would imagine having something is better than nothing at all.
JazzJackRabbit wrote:
I would imagine having something is better than nothing at all.
I would think so too. People whine for handouts and they're too picky about what they receive. It's pretty sad really.
Jeremy Falcon
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You could mix and match parts to make working computers. My point is, don't look a gift horse in the mouth. You have no right to complain if people are GIVING it to you.
Jeremy Falcon
Then go offer your services and see what I am talking about.
Jeremy Falcon wrote:
You could mix and match parts to make working computers.
Which given 90% is broken trash (not used with a faulty part to diagnose, TRASH) you wind up taking 4-8 hours finding working parts that can make ONE working box out of. And then having to all off a small pickup load to a center that can take the unusable remains (which by the way is an hour drive each way from where I live.)
"Yes I know the voices are not real. But they have some pretty good ideas."
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You could mix and match parts to make working computers. My point is, don't look a gift horse in the mouth. You have no right to complain if people are GIVING it to you.
Jeremy Falcon
Sorry for my first heated response. Let me try to explain a little better. I did edit my original post to Chris.
Jeremy Falcon wrote:
My point is, don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
Well, do you realize that electronic trash is classified as toxic waste. It is not just to be put in the dumpster and taken to the local landfill. Which even if you did, since the charity is a business, has to pay for this service. So it costs the charity to get rid of parts that are trash. When you wind up costing more to handle the donations than buying used gaurantted equipement from a local dealer something is wrong.
"Yes I know the voices are not real. But they have some pretty good ideas."
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when you upgrade to a new computer, what do you do with your old one? i have an old Dell 1.7GHz desktop that I recently replaced. i could sell it to a friend who needs one, but i'm a little worried that i'll become the tech support guy. i could put it up for sale on eBay, but it's probably not worth the shipping cost (since you can get a new PC for just a few hundred $, if you shop around). i don't need it for a file server or anything like that. donate it? junk it?
Let's execute on the customer-facing market-driven swim-lane paradigm!
Scavenge any useful hardware, then stuff 'em in a closet and curse them every time you move. I have the following in my closet right now: C=64 w/power brick C=128D w/power brick Two C= printers (tractor feed!!) Several old game consoles My P133 system from 1995 Two old VCR/DVD players Along with various non-hardware stuff like game controllers, mouse pads, software boxes, etc.
--Mike-- Visual C++ MVP :cool: LINKS~! Ericahist | PimpFish | CP SearchBar v3.0 | C++ Forum FAQ
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Then go offer your services and see what I am talking about.
Jeremy Falcon wrote:
You could mix and match parts to make working computers.
Which given 90% is broken trash (not used with a faulty part to diagnose, TRASH) you wind up taking 4-8 hours finding working parts that can make ONE working box out of. And then having to all off a small pickup load to a center that can take the unusable remains (which by the way is an hour drive each way from where I live.)
"Yes I know the voices are not real. But they have some pretty good ideas."
Michael A. Barnhart wrote:
And then having to all off a small pickup load to a center that can take the unusable remains (which by the way is an hour drive each way from where I live.)
Yeah, everyone should be computer gurus before they donate them, so they know what's good and what's not. Really, if you didn't like it that much, then just stop doing it.
Jeremy Falcon
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Sorry for my first heated response. Let me try to explain a little better. I did edit my original post to Chris.
Jeremy Falcon wrote:
My point is, don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
Well, do you realize that electronic trash is classified as toxic waste. It is not just to be put in the dumpster and taken to the local landfill. Which even if you did, since the charity is a business, has to pay for this service. So it costs the charity to get rid of parts that are trash. When you wind up costing more to handle the donations than buying used gaurantted equipement from a local dealer something is wrong.
"Yes I know the voices are not real. But they have some pretty good ideas."
Michael A. Barnhart wrote:
heated response.
I didn't think it was that heated. :laugh: No worries.
Michael A. Barnhart wrote:
Which even if you did, since the charity is a business, has to pay for this service.
Then they shouldn't accept the bad computers.
Jeremy Falcon