DISQUS

Consumerism Commentary: New Computer Has Arrived, What Should I Do With the Old?

  • TMT · 3 years ago
    Check around with local schools and/or non-profits to see if you can donate it.

    Often, smaller non-profits are in need of all the resources they can get their hands on, especially if they're constrained by a small budget.

    Ideally, it's a win-win. You can help out an organization (hopefully one you believe in and care about) and maybe get a charitable donation tax deduction in the process.

    Good luck with it.

    TMT
  • Trixie Belden · 3 years ago
    Is there a Freecycle site in your area? I've never tried it, but you might get some takers. I have an old computer I'm thinking of listing on there soon.
  • Kathy · 3 years ago
    I don't know if your laptop will work but the below website show steps to how to convert it to a digital pic frame. Sounds cool. I'm going to accept to do it myself w/ no male supervision. Let us know what u end up doing.

    link
  • Golbguru · 3 years ago
    Donate it, sell it, or throw it if you want...just make sure that you "wipe" off your hard drive before doing anything. Especially since you must be having a lot of your personal finance information (if you used it for blogging) on it.

    Use a free program like Simple File Shredder 3.2, or other similar program.

    I formatted a hard drive at work a few days ago..loaded a new version of windows on the hard drive and after all this I was able to retrieve about 17,000 files from the "before-formatting" state.
  • MillionDollarJourney.com · 3 years ago
    Whenever I upgrade my computer, I usually donate it to a local school. They're usually more than happy to take it.

    Another idea is to have a garage sale and sell off all your old goods along with your pc.

    FT
    http://www.MillionDollarJourney.com
  • Matt · 3 years ago
    Donate it if you can.

    But I agree with Golbguru, make sure you wipe it clean!! You don't want any information getting into the wrong hands.
  • Nick · 3 years ago
    I'll give you five bucks for it.
  • thatedeguy · 3 years ago
    ebay it.

    Take the hard drive out or wipe it very clean first. Be very clear about the issues(battery,flickeringscreen,ac adapter) and you should still net a couple hundred out of it.

    Donating it might just cause issues if it decides to stop working.
  • Savvy Steward · 3 years ago
    I agree with Kathy to make it a digital picture frame. If you have a Flickr account, there is a free screensaver program called Slickr that will play a slideshow of the pictures you have.

    Popular Science had a great article about how to build it. Do -It-Yourself
  • Todd Derscheid · 2 years ago
    Give it to a 15-year-old geek. They'll love it.
  • Tighmir Sayles · 1 year ago
    You can send it to Sussex Technical High School in Georgetown Delaware. They will except it for their Electronics Technical Major. Look it up, its a wonderful school. Blue Ribbon, National School of Excellence