[SGVLUG] old hardware.. what to do?

[Emerson, Tom]

> -----Original Message----- Of matti
> 
> Well,... it's about time I actually
> admit to myself that some old hardware
> I probably will not be using ...
> 
> So.. the question comes.. what to do w/it?

A long time ago... One of the hottest books on the market was called
"what I did with my Trash", which was a book of suggestions on how to
resell a TRS-80 on the used market.

> I've got Pentium 133-233mx boxes about here
> somewhere, as well as PII/PIIIs.
> 
> Can charities even used pentium systems?

If you simply "dropped it off" with no explanation, they would likely
grumble about more boat anchors being left behind.  If, instead, you
took the time to configure a working (though slow) system out of it, you
might get a warm reception [which was the point of the book, btw]  That
speed is perfectly acceptable for a cable/DSL firewall, ntp server, or
even a local pop/smtp relay for a small office.  (things that don't need
X  :) )
 
> Likewise I'm wondering about the CRTs I
> have left..

When they break, you have a couple of options:

   1) turn them into fishtanks
   2) turn them in, two at a time, at the Pomona computer fair for free
parking. (though it irks me to think of "selling" them for $3.50 when I
know I probably paid over $300 for them...)

> ... it would be nice to reclaim
> desktop space. LCD monitors seem to be the
> answer - but the CRTs I have still work well.

Since they aren't broken, you might as well keep them until they break,
then see above :)