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Pages: 1 Unknownastron professor emeritus Reged: 04/06/05 Loc: CatsEye Observatory,Rural Sout... Laptops Graveyard?       #5725054 - 03/11/13 01:01 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I am wondering, whatever happens to all those old laptops, I'm talking 15 year olds running win-95 and such. Do they wear out, and none last a long time? Are they reclaimed for parts? Put on shelves in attics? Just thrown away? One reason I ask is I am finding out there are still uses for such as long as they are in running order. Nothing makes me feel more old than when I find I am two technologies behind the curve. Looking for something like a Sidereal clock there is virtually no hardware for such a thing. Why? There's an app for that. I've had astronomical timing software (free ware which works fine)for years, but need a computer and screen to use it. I would like to find a source of cheap (since nobody wants them) 'old' laptops to use as dedicated links to a weather station, astronomical clock and other things. Yeah, I know, just get a smartphone. I still want something I can leave on the shelf by the desk and glance at it anytime I want. Old laptops would do it for me. Clear skies and clean glass, Mike Post Extras:       Jon Isaacs Postmaster Reged: 06/16/04 Loc: San Diego and Boulevard, CA Re: Laptops Graveyard? [Re: Unknownastron]       #5725215 - 03/11/13 04:19 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: I am wondering, whatever happens to all those old laptops, I'm talking 15 year olds running win-95 and such. Do they wear out, and none last a long time? Are they reclaimed for parts? Put on shelves in attics? Just thrown away? One reason I ask is I am finding out there are still uses for such as long as they are in running order. Nothing makes me feel more old than when I find I am two technologies behind the curve. Looking for something like a Sidereal clock there is virtually no hardware for such a thing. Why? There's an app for that. I've had astronomical timing software (free ware which works fine)for years, but need a computer and screen to use it. I would like to find a source of cheap (since nobody wants them) 'old' laptops to use as dedicated links to a weather station, astronomical clock and other things. Yeah, I know, just get a smartphone. I still want something I can leave on the shelf by the desk and glance at it anytime I want. Old laptops would do it for me. Clear skies and clean glass, Mike Mike: There are all over the place... Check out Craigslist.. If you are brave, post a wanted ad. I still have a Windows 3.1 machine as well as two 98 machines and my XP machine... Jon Post Extras:       rockethead26 Carpal Tunnel Reged: 10/21/09 Loc: Indiana, USA Re: Laptops Graveyard? [Re: Jon Isaacs]       #5725331 - 03/11/13 07:55 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Try Goodwill Post Extras:       Cliff Hipsher scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 12/31/08 Loc: North Chesterfield, VA Re: Laptops Graveyard? [Re: rockethead26]       #5725515 - 03/11/13 10:22 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I have found laptops on a Yahoo Group called Free Cycle. The idea is people would rather give stuff away than have it wind up in a land fill. I have taken laptops with broken display panels, fixed them up, and then given them to those in need. I have also found video cameras, rear protection TVs, and all sorts of useful stuff... Post Extras:       StarWars Mr. Postmaster Man Reged: 11/26/03 Loc: Karma Chameleon... Re: Laptops Graveyard? [Re: Unknownastron]       #5725684 - 03/11/13 11:59 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: I am wondering, whatever happens to all those old laptops, I'm talking 15 year olds running win-95 and such. Do they wear out, and none last a long time? Are they reclaimed for parts? Put on shelves in attics? Just thrown away? One reason I ask is I am finding out there are still uses for such as long as they are in running order. Nothing makes me feel more old than when I find I am two technologies behind the curve. Looking for something like a Sidereal clock there is virtually no hardware for such a thing. Why? There's an app for that. I've had astronomical timing software (free ware which works fine)for years, but need a computer and screen to use it. I would like to find a source of cheap (since nobody wants them) 'old' laptops to use as dedicated links to a weather station, astronomical clock and other things. Yeah, I know, just get a smartphone. I still want something I can leave on the shelf by the desk and glance at it anytime I want. Old laptops would do it for me. Clear skies and clean glass, Mike Craigslist or Ebay buy and sell... Post Extras:       StarmanDan Post Laureate Reged: 08/27/07 Loc: Deep in the heart of Texas Re: Laptops Graveyard? [Re: StarWars]       #5726528 - 03/11/13 06:17 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Near me, there is a place called Computer Reset. Lots of old stuff there. The second floor is a veritable museum with mint condition TRS-80s, Ataris, Commodores, just about every flavor of x86 and 8080 machines. The warehouse literally looks like the last scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark with rack and racks of pallets that are coming in to see what parts are good and sellable and bad parts going to recyclers. Post Extras:       richard7 Not Quite Reged: 11/02/07 Loc: Sacramento Re: Laptops Graveyard? [Re: StarmanDan]       #5726799 - 03/11/13 08:32 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I've got an old Compaq p3 Win 98 laptop that I didn't want to give up. Put Ubuntu 10.04 LTS with a couple of astro programs on it. It works just fine. Post Extras:       JoseBorrero Carpal Tunnel Reged: 09/04/09 Loc: MI Re: Laptops Graveyard? [Re: richard7]       #5728618 - 03/12/13 05:17 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   http://comprenew.org/ Post Extras:       Raginar Carpal Tunnel Reged: 10/19/10 Loc: Rapid CIty, SD Re: Laptops Graveyard? [Re: JoseBorrero]       #5735920 - 03/16/13 10:35 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Lots of companies seem to recycle older laptops and sell them via all the second-hand websites. My neighbor has a buddy who makes quite a bit of money doing it with macbooks purchased from school lot sales. He refurbs them, refreshes the software, and sells them at quite a margin on Ebay/Craigslist. Honestly, I have an old Celestron laptop that's 'dead' (bad keyboard) in my closet. Post Extras:       lamplight Pooh-Bah Reged: 09/18/12 Loc: west central MA, U.S. Re: Laptops Graveyard? [Re: Raginar]       #5736174 - 03/16/13 12:24 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Techsoup.org refurbs computers and sells to nonprofits, but something as old as you describe would not be of use to anyone in a modern office. Definitely find some recycling option, just landfilling is very bad. I use free cycle for all kinds of stuff too, its great. Edited by lamplight (03/16/13 12:27 PM) Post Extras:       Bob Griffiths Getting Grouchy Reged: 10/10/05 Loc: Frederick Maryland Re: Laptops Graveyard? [Re: lamplight]       #5751439 - 03/23/13 09:48 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I have a use for old Computers that can run DOS programs... (windows 2000 and older do it fine).. BUT I sure have problems finding them...FreeCycle, Craigslist etc seem to be useless..Goodwill changed years ago and locally do not even carry any electronics... I keep my financial records (check book etc using an old DOS program that loads fast does everything i want (or need) and is not connected to the internet.. I also have been in the car hobby (Corvettes) for gosh 40 years and currently own 6 and I have records of every part I've replaced every quart of oil etc I have EVER put into every one of these cars...and you know the Program I use is a DOS program... Same is my woodshop I have years and years of cutting lists for a bizillion projects that I still use a Dos program for... Bottom line I still use 4 old machines and now only have one spare... Oh and BTW the spare is a LUGABLE Suitcase sized "laptop" Bob G. Post Extras:       richard7 Not Quite Reged: 11/02/07 Loc: Sacramento Re: Laptops Graveyard? [Re: Bob Griffiths]       #5751991 - 03/23/13 02:14 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: Oh and BTW the spare is a LUGABLE Suitcase sized "laptop" Bob G. I would love to see a pic of that. Post Extras:       richard7 Not Quite Reged: 11/02/07 Loc: Sacramento Re: Laptops Graveyard? [Re: Unknownastron]       #5752000 - 03/23/13 02:22 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   For the fun of it I went to Ebay and found one right off the bat. It may or may not be in your price range though. Post Extras:       cn register 5 sage Reged: 12/26/12 Re: Laptops Graveyard? [Re: richard7]       #5752404 - 03/23/13 06:09 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I think you will find that modern PC will still run DOS. We get naked PCs supplied at work and they come with FreeDOS installed. I'm not sure how they will be booted but I think that a bootable CD would work, maybe even a USB memory stick. Getting floppy disks could be a challenge though. Chris Post Extras:       Pages: 1

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