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Shipping Hardware Cross-Country?
ae0nflx asks: "I just graduated from High School and the computer that my parents gave me four years ago has finally died. I've decided to spend all that money that I've been hoarding for a few summers on a new G5. The problem lies in the fact that for college I'll be moving to the East Coast (Upstate New York), from the foggy shores of the San Francisco Bay. Does anyone have any insight on how to ship my brand new machine cross country? Cheap would be good. I'll be flying back in late August and I don't think that I'll be able to take her back with me because I'm assuming she'll be a little big for the overhead bin... I'm not sure if I can trust this to the Postal Service alone." It may not be the same as shipping the big iron, but when you trust your hardware to any shipping company, be it Federal Express, or UPS, you do have the expectations that what you ship, will get to where it's going, and hopefully get there in one piece. Which shipping companies would you recommend for this job? For those who have done this, what experiences have you had, and what suggestions can you pass on to ae0nflx?
Airborne delivered two computer cases (probably same size/nearly same weight as your package) both addressed to the correct address, across the street to the wrong appartment building. When someone stole one of them, they stonewalled me about getting a refund and I ended up losing the case. So to sum it up, don't use Airborne, use UPS or Fedex and have a tracking number and pack it well. You can save on shipping if you pack it yourself and dont take it to a Mailboxes Etc...
__________
Love conquers all... except CANCER
Just wrap it in bubble-wrap.
Just hold off until school starts and ship it directly there.
I'm going to college half way across the country in September (from VA to Chicago), and i'm driving it myself. I'm shipping things like clothes and anything that isn't fragile, but my computer equipment is coming with me in the car. Air conditioned, with me at all times, much less prone to damage.
If I only had all the dough I blew on stupid crap "when i was younger"...
hehe
oh well... enjoy your new box!
Admittedly, I know nothing about Apple hardware, but generally speaking the packing materials that it came in should be more than sufficient to make the trip via FedEx or UPS. I shipped literally hundreds of PC's this way and never had one damaged.
1) Buy the G5 when you get to NY
2) Get a laptop instead
If you do decide to ship a desktop machine, you should be OK. I mean Dell, Gateway, and the rest ship them computers all over the place. Just make sure you lay your hands on a proper shipping container, and pad things extra well. Backup your data beforehand, and buy shipping insurance, too, just in case.
Let Apple be responsible for the problem and have them ship it you when you get there.
:wq
you should have bought a laptop! No need to ship it, just carry it along on the plane. Plus, you can take it with you to class. Not very helpful now, I know, but maybe it will make someone else think about getting a laptop for school instead of a desktop system.
At least around here they did...
Back up your hard drive, either to another HD, or tape, or DVD. Remove the hard drive, carry it with you. Leave the backup with someone trust worthy. Ship the machine UPS or Fedex, insured for enough to replace it. The hardware is basically worthless, it's your data that has value. As long as the machine is at all replaceable, you have no worries.
But losing your pr0n collection, *that's* bad.
We ship PCs for work sometimes. We saved a couple of the boxes they came in and use those. This way you get all the foam inserts and stuff. If your packing material is gone maybe you can get some from the local apple store. Make sure everything is screwed back together before you box it up if you have had it open. The boxes vibrate alot and cards can come free if they are not screwed in. Finaly be sure to fill in the insurance section for the value of contents. Not the cheapest solution but it works.
Pull the hard drive, then ship it UPS (or Fedex, or UPS) insured. About 50% of the time they'll trash your computer but they'll give you cash equal to what *you paid* for your computer, not what it's worth today. Think of it as regular free upgrades.
As long as you don't trust them with your data this is a much easier policy than trying to figure out a safe way to ship it.
As far as packaging, I've had good luck double boxing it (put computer inside tight fitting box packed with foam, put box inside larger looser box packed with styrofoam peanuts). The outside box ends up looking trashed but the inside box is fine. Again this is with pulling the harddrives and carrying those personally.
It may seem awkward to keep a large cardboard box, styrofoam moldings, and large plastic bags, but unless you plan on driving cross country with it in your trunk, those are the best tools in which to ensure that your baby gets to its destination safely, while in someone else's hands. If you have already disposed of the original packaging, you may be able to drop by the local Apple store, and ask if they kept the original packaging for one of display units that you could have.
As an alternative, you may be able to partially disassemble your machine based on what might get damaged if part of the internals of your computer came apart during shipping. For example: Pull out the hard drive, and keep that with you (as it has all of your important data), while pulling out all internal cards (PCI, AGP, ISA, etc) and putting them in seperate protective containters.
When Intel had their cartrige processors (during Pentium 2, and early Pentium 3 days), the massive cartrige and its heat sink had a tendancy to come off during transport, and flop about wildly inside the computer case during transport - damaging just about everything inside of a computer. If you feel that your heat sink/fan is too big you may consider removing those, along with your processor, and placing them in protective containers as well.
This way, you reduce the chance that one breakage would destroy the entire computer, and help to minimize your costs to repair/replace parts. As well, you also maximize the survivability of your important information.
I haven't lost my mind!
It is backed up on disk...somewhere...
First, just hold off on that purchase until you move. That'll eliminate the problem entirely.
If you're not willing to do that, save the boxes. Most machines (and Macs for certain) come in large styrofoam-lined boxes that can handle a lot of abuse.
When you ship, the important rules are:
Rattling is your enemy.
Rigid and brittle is your enemy.
Make sure that nothing in the box can bang into anything else in the box. Gently loosen (but don't remove!) any non-critical screws that make the inside more rigid (add-on card screws, for example), but ensure that anything that holds important parts in place (hard drive screws, etc.) is tight.
When you ship, take it to a mailing place like Mailboxes Etc. They'll charge you $30 for a box and shipping material, but then they'll pack it well and ensure that it's shipped with appropriate labels. For a $3000 computer, that's a bargain.
Finally, do a thorough inspection of your machine when it arrives. Ensure that every internal cable is attached, every screw is in place and tightened, every bit of packing material is removed, etc.
Forward, retransmit, or republish anything I say here. Just don't misquote me.
Airborne is late more often the FedEx who is late more often then UPS. Personally, I'd ship it UPS, and add $3K in insurance. I'd ship it ground, (it'll probably end up on a plane, but if you can deal with not having it for 5-6 days it's a lot cheaper).
Get it ensured. Keep the insurance slip. Make sure it's a must be signed for shipment, and call UPS to have it be arrange for pickup if you don't get it the first time they attempt to deliver it.
If it's not there, and you don't have a note, call UPS. Check the website.
If it's not there within 3 business days of the scheduled delivery date, you are screwed, call UPS, file a tracer. Start the process of getting your insurance money.
Every Tom, Dick and Harry on here is going to tell you their personal story about how they got screwed by carrier X, and how they will never use carrier X again. They think the carrier has some personal vendetta. It's comical. All of the carriers move millions of items a week. An success rate of 5 9's, still means a lot of screw ups a week. Make sure you have the documentation, make sure you take care of it quickly, make sure you follow up with them. You can successfully get your refund if it gets lost or damaged, sometimes it takes a little while, if you can't deal with that rent a car, drive the damn thing.
Kirby
I often wonder how the hell things like this actually get posted, but oh well...
Keep the original packaging. Preferably all of it, but at the very least the box and styrofoam inserts. And if you ever think you'll need to ship it again afterwards then you'd better continue to keep that box.
If the box is in crap condition, or you're just overly paranoid, then pack it again in a second, slightly larger box cushioned with styrofoam peanuts. If you're looking to get these on the cheap, go to a local recycling center -- mine will provide styrofoam peanuts for free. You may be able to pickup a good box for free as well, but they usually crush them pretty rapidly.
Prior to shipping, make a backup, or just accept that you may never get the data back -- misdelivery, crashed drive (highly unlikely), etc. It's not a high likelihood, but if you're paranoid...
When you receive it, unpack it carefully and then open the case. Make sure all the cards and the CPU are seated securely. Make sure fans are plugged in. Only after that should you turn it on... modern heatsink/fans are so large they often cause the CPU to become unsocketed or wiggle the fan connector lose (which leads to a dead CPU in no time).
Who to ship with? FedEx or UPS. Doesn't matter. I've had problems with both, and I've had excellent experiences with both. Don't use the USPS, and don't use 3rd or 4th tier providers. They're really not all that expensive. Pack it yourself, take it to a local facility (not Mailboxes, etc (which is now owned by UPS) or similar). Yes, there's one near you unless you live in the boonies -- where do you think they deliver from in the first place? If you go online and have your package weight, dimensions, and declared value you can get a good idea how much it'll cost too -- although the last time I did this it cost me less than what the estimate said.
During delivery keep a sharp eye on the tracking number -- you can use a phone if you don't have a computer. If something looks wrong (like they say it's delivered, but it's not) then start complaining -- preferably at the local delivery center in person.
Make sure you require a signature. Make sure you're there to get the delivery. Or simply request it be held at the delivery center and go pick it up yourself (which is what I prefer to do).
Oh, and if you don't have the original packaging -- well, don't expect much. I wouldn't trust it to a delivery company at that point, and even if you put insurance on it you won't be able to collect since they'll very easily be able to claim improper packaging. Start seriously considering a cross country road trip.
That's all that needs to be said. It will cost quite a bit more than UPS ground, but you have a 99 percent chance of it arriving undamaged and a 100 percent chance of having any damaged covered by the insurance. That's way more than you can say for UPS.
"Eve of Destruction", it's not just for old hippies anymore...
One word: air.
Ship it air. Under no circumstances ship it ground. Ground is slow (especially that far) and it's murder on equipment. Also, ground tracking is terrible.
As others have mentioned, use the original packaging. If you're really paranoid, pack that box (insulated by peanuts or bubble wrap) inside another box.
Also, as others have mentioned, insure it.
That said, most of the carriers are probably fine as long as it's one of their air services. I'd probably go with FedEx 3-day air.
1) Forget cheap. You get what you pay for. Sorry.
2) Insure it. Pay the extra money to insure it up to 3 grand (your time invested is worth $$ too). And pack it insanely well. Assume they're going to punt it out of the truck into a puddle.
3) Ship it Fed Ex "Signature Required", then if you aren't home when it arrives they'll keep it at a Fed Ex pick up location. Very safe, although you'll have to go a mile or 3 to get it.
Fed Ex is the only carrier I have NEVER had a problem with. UPS is choice number 2. There is no chioce number 3.
Man how bored do you have to be to post shipping instructions to Ask Slashdot? How slow does the world have to be moving for Cliff to post this?
Oohhh neat, there's a puffy cloud outside that sort of looks like the internet.
Operator, give me the number for 911!
Considering the G5 wont be shipping until August, you should have no problems having it shipped by Apple directly to you at college. And even if it does ship early (I don't think that's ever happened with Apple), most schools have mail rooms that are open year round and they will keep it there until you arrive.
I dunno who it is
but it prolly is fhqwhgads.
First off, the estimated ship date for the new machines is August. My experience with Apple is that these dates are often wishful thinking, so there is a good chance you will get to school before it is ever shipped. So since you'll likely arrive at school before your system, have it delivered there, or better yet just pick it up from a local dealer.
Second, you may wish to wait and check with your school. Many universities have arrangements with Apple as well as some other vendors. You may be able to purchase your system through the campus bookstore at a discount, and without the aggravation of shipping.
Assuming you do actually take delivery at home and then need to ship, save ALL of the original packing materials. These are good enought to ship in. In addition some carriers, UPS in particular will try to wiggle on an insurance claim if they damage your system and its not packed with the original materials.
As far as carriers go, I've used them all to ship systems as well as a variety of other items. UPS is by far the hardest on packages. I've had good results with FedEx (their ground service is just as cheap as UPS), DHL (now part of Fedex), and Airborne Express. Depending on where you are, how fast you need it, and your budget, any of these should be fine. My personal choice would be Fedex, as I've had very few problems ever with them.
Finally as has been mentioned by others, if you do insist on shipping, declare the full value on the manifest and pay the extra few bucks for insurance up to the full replacement cost of the system.
If privacy had a tombstone it would read "We did it for your own good" . -- John Twelve Hawks
Ive shipped or helped ship computers between Pakistan and Canada, and for most people I recommend packing the harddisk in his suitcase between layers of clothing, while sending the case throught the cheapest shipping method. I personally pack the harddisk, video card and memory chips in the suitcase in case the case gets lost along the way, and the rest is just shipped via normal postal services.
Theres little point in paying for the expensive shipment of the whole systems weight while the only part to really protect is a small harddisk.
"Give orange me give eat orange me eat orange give me eat orange give me you." -Nim Chimpsky
Make sure it's double boxed if you dont have the original packaging, and cough up the dough for insurance. My cousin worked for FedEx for a few years as a sorter and a courier. Oh the horror stories he told. Even when it is marked fragile or electronics, the ppl handling your packages still throw the stuff around. They don't care what is in the box. All they care about is that they have 16 truckloads of freight to put on an airplane at three in the morning. The cost of the insurance payout doesn't come out of their paycheck, but their boss sure will be on their ass if the plane doesn't get off the tarmac by 5am.
Save and use the original packaging! They wouldn't use the stuff if it didn't do the job well. And no matter what service you use, send it insured.
I avoid FedEx like the plague. They have damaged every single package that was shipped to me weighing over about 10 pounds. I kid you not.
As for Airborne Express, they have a stellar record when it comes to business destinations, but when it comes to residential, they are the definition of bungling, Jethro-Clampett-stupid, incompetent jackasses. I can't stress enough how disgusted I am with their residential service.
UPS, on the other hand, has only damaged one package, and since it was insured (see above), I got it replaced.
Unless it's a letter, the USPS is just too damned expensive.
Being that you live in San Francisco, contact your local drug dealer. Have him/her add your computer hardware to the weekly cross-country drug run. Drug runners can get things there in a hurry, and they usually avoid police entanglements, in case your computer is hot. (And I'm not talking Athlon hot.)
One future, two choices. Oppose them or let them destroy us.
Sell your computer to yourself on E-bay, buyer handles shipping.
One future, two choices. Oppose them or let them destroy us.
I was in a very similar position two years ago after my first year in college.
In my case, I decided to ship my comp. from Chicago back to Boston via the USPS in order to save on cost (we drove in the fall). Including insurance, the total came out to around $25 for regular ground shipping (and nothing broke). If memory serves, the package took about a week to arrive.
For packing, I used the original cardboard box/packing materials the system came in (ie, styrofoam and packing peanuts) and a lot of tape. I left most of my peripherals at school (including my monitor), so I was able to ship the rest in a small, heavily-taped box.
FWIW, I've since given up on shipping my system back and forth. I figured it was more cost-effective (for me, at least) to buy a second system on pricewatch and burn whatever data I needed to take with me. Given your situation, this may not be relevant, but I figured it was worth mentioning. G'luck.
I'll be flying back in late August and I don't think that I'll be able to take her [his computer] back with me
You're not planning to have a girlfriend at college, are you?
Just as well, that way you'll have plenty of time for MMORGs, and Slashdot, and her.
Opinions on the Twiddler2 hand-held keyboard?
You can't get a rate quote from the fucking places yourself you fucking baby?
Just use FedEx ground because they don't suck dick like your fucking gay computer that gets its ass whipped even with its fake SPEC results. Opteron, Xeon, Power4+ - you name the CPU, your fucking gay G5 is TOAST motherfucker. Toast. And it isn't out yet and its fucking SLOW hahahaha. BWAHAHA.
Typical stupid asshole. Can't even get a courtesy quote from the FedEx website by your self oh boo boo schnookems.
Typical stupid fucking Slashdot editors for letting fucking trash like this on this website.
Fags.
not /. but ship dot!
I found this article very helpful as far as general information on shipping stuff.
Considering the G5 isn't shipping until September, just have it shipped straight to school. And there you go, problem solved.
DHL rocks. Cheaper than UPS, gets it to the same place. Never had these guys lose my stuff.
This sig no verb.
Apparently you didn't learn very much in your first 18 years, did you? You see, we have these things called shipping companies. There are several major ones available in the United States that actually will ship anything you want to anywhere in the world, for a fee. So far, there are no free ones and it is unlikely that there will be free ones in the future.
Two of the largest such companies in the world are United Parcel Service (UPS) and FedEx (formerly Federal Express). There are many others but, these two are the largest and have the best reputation. Both organizations can have your packages at their final destination within one day. In certain cases it is possible to have your packages delivered-cross country in less than 12 hours!
Try calling 1 (800) PICK-UPS or 1 (800) Go FedEx I'm sure that the operator will be very pleasant in her explanation of how it all works. Welcome to the real world newbie.
Just put a big "FRAGILE" sticker on the box! Yeah, that'll do it!
Use USPS, they are the cheapest. Get insurance for the brand new G5 price. Make sure insureance covers partial breakage.
If it breaks during shipping, collect insurance, go to NY Apple Store and buy one. Easy.
Code poet, espresso fiend, starter upper.
...then you buy the damn thing! ;D
\m/
Um, you do realize that if you wait until you're a student, if it's a large-enough school, you'll get a 10-15% educational discount on the machine. That alone (plus the fact that it'll be shipped there, plus the fact that it won't ship until August, and that's if you've already ordered one) is worth the wait.
Join the Apple Student Dev. program for an even larger discount, or make friends with someone who had/has an internship/job at Apple for more discounts.
That being said, I think the recommendations for a laptop make a lot more sense at college. You'll have more than enough desktops around the various computing labs I assume the school has, so be smart and get a laptop you can take anywhere, anytime. They really are desktop replacements these days, even the not-so-hefty ones. Get a 12" PowerBook or something.
Oh, and the other opporitunity here is to find a professor to do research/work for, and have him get you a kickass machine/laptop to "work" on.
God, I feel more and more like a curmudgeon every day. Is it just me?
I went to college in upstate NY [Clarkson] and then moved to SFbay. Basically I did it myself. Original packaging for the computer [no monitor] and ploped it in my car with the rest of my belongings. 4 days later it arrived in tip top condition.
:]
If you're going to college you likely have a bit of time to spend, and you'll need to get used to road trips anyways
In all seriousness though, this is the best way to do it. If you're flying then use UPS/fedex and bundle the puppy up nice, take the hdd out and insure it.
Go cheap and get cheap service.
That is, if you insure it. It's just a little more expensive.
You're looking at 120 dollars, more or less, and that's for the box sans monitor. Figure about the same for the monitor.
For the same thing at UPS (mind you, I've been guesstimating this all) it's about 60 bucks.
That said, you'd be lucky if the g5 will be ready by then. Buy a used laptop (pentium is fine) for 200-300 bucks (or if you are a mac addict, consider a 5300.) and play the waiting game. Heck, you might find out what you really want.
The best solution I ever heard for this is to wrap everything in plastic, find a nice sturdy box and get afew cans of that expandable foam you spray in cracks (not sure of the name, but the hardware store should have plenty)
Just make sure that you have plenty of foam around your PC and it is wrapped in plastic so the foam doesn't stick to anything. Stay away from peanuts for anything heavy, peanuts are designed to give, you want something that is designed to stay rigid but can collapse without putting too much pressure on anything next to it.
Cheap storage VM.
Just a different viewpoint. I would recommend you get a powerbook instead.
I have a powerbook, and I hook it to an external mouse, monitor and keyboard at my house -- and I forget it's not a desktop machine. (Actually, I use a monitor switch)
And I can go portable with it. I don't do it as often, but when I travel, it's really easy to carry around. I think you'd get more use out of a laptop at school anyhow.
I sent a server of mine from the midwest to Maryland via FedEx Ground for $20, including $2,000 insurance. It took about a week. I believe I got a tracking number. It worked out well. Just pack it well, and in original packaging if possible.
Beware, Nugget is watching... See?
Allways use Fedex for stuff like Monitors, Computers, and Computer cases. Fedex handles large items better. UPS is fine for smaller items.
I've had to ship loads of computer gorp for business trips (demos out-of-state). We used these large plastic, foam-filled, lockable shipping containers. They were oversized, so we had to pay an extra $50 or $75 per containter, but the airline happily accepted them as checked luggage.
Personally, what I'd do is:
1. Look up the maximum dimentions for checked luggage for the airline you're using. Usually it's something like the sum of the three dimentions of the package can't exceed some maximum number.
2. Go to Office Depot and buy some foam peanuts and a box that is just under the maximum size from (1). Pack your precious Mac up, tape it with some heavy-duty stranded packing tape, and you should be in business.
I'd suggest putting some "Fragile: handle with care" sitckers or markings on the box... don't make it obvious that it's valuable, though.
You should be able to ship it in this manner for about $5 in packing materials.
Not such a bad idea!
ALWAYS use FedEx! They are much more professional than the other companies, not to mention their IT staff is top notch!!!
Don't mod me, bro'!!!!
So.. you thought this was really clever when you wrote it didn't you?
Sad.
Get a laptop instead. It'll be a lot more useful to you as a student. Wireless is everywhere. You can take it to the library. You can take it to friend's places for gaming.
I wish I had one when I was in school. You'll be happy you do. And then shipping won't be a problem.
1. 2.
I am as big a fan as anyone of Apple hardware, and I too am lusting after a new G5. HOWEVER in your shoes, given that you are just getting out of high school and will be entering the real world and/or college, you're going to have a lot more important things to worry about spending money on than a top-shelf computer.
Figure out exactly what you need when you arrive at college/start a job and worry about it then. Your moving question then becomes irrelevant.
Have you seen my stapler?
samsonite makes a really big-ass suitcase for about 125 that fits a computer with associated parts that i used to use for technology demos cross-country when i didn't trust fedex to get it there on time. you have to check it, but the suitcase has a sturdy lock built into it. you'll also need to buy some extra foam padding for safety.
until then.
Does anyone do research?
Either one of these organizations can deliver a sub-orbital payload from California to New York inside of an hour.
Read this.
You don't have to worry about crossing the country borders, but the comments are interesting.
Personally, I left my computer in my college town (at a you-store-it kind of place, not environmentally controlled, just a few feet off the concrete ground) even when I was gone. Get a used POS for your summer needs. It's not worth the trouble to ship your baby just for the summer.
Not particularly. But you are a puerile fuck. Now shut your fucking cake hole and go back into your cave you fucking toglodyte.
I don't know why it hasn't been suggested already, but if it's a big ticket item - go get a custom box made. Ask around and see where local companies that rent speakers and amplifiers for events have their boxes made. Most medium-large centers have a shop that can make them to size, custom foam lined just for your gear.
Another, lower cost option is to find some large toolboxes. This won't fit a tower case, but is good for a lot of other electronics and related items. You can get form-fitting foam linings for them, and they're damn near indestructible.
That, and insure everything out the wa-zoo.
FWIW, I have custom cases for a lot of my gear, and when I move, I ship the cheap junk, and drive the rest of the way with my gear in my car. If you're moving long haul, wait to buy it. It'll be easier. Calculate in the shipping costs for what you want to take, and you might find it makes more sense just to sell everything and buy it again when you get where you're going.
..don't panic
Remove anything that can possible come loose. I shipped my CPU from Minnesota to California and when it arrived the memory was out, cards had come loose, the whole bit. The screws even wiggled loose. Also there was an article on K5 about shipping. Search for it and read it.
Everytime you look at porn a devil gets their horns.
Yes, when you consider that he's making this trip in late August and the G5 he's purchasing isn't available until September 1 it seems pretty silly to worry about shipping an item he won't have yet to ship!
Assuming it was an issue, my advice would be to ship ground in the original packaging. With insurance.
toglodyte?
It's "troglodyte"
and "pie hole"
When I left for school, all I could afford was a PM4400 (first Mac with IDE), I struggled through with that, shipping it home in the summer. I had repacked it in the original box, with the original foam padding, plus sticking some of my t-shirts in the spaces for extra padding. But then when I got it at home the second summer of college, I could easily see it had been dropped... (every time you ship something, the box is going to get a little torn up, but this was worse) my Mac was DOA (something with the motherboard). I had insured it for $1000, but after much fighting (and a *month* without my computer) they would only pay me $750 'cause that was all it was worth at the time. The HD survived, so I took that (hey, they were selling it as junk anyways), their cash, and some more money and bought myself a new B&W G3.
I'm far happier with that, and still use it. But I learned and so hand carried all 50 or so lbs of it (Got a lot of comments on my "luggable"
One thing that you gotta do is buy a second monitor. Since it would be another ~$100 to ship that home and back, just plow that money into another monitor (assuming you don't already have a spare at home), or buy yourself a new monitor and have it delivered to school (and use your current one for summers). Oh yeah, and try to make friends with someone who lives locally that could store your stuff over the summer... it's amazing how much crap you accumulate.
Kurdt
I'm not anti-social. Just pro-technology.
Oh, you little buttfucking snarky ass. Trying to play English teacher on Slashdot. Nice try, freak. You are such a pathetic knavish little wretched bastard. You deserve to forever be lambasted for your ridiculous oppositions to the truth! You pimply, sexless, live in the basement in a white trash area, fat, jobless, poor, can't afford anything shitstick. Look at you. Look at your, big man. Beating your chest here. Hear yourself roar, show the world the power of your intellect, yes, and be one with what is high and holy, oh revered - wait, you are just a fucking bastard. A fucking little bastard. Trying to strut his shit on his little bitch computer. You suck. You suck at posting to Slashdot. You suck at doing anything with computers. You've never fucked another human, so you suck at coitus too pasty grease nerd. You suck at being witty, keen or amusing. You just plain fucking suck. You get it BUTTFUCKER? YOU SUCK. Look at your pathetic reviled self. Your fucking inadequate, lame stupid fucking self. Look at you. You suck shit. You know that? It is necessary to point out to the Slasbots here that even pieces of shit like you are especially upsetting.
I hereby declare you THE MOST STUPID FUCK I have seen in some time. How do you like that, little bitch motherfucker? And I'll say it again, FUCKFACE, shut your fucking cake hole you god damn fuck lout.
Given that the G5's probably won't ship until late August or September anyway, I don't think that shipping will be an issue. Also, you might very well be able to get an educational discount if you by from the university's computer store when you get there.
But, save the computer box and foam inserts when you need to return for the summer. It'll be a slight pain to save in the dorms, but the original box and foam inserts will be the best shipping materials that you can use short of the heavy duty shipping containers.
Oh and one final thing: buy a laptop instead.
Lasers Controlled Games!
I just shipped a Dec Alpha system (desktop) that weighs 45 lbs, from DC to Miami. Cost was $31 (including insurance) for UPS ground.
I'd rather be a conservative nutjob than a liberal with no nuts and no job.
Why don't you just get a laptop? If I were you I'd at least wait until you get to school ($150 off computers, $50 off monitors) and then seriously consider the 15" powerbook. For at least the next four years you're going to be jetting back and forth across the country three of four times a year. In addition to skipping the shipping hassles/worries you don't have to find a place to store two huge boxes. That will be especially hard if you're living in a dorm.
I'm guessing you're going to be a college student. You're going to need that money for something better than a computer. Fixing & upgrading your current computer should be fairly cheap - computers have got many parts in them, just because the computer has "died" doesn't mean all the parts have died. Buying a new computer for no other reason than the old computer has "died", is like buying a new car because a tyre has popped.
A new G5 system is going to cost a serious amount (all?) of your money. And think to yourself - what could you really do with it that you can't do with your current computer? I know the G5 has got an aura around its shiny white case, but a computer made in 2003 can't do much more than one made in 1999.
If it's games you want to play, then just upgrade the CPU & video card & add more ram to ur old comp.
I know a fellow who drove a forklift, loading trucks for an industrial shipping company (who mostly deals with, say, furniture, machinery, and partially finished widgets.
Most of this stuff comes on pallets, usually with a frame around the contents. It gets taken off of one semi, moved around, and put on another semi to its final destination. These pallets (of somewhat nonstandard sizes) needed to be packed into a given number of semis headed for a particular destination.
The pallets always managed to fit into the semis available. Sometimes he had to drive the forklift faster than others. But they always fit.
Digital photos of every step of the packing process, up too and including the drop off at the AUTHORIZED shipping center. Store these pics on a PC DIFFERENT than the one you are shipping.
This way, if damage occurs, you are able to make a reasonable case for yourself that yes, you did pack the PC in a decent manner, and can prove it. Also, pictures of the box/PC as it was when you received it (preferably BEFORE the delivery driver leaves, able to make a claim IMMEDIATELY upon receipt). Documentation will be your friend. And spring for the insurance.