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What To Do With Old Laptops?
An anonymous reader writes "I've recently acquired a few old P2/P3 laptops. Most either work properly but are slow, or have various problems with power supplies and/or batteries. Attempting to sell them would probably earn less than the cost of shipping, so that's out of the question. I was hoping the Slashdot crowd could give me some ideas on what to do with these old computers. As somebody who already has ~10 computers lying around the house there is certainly no need for an additional computer to 'experiment' with, so I was hoping for some more creative suggestions."
Donate to a charity - there are many developing 3rd world countries that I am sure would love to get their hands on something like that.
Send them to me. I'll find a use for them. Hell, I'll pay your shipping.
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You could meet the needs of a small library by throwing a wireless card into each of them, then pick up one new desktop machine and set the laptops up as thin clients.
Find some small computer shop and get them to donate the desktop machine in exchange for a plaque on the wall at the library (cheap advertising and tax deductible donation for them), set it up over a weekend, and claim the cost of the laptops and your time as a charitable donation when you do your own taxes.
Or, of course, you could make a bunch of ugly digital picture frames that consume way too much electricity.
-1 Uncomfortable Truth
Misleading titles? Inflammatory blurbs? Keep in mind that Slashdot is a tabloid.
I'm glad someone thought that the picture frame idea was somewhat lacking.
Unfortunately (or fortunately) we've gotten to the point where technology, even free, is completely obsolete in 10-15 years. In a few years the cost of maintaining those systems as well as the extra electricity will probably make them more costly than a replacement. Still, if it's a few more good years, that's not bad.
What should be focused on more is safe disposal of computer equipment. We are very fast approaching the point of PC saturation. Almost everyone has a PC that wants one (in industrialized nations) and new models are very cheap. Very few people want the hassle of a PC after it's been handed down twice. (assume 5-7 years old.) Past that it's almost useless; the price, performance, size and features almost always win out for "buy new". You're going to likely be looking at 40+ million old PC/laptops disposed each year in the US alone, excluding businesses. (5 year lifespan, 2 in 3 people with a computer.)
I am not an expert. If I am misled in something, please correct me.
How about turning them into a Folding @ Home farm?