You see a PC and monitor next to the trash on trash day. Do you?

[VirtualLarry]

1) Pick it up, take it home, clean it off/up, and see if it works?
2) Leave it there, since it must obviously be broken or obsolete?

Edit: Huh, no polls in OT allowed? Or have I lost my ability to make polls?

 

[lxskllr]

Take it home of course. Even if the whole unit doesn't work, there's certainly good parts that can be used.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

I see old computers and monitors laying outside in the neighborhood frequently, but it was always prior to leaving for class, so I never had the time to try scavenging. One day I will.

 

[Modelworks]

Monitor I would leave if it were crt type. PC I would take, remove the power supply, good for lots of things besides pc. I use an old ATX supply to power the router, modem, voip adapter, rather than having a bunch of wall adapter.

 

[PottedMeat]

monitor - if lcd take
else leave

tower - if it has usb/no parallel take
else leave

 

[alkemyst]

call solid waste authority and report them for illegal dumping.

 

[lxskllr]

I use an old ATX supply to power the router, modem, voip adapter, rather than having a bunch of wall adapter.

I like that. I'm gonna keep that in mind for future use.

 

[IronWing]

I'd write "Road Hazard" on the side of the case and then set it in the road.

 

[marvdmartian]

monitor - if lcd take
else leave

tower - if it has usb/no parallel take
else leave

Can't say for a store-bought PC, since I've built my own for more than 10 years now.......but hey, I've even seen new motherboards that STILL have parallel and serial ports. For the life of me, I don't know WHY, but they do. :hmm:

 

[SKORPI0]

Remove useable parts (inside the vehicle) and then return it where it was found.

 

[Mixolydian]

If it's an old beige thing that looks like it's from the 90's, no. If it looks relatively new, then yes.

 

[MovingTarget]

monitor - if lcd take
else leave

tower - if it has usb/no parallel take
else leave

This. Very this. Although most of what I see being thrown out are old CRT monitors and P3 or below machines. No thanks.

 

[Minerva]

Target practice.
Old CRTs do implode nicely when shot with a .22.

Of course that failing a pound of tannerite and the .227 come out for some good ole American fun! :awe:

 

[wirednuts]

the power supply might be worth it. whats sad is energy costs are so high now, and the new computer parts are so efficient, that even if you find a somewhat speedy pentium 4 system laying around it doesnt pay to use it. within a few months time you would spend in electricity what you can buy a new power sipping motherboard and chip

 

[FaaR]

Target practice.
Old CRTs do implode nicely when shot with a .22.

Oh please, do grow up.

CRTs contain all manner of nasty stuff, brominated flame retardants, lead and other heavy metals and so on that shouldn't be released into the environment. Instead of polluting our planet with hazardous waste residue in a juvenile lust for destruction, turn that monitor in for recycling instead.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

This is a fictional question, someone will always see it and take it before me.

 

[lxskllr]

Oh please, do grow up.

CRTs contain all manner of nasty stuff, brominated flame retardants, lead and other heavy metals and so on that shouldn't be released into the environment. Instead of polluting our planet with hazardous waste residue in a juvenile lust for destruction, turn that monitor in for recycling instead.

It's pretty boring anyway. The implosion is much less dramatic than expected. It just kind of falls in place.

 

[amdhunter]

Only if there is a hard drive intact. I love browsing through people's old data/porn/pictures.

 

[lxskllr]

Only if there is a hard drive intact. I love browsing through people's old data/porn/pictures.

The magnets are fun and useful also :^)

 

[RavenSEAL]

#1 if it's not a CRT.

 

[bearxor]

Monitor I would leave if it were crt type. PC I would take, remove the power supply, good for lots of things besides pc. I use an old ATX supply to power the router, modem, voip adapter, rather than having a bunch of wall adapter.

I feel like an idiot for not thinking about that. I could probably replace a half dozen wall warts with a single power supply.

 

[ComputerWizKid]

If it a newer computer I will take it and no to a CRT monitor LCD Yes
but there is an exception if I know the computer has a part I would need/Want I will take it if is an older computer as
I recently dragged it two PIII Computers that were from my housing authority (They were for the residents to use in the community room) They used WiFi to connect to the network and the internet and sure enough the cards were still in there when the trashed the computers. So I took the WiFi cards and the unformated Hard Drives and I put them back in the trash

 

[DrPizza]

Take the computer, leave the monitor. Check to see what's on the hard drive! If the hard drive has been "erased" - all the more reason to check to see what's on the hard drive!

 

[RichUK]

Only poor people go through other people's trash.

 

[Murloc]

here we have a "cumbersome" trash place where you put your trash on specific days.
I don't have cumbersome trash so I never go there and never see what's there, but I am inclined to believe it's mostly CRT monitors and white/beige towers, which means it's useless crap. I can't even use stuff from 5 years ago on my computer...