What to do with your old PCs?
What to do with your old PCs?
JAKARTA (JP): At the end of last year, the number of PCs in
the world was reported to have reached 500 million. Does it mean
that one in twelve people in the world had a PC then?
You know the answer. Not only are there many cases where an
individual has multiple working PCs on his desktop, he may
also have several nonworking ones collecting dust in his garage.
Besides, over the years a lot of PCs have filled the earth
like old tires and becak (pedicab) confiscated from the streets
of Jakarta.
In a throw-away society -- borrowing from Alvin Toffler --
getting rid of old PCs might not be a challenge: Just dump it on
the sidewalk and the trashman will take care of it.
However, here in Asia we do not part easily with our
properties, and our old PCs soon become a problem.
Yet, even dumping PCs on the sidewalk is not considered a
proper thing to do. More and more states in the U.S. are becoming
concerned about this as the PCs are by no means an ecofriendly
candidate for landfills.
Their most feared hazardous wastes include lead, mercury and
arsenic. Fortunately for the people in the U.S., some computer
vendors, including Dell, HP, IBM and Sony have started a PC
recycling service. It is not free (IBM, for example, charges
US$29.99), but the service is certainly a welcome one.
So, if you or your children keep buying a new PC every two
or three years, what can you do with the old ones? Basically, you
have two options. First, you can try to find a new use for them.
Second, you can put them to pasture in a respectable way.
If you choose the first, what are the possibilities?
First, you can upgrade them. Powerleap (www.powerleap.com or
its subsidiary www.friendtech.com) has several options to
increase the performance of your old PCs. Its Renaissance upgrade
kits, for example, can magically turn a 286 PC into a 1 GHz
speedster.
Powerleap's products are available at local computer stores
here. However, you will have to consider the price and, above
all, the condition of the other components in your existing PC
before you leap. There is no use upgrading the CPU if you still
have to buy a new hard disk and power supply.
Once the speed and performance of the upgraded PC is up to
snuff, you can use it to run Windows 3.11 or Windows 95. There
may still be a problem with software copyright here, though,
as you may be required to have a license for these products, even
though they are no longer sold or supported by Microsoft.
You need to make sure you have legal copies of the operating
system and software.
Another alternative is to run Linux. A 486 DX running at 66
MHz will make a very good Linux server. Consult your local Linux
users group if you need more information.
These folks will be more than happy to educate you, as helping
each other is the essence of the Linux philosophy.
If you do not believe in Linux and you do not want to invest
in upgrade kits, you can still buy software from Cambridge-based
NewDeal Inc. (www.newdealinc.com).
This company specializes in writing software programs that
does not require too much computing power -- even a 286 will do.
Their products include SchoolSuite, OfficeSuite and WebSuite.
You can even download a trial version of the company's Office
from their website for evaluation.
If you do not have a use for your old PCs, you can sell
them. Stores in Gajah Mada Plaza are still willing to give you
about Rp 300,000 for a Pentium 90 MHz (without the monitor). Not
bad.
However, a 286 may not have too much of a market anymore, so
you might want to donate it to a school or foster home.
If you donate your old clunker, just make sure that it is in
working condition. If your idea of charity includes giving
nonworking PCs to other people, you will be actually transferring
your problems to them. That is certainly not the right way to
dispose of your junk.
However, about the only place you might consider when
trying to find a place to dump your old, nonworking machines is
those established computer schools.
Unlike us, seasoned computer professors do not usually find
much excitement in working with the latest and the greatest. They
usually feel more dignified working on a two-decade old PC or
Mac. And they can fix them, too. (Zatni Arbi)