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Thread ID: 59939 2005-07-17 12:18:00 Corrupted PC's Find New Home in the Dumpster Scouse (83) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
372972 2005-07-17 12:18:00 From today''s NY Times see here (www.nytimes.com) . Who needs repair shops? Scouse (83)
372973 2005-07-17 13:11:00 I have personal experience of this myself - three people have given me their "old, slow" PCs gratis. I guess it was less trouble for them to buy new than to deal with malware junk and the requirements of Windows. I now have six fairly good machines lying around the place unused.

I am starting to think of putting open source OS and software on them and giving them away again. However, the last time I did this, the new owner kept hassling me to do this and that bloody other thing.

What's the best way of giving away a fully functional up-to-date PC without becoming the free, 24/7 helpdesk guy?
vinref (6194)
372974 2005-07-17 13:24:00 I have personal experience of this myself - three people have given me their "old, slow" PCs gratis. I guess it was less trouble for them to buy new than to deal with malware junk and the requirements of Windows. I now have six fairly good machines lying around the place unused.

I am starting to think of putting open source OS and software on them and giving them away again. However, the last time I did this, the new owner kept hassling me to do this and that bloody other thing.

What's the best way of giving away a fully functional up-to-date PC without becoming the free, 24/7 helpdesk guy?
Give them the option of buying a 12 month service contract off you...
plod (107)
372975 2005-07-17 13:43:00 I like that idea plod. I had been thinking along those lines as well.

What are the chances someone would let me have root access to their machines as part of the service - i.e., I could sit here on my butt in my crib and do configuration and installs and other regular maintenance stuff remotely via ssh?

I'm beginning to like that idea very much.
vinref (6194)
372976 2005-07-17 22:16:00 What's the best way of giving away a fully functional up-to-date PC without becoming the free, 24/7 helpdesk guy?
By putting it out the gate.
pctek (84)
372977 2005-07-18 01:24:00 i get a lot of these old pcs too, but i don't give them away. that's silly, cos you spend a lot of time getting them going - unless you're not in the business of making money.
i just use their old disks, format, get going, stick avg on it & sell it for $100+. easy money that i would do when i'm not watching dvd movies on the pc, um i mean when i'm fixing newer pcs...
quarry (252)
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