[lug] Free computers on Saturday?

[Deva Samartha]

There was a similar event going on a couple of weeks ago in Longmont. I 
went there and paid to get rid of some broken monitors, old modem (T2500) 
and laptop.

The amount of equipment turned in at the place was incredible - several 
large rental truckloads and more piled on palettes since trucks were full.

It was mainly "white box" computers and small, older type monitors and 
there must have been some decent stuff. My guess is, it could have been 
1000 or so computers.

The procedure was such:

Incoming cars were guided into several car lanes and received by one person 
(per lane) - I assume a volunteer - which took inventory of you had to 
offer. A paper slip was handed out with the quantities entered and one had 
to pay the fee. Then further down the car lane, unloading happened and you 
were out again. Assembly line procedure.

I think the equipment must have been sold to or was handled by some 
computer part salvage company and from my judgement, there is no chance at 
this kind of scenario to get hold of any equipment if it happens in that 
style in Boulder.

As for destroying - I don't think that the stuff is being destroyed - I 
think it gets salvaged, taken apart, separated into recyclable/sellable 
categories and then sold.

Sure it would be interesting to know what the financial picture is but I 
guess that it is hard to come by numbers but I am pretty sure they (the 
salvage companies) are making some money, otherwise they would go out of 
business. I have read somewhere that IBM is offering the service of 
computer system disposal for $ 20 or so. So, somebody there must have been 
spending some brain power on this and come out with a scheme.

To dispose of a monitor, I think it was $ 5.-, computers $ 2 or 3.

I had 10 broken monitors sitting in my garage not knowing what to do with 
it except smashing them joyfully and feeding the fragments into my trash bin.

Now, thinking of not able to do the smashing and paying $ 5 for it - does 
it balance out the avoided environmental damage? I think so, but finding 
out of being taken advantage of would be frustrating.

S.