Curbside/Trashpicked/Otherwise Free Computers

[LOLZpersonok]

I like to collect any cheap and free computers that I can find. Just recently, I picked up three computers off the side of the street: A custom built PC that had a fried motherboard and dead PSU, an IBM server from 2003 and a Toshiba Satellite P30 laptop. I stripped the custom built PC for its graphics card (a 256MB ATi card), the 3.2GHz Pentium 4 processor, its optical and floppy drive, hard drive and card reader, and I use the Toshiba Satellite as my primary portable as I use my main HP ENVY laptop like a desktop, and it never moves. As for the IBM server, it's just a fun little toy to play with. Prior to this, the last free computers I got were an iBook G4 and a PowerBook G3.

 

Does anyone else grab computers out of the garbage or off the side of the street, or get them free any other way? It's because of this that I have a decent collection of computers lying around. Good source of parts, and can be useful at times. I'm not the only one, am I?

[BrinkGG]

I like to collect any cheap and free computers that I can find. Just recently, I picked up three computers off the side of the street: A custom built PC that had a fried motherboard and dead PSU, an IBM server from 2003 and a a Toshiba Satellite P30 laptop. I stripped the custom built PC for its graphics card (a 256MB ATi card), the 3.2GHz Pentium 4 processor, its optical and floppy drive, hard drive and card reader, and I use the Toshiba Satellite as my primary portable as I use my main HP ENVY laptop like a desktop, and it never moves. As for the IBM server, it's just a fun little toy to play with. Prior to this, the last free computers I got were an iBook G4 and a PowerBook G3.

 

Does anyone else grab computers out of the garbage or off the side of the street, or get them free any other way? It's because of this that I have a decent collection of computers lying around. Good source of parts, and can be useful at times. I'm not the only one, am I?

Not at all!! I also find that many of the cases are great for a custom paint job (Recently did one with the Batwing on the sides.). 

[Norman_the_Owl]

Grab any computer stuff I find. I recycle it or pass it on if I have no use for it

[Sam Z Man]

I have 4 of my families old PC's in the basement that most people would consider junk, it keeps me with a good supply of sata cables and other useful things.

[1823alex]

I've got a confession to make, I do the same thing but I keep EVERY single god damn cable for some reason... It's helpful but it means a couple of storage bins full of different cables. I think I have almost 10 VGA cables, but you can never have enough of those, especially since they come in the box with most monitors.

[TetraSky]

I never see a computer in the trash these days... But I'm guessing that because there's quite a few people "patrolling" the area on trash day to possibly collect everything that might have some value... I've seen a few of them, they all have some kind of pick-up trucks with the back open and full of "junk". Neighbor got rid of his piano.. not even 2 minutes after he put it out, it was gone.