Is there somewhere you can take unwanted computer accessories and maybe get alittle money out of them? The things I have would be usable and they are in good condition. I really hate to just throw them away or give them away. Thanks anyone!

-- Posted by jkelley on Mon, Jan 7, 2008, at 11:16 AM

Good question!

Depends on what kind of computer accessories your are talking about. If you mean old TRS-80's, Amiga's, Apple IIE's, or Commodore 64's then they would bring enough money on eBay to take the time to auction and ship since they are collector's items with a following. If you are talking about old PC keyboards, 15" CRT monitors, or any system with a Pentium, Pentium II, K5, K6, or older Celeron then that would be garbage for most purposes, but for some users, especially those that only need to check e-mail or type a document, an older computer would suffice. The problem is that those machines typically have Windows 98 installed and should not be used due to security concerns and viruses. To make the machine semi-usable Linux could be installed along with a newer PCI or AGP video card. The cost to accomplish this though would be more than the actual machine is worth, so unless you know how to do it yourself it wouldn't be something I would recommend. Old computers are great for students that want to learn how to network computers, learn Linux, build a router/firewall, or take apart to learn hardware names. You also could call and see if a school would accept it as a donation. One note on auctioning parts. As older computer hardware becomes obsolete it, some of it like memory, processors, and motherboards increases in value slightly due to scarcity. Many companies and the military use old computers designed for specific systems. These systems cost many times more than the computer that is a component of the system, so instead of replacing the entire system when the computer breaks the computer is repaired. Knowledge of computers and hardware helps when trying to sell old parts. Computers should never be sent to the landfill because they contain lead, mercury, and other harmful chemicals that will pollute ground water.

For more info on systems that could be considered collectible go to:

http://www.old-computers.com/news/defaul...