Subject: Locating older systems & parts... (was: RE: making disk images)

From: "Tillman, Edward" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu Mar 6 01:48:00 2003

Hmm...   And which "Texas" might that be?  Sure isn't here...

Most of the Salvation Army, Good Will and other similar stores in San
Antonio tend to throw away computers and parts.  But, you never know when
that's going to happen, so ya gotta dive their dumpsters daily.  Often, all
you come away with is the stench.  (Why do they always seem to park these
places next to Class-D or 1-star restaurants?!)

On the other hand, local pawn shops seem to do a booming business in
computers -- and they target an audience of suckers - i.e.:  if you want an
old 386 or 486 machine, they're available -- if you have no clue about
computers, and want to pay similar prices to a new Gateway or HP!!  It
doesn't make much sense, and a lot of working classic systems just sit
around collecting dust, but getting a pawn owner or manager off-center and
into reality is an absolute b-tch!   '...shows ya how much the
'rank-and-file' really know about computers down here...

Cheers...

Ed Tillman
Store Automation Tech Support Specialist
  Valero Energy Corporation
San Antonio, Texas, USA
Office: (210)592-3110, Fax (210)592-2048
Email: [email-masked] <mailto:[email-masked]> 
====================================================
> On Sun, 2 Mar 2003, Robert F. Schaefer wrote:
>
> > Errr, here in O-hi-a the XT clones start at about $50 and go
> > up from there,
> Damn!  Remind me to stash my suitcases with old hardware next
> week, when I fly back to California!  They sell P2/450 machines
> (complete machines, not just the mb) for EUR 99 here :)

It's only in Ohio.  I nearly cry whenever someone from Texas starts talking
about what they picked up off the curb-- it's generally better than the
stuff I can buy around here.  D@mn the Salvation Army and VOA-- they're out
to make a profit around here.

---

From: "Damien Cymbal" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu Mar 6 07:34:01 2003

I was going to ask about where people are frequenting to find treasure.

Where I am now, most of the Salvation Army/Goodwill thrifts have big "NO
COMPUTERS!!!" signs out front so they won't even take them in just to toss
them.

dc

---

From: Brian Heise <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu Mar 6 08:20:00 2003

-dc
I have found the Salvation Army "Goodwill" to be  equally non-productive places to get older hardware in So. IL as well.  There is one larger thrift sore here that tends to have older systems, usually of the 386/486 varities, but thats about the extent of it.   Most of the time I am forced to get stuff from [shudder]....from EPay...as PCjr's (my love and speciality) just dont seem to "pop" up at any given time.
 
Brian
 Damien Cymbal <[email-masked]> wrote:I was going to ask about where people are frequenting to find treasure.

dc

---

From: Joe <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu Mar 6 08:59:00 2003

Forget the salvation army and trift stores. Most of them toss the OLD stuff and only keep the PCs. Go find a scrapper in your area. That's where you find the really interesting stuff. And the prices are a lot better too.

    Joe

---

From: Vintage Computer Festival <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu Mar 6 09:40:30 2003

> COMPUTERS!!!" signs out front so they won't even take them in just to toss

One of the best places for old computers are the smaller local, regional
or for-profit chain thrift stores.  Look in the phone book under "thrift
stores" (of all things), write down all the addresses, plug them into
Mapquest, work out an optimized route, and pick one Saturday to hit them
all.

You can also get more helpful suggestions from my article "Finding Vintage
Computers":

http://www.vintage.org/content.php?id=001

-- 

Sellam Ismail                                        Vintage Computer Festival
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Man of Intrigue and Danger                http://www.vintage.org

 * Old computing resources for business and academia at www.VintageTech.com *

---

From: "Robert F. Schaefer" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu Mar 6 18:07:00 2003

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tillman, Edward" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Thursday, March 06, 2003 2:45 AM
Subject: Locating older systems & parts... (was: RE: making disk images)

> Hmm...   And which "Texas" might that be?  Sure isn't here...

I've heard many Texans on the list say something like `I passed up the quad
Xeon box at the salvation army 'cause it only had a half-gig of ram and they
wanted 45 bucks for it.'  Ok, maybe not quite like that, but the stuff they
talked about would *never* be seen in a local store, or priced higher than
new.  Literally.  The local $thrift_store_charities are hell-bent on making
a profit, and it bugs the crap outta me to see them selling junk, for
obscene prices, to poor people who might not know any better.  Whoops--
sorry.  </rant>

> places next to Class-D or 1-star restaurants?!)

Around here, they just started enforcing the
felony-to-take-it-outta-the-donation-bin laws, and I've a hunch they'd apply
it to the dumpsters too.  The city has also started enforcing the
it's-litter-if-it-ain't-in-the-bin laws, it'll be interesting to see what
happens the first time they bust someone for taking somerthing from outside
the bin.

> Ed Tillman

Bob

---

From: Chad Fernandez <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu Mar 6 23:44:00 2003

Robert F. Schaefer wrote:
> felony-to-take-it-outta-the-donation-bin laws,

I'd never take something out of the donation bin..... That would be 
stealing it since the original owner was giving it to the charity.

> and I've a hunch they'd apply
> it to the dumpsters too.

on the other hand.... out of the dumpster is okay since it isn't wanted 
by the original owner or the charity.  It also keeps stuff out of landfills.

   The city has also started enforcing the
> happens the first time they bust someone for taking something from outside
> the bin.

We don't actually have bins anymore around here, that I know of...... 
people kept setting them on fire!!  I do see things stacked outside of 
the Goodwill store, under the canopy, However.

Chad Fernandez
Michigan, USA

---

From: "Robert F. Schaefer" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri Mar 7 20:02:00 2003

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chad Fernandez" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Friday, March 07, 2003 12:39 AM
Subject: Re: Locating older systems & parts... (was: RE: making disk images)

> stealing it since the original owner was giving it to the charity.

I don't object to people trading.  Just cut out the markup in the middle,
the way I see it.  Also, as a general rule, I don't have too much problem
with people taking stuff out either, the assumption being that they need it,
but just plain stealing is wrong.

There was a case here a while back, some dudes saw a couple of guys cleaning
out a bin into a panel truck.  They *chased* them until the police caught
up!  I probably wouldn't have done that.

> by the original owner or the charity.  It also keeps stuff out of
landfills.

Except the dumpster is private property.  Theft pure and simple, in the eyes
of the law.  Not that I would pass one up...

> the Goodwill store, under the canopy, However.

A lot of places won't allow a bin anymore, but they're still outside the
thrift stores.  Stacks outside are what's considered litter and subject to
prosecution, according to the new signs up.

Bob