Why does nobody upgrade their computer nowadays? My first computer back in the mid 90's lasted me three times as long as my more recent computers. Why? Because I upgraded the memory, the hard drive, the motherboard, and the operating system. Back then, new computers were really expensive so it made sense to upgrade them when they were getting slow or we ran out of storage space.
Today, we have computers that are infinitely faster and with huge hard drives and RAM, yet we are never satisfied. We want faster computers with humongous hard drives for all our music and video downloads, so we discard our old computers. This is because new computers are often cheaper than upgrading all the hardware and software to make it comparable with a new computer. The problem is what to do with our old computers.
A Wasteful Society
According to studies by the US Environmental Protection Agency, almost 20% of consumers that got rid of a desktop computer or monitor threw them out in the trash. Also, 14% of those that got rid of their laptop threw it in the trash. These discarded computers and other electronic devices make up a total of over 3 million tons of what is now called e-waste. As electronic equipment contains toxic metals and chemicals, this can cause environmental and health risks, especially in landfills where toxins can leak into the ground water and soil.
So, as we have seen above, we need to find an alternative to just throwing our old computers in the garbage. The most obvious solution is to sell the computer, possibly on eBay or through classified ads. However, you will not get much for a computer that you yourself find too slow, so let's take a look at some other methods of getting rid of your old computer.
Erase Your Personal Data
Before going over the different ways to get rid of your computer, it is highly recommended that you erase the hard drive data. Until recently this was a hard thing to do that required a lot of technical ability if you wanted to erase everything so that nobody could access your personal data. Now there is a more effective way to completely erase your hard drive. It is a program called WipeDrive and it allows you to erase your hard drive so that your data is unrecoverable. I would get the version called SystemSaver as it can wipe your hard drive clean but it keeps the operating system intact so that other people can use your computer again.
Give it to Your Kids
If your kids are older, then they are not going to be too happy to receive their parent's old and slow computer. However, for younger kids, your "old" computer will be perfect for them. As long as the computer is up to the task of playing educational CDs, small multimedia files, or games then it will suffice. When they need the computer for homework then it should have at least a word processor and access to the Internet, with parental control or software that you can program to keep your kids safe while surfing the web. You could also give the computer to older relatives that don't have a computer but express an interest in learning how to use one.
Donate the Computer
You will certainly be able to find a worthy home for your old computer if you decide to donate it. There are plenty of charities that could help you find a place where it is most needed. Maybe you know a poor family that doesn't own a computer or a small NGO that could use it.
External Storage Device
Lastly, you could convert the computer into a safe storage device. You should disconnect it from the Internet and just use it to store sensitive or personal data. You could also use it as an external storage device for back-ups. By disconnecting it from the Internet you will have the peace of mind that hackers or viruses can not access your personal records or documents.
As you have seen, there are several uses you can give to an older computer. The one thing that I hope you don't do is just throw it in the garbage. Even if you do decide to dispose of it, at least find a recycling center that accepts computers. The problem of e-waste is only going to get worse as, all over the World, people are now getting their first computers. That means in a few years there will be further millions of older computers ending up in dumps, unless the population can be educated about recycling or finding alternative solutions to their old electronic devices.a
About this Author
Michael has been writing articles on the Internet for several years now. He writes about his many interests, like technology and computers, so check out his new Consumer Electronics Reviews website. There you will be able to read reviews on all types of consumer electronics, like Weather Stations for Home, portable e-book readers, digital cameras, computers, and portable audio and video.
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