What Should I Do with My Old Computer?

You have purchased a new computer, and now you are wondering what to do with your old one.  If you are like many people, after about 3 to 5 years of use on a computer, you are ready for a new one.  Then you are faced with the question of what to do with the old computer.  In this article, hopefully we can give you a couple of ideas of what can be done with an older computer before just throwing it away or considering it is useless.

Idea #1:  Kid’s

If your system is 3 – 5 years old and is still in working condition, letting your children have a computer of their own will not only give them a chance at not wrecking your new one, but also give them responsibility to take care of the one they have now.  If they show they can use it properly, then down the road maybe they can be trust worthy of a nicer, newer computer.  We still recommend that all computers to be placed in a high traffic area where adults are present to monitor usage.

Idea #2:  Printer and File Server

With a new hard drive installed, this old computer could be a great place to store every-body’s (household) data, music, video, etc. using a network.  If you have a printer, you could use this system to share it out to the rest of the home’s systems.  A positive to storing data centrally is that a backup system could be put in place to protect your data.  See our Online Backup page and Data Protection page for further details.

Idea #3:  Recycle

See our Computer Recycling page for details on this idea or visit your closets R2 certified e-waste recycling center near you.

Idea #4:  Give the Computer Away

While the computer may not meet your requirements anymore, it may be exactly what somebody else needs.  Before giving your system to a friend, relative, non-profit, or other be sure to have the data wiped clean and reinstall the operating system, or don’t.  Identity theft happens this way in some cases where someone gives away their computer later to find that information was used illegally.  This is a great option, but keep precautions in mind.  Ryan’s Computer Consulting Services, doesn’t purchase any used equipment, but has been given many systems over the years that clients no longer want.  We always erase the hard drive, scrap any useful parts, and then pass them forward to another client that may need the part at no charge other than labor.  Passing it forward is always rewarding outside of a monetary value.  You know you have helped somebody in some small way.

Fear of Computers?

Many times while out on a job-site we have been confronted with the common statement of “I am afraid to mess something up” or “I don’t know enough about computers to want to change anything.” Often this leads to the confession that a person may just be altogether intimidated by a computer system. Believe it or not, we have found that the fear of computers is simply from the lack of basic understanding. In this article we will touch a little bit on the psychology of why people are generally afraid or fearful of computer systems when it comes to changing or modifying the settings inside them. Of course we are not physiologist, nor do we claim to be one, however, when talking about fear, we are talking about the human mind and consciousness of a person. So with that said let’s see why people have “computer-phobia,” if there is even such a word.

Fear of Computers: Who fits this category?

•  A person who uses a computer with the continuous thought of accidentally or intentionally messing something up.

•  A person who if afraid to change or modify a setting in a computers operating system or hardware.

•  The over all lack of understanding of how computers work ultimately makes you feel intimidated and uncomfortable with daily use.

I am sure this doesn’t cover everything, but I am fairly sure that it covers the majority. So what is the cure? Well, we will have to touch the subject at it’s core first, and believe it or not, the fear of a computer in itself isn’t the problem. The problem lies deeper in the thought process of a person. Let’s look at this in another way, outside the box.

Scenario:

Let’s say that you have lived in a specific place you entire life for 55 years. One day somebody comes along and says there is a great store 30 miles away, and that you should go and check it out for the great deals it has to offer. You are anxious and exited to hear that that store is so close now and you really want to visit it. However the first thought that goes through your mind is, I have have to travel this distance through heavy traffic. Fear starts to set in, because it is an unknown territory and known for traffic problems. So what do you do to take the fear, instead of it overtaking you? You go, get a map, look at the best route to travel, get in your car and go or you just sit around and imagine what it would have been like to have been there based everybody else’s experiences.

What you should see clearly in the scenario above is that you are faced with a decision. To go or not to go. You are given the understanding of how to get there, you know you need to drive to get there, and you know it is a distance, and there is some risk involved. If you are afraid to go to this new store because of traffic, then you may never see it. However, if you are afraid of traffic, but you still go, that means that you are set to conquer your fear, and in the end better yourself.

So what is the secret answer of not being afraid of a computer?

Answer: Education

No, I am not saying you need to get a PhD in computer science, however learning the basics of how a computers works, it’s operating system (Windows for example),and how to use it properly will quickly begin to eliminate fear. You see, fear originates from lack of understanding. If you have understanding, you will be in less fear of the object. We recommend to everybody that is just starting out on computers, to check out the PC for Dummies series. You can find these on our How-To Books page of this site. As always if there is any other reason why a computer scares you, please feel free to write and share it with us using our Contact Form. We may edit this article to include your experiences.