WEEKLY WHINE

Depressing

It's not fun seeing things not get used. There are many things I've seen around me that could have been used but weren't. A common example is computer hardware. Although it's true that hardware remains at the top of the line for what seems like a matter of minutes, that doesn't mean that the bottom of the line is completely useless. Old equipment can serve many purposes.

But oftentimes you'll see things being dumped despite having a long lifespan ahead of them. Companies and laboratories alike always want the best for their people, so they scrap things they no longer want and bring in the next generation of toys.

This, however, is as it should be, since companies and laboratories would not be able to compete if their staffs are wrangling old technology that their competitors have ditched. Even so, the junk heaps of disused computers and peripherals are kind of depressing. It seems as though somebody would be able to get some use out of it.

Indeed there are. Here at Caltech you'll find people who rummage through the dumps outside the computer science buildings in search of something useful. Some of the objects wind up being thrown out simply because one part has shorted out, which means the salvager need only find that broken part, replace it, and use the object.

Then again, perhaps these people should have spent more time on their studies.

Got a three year old computer that you want to replace with a hot new system? Just slap Linux or something on the old one, and you've got yourself a web server! Looking for one of those wheeled mouses? Put your old two-button to work as a pull cord! Planning to upgrade your video card and monitor? Leave the old ones around, and you can use them both simultaneously! Want a new color printer? Throw your old one off the roof!

And these are just a few of the exciting things you can do with your old hardware. I'm sure you can come up with many more ways to get more out of your electronics. Using things is fun, and not using them is just ridiculous.