Donating computer equipment

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Rachael
Posts: 2455
Joined: 23 Jan 2010 13:42
Location: Sydenham / Forest Hill Intersection

Donating computer equipment

Post by Rachael »

I have a large (42") Sony display monitor that I want to donate to a charity that can pass it to an educational institute or non-profit organisation. I've tried eco-computers (who run Sydenham library) but haven't had a response. Any other suggestions?

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Annie
Posts: 1187
Joined: 13 May 2006 11:08
Location: Sydenham

Re: Donating computer equipment

Post by Annie »

What about a local School? it might be worth ringing a few.
Tim Lund
Posts: 6718
Joined: 13 Mar 2008 18:10
Location: Silverdale

Re: Donating computer equipment

Post by Tim Lund »

I could show you glory-holes heaving with old PC equipment kindly donated to community groups, so in general I'm a bit sceptical about this sort of thing; if it's no longer of much use to the people getting rid of it, generally it's not much use to anyone else. Here, for example, is what Which? say
Donate your computer to a charity

Some charities will accept your old PC
Some councils will provide you with details of local non-profit groups who may accept your PC. Computer Aid International can send computers to underdeveloped countries, so long as the specifications are high enough.
Don’t be offended if your computer is too ancient to be accepted; for equipment to feasibly last more than a couple of years and run modern software effectively it needs to be of a certain standard. Dell told us a typical consumers’ computer is around seven years old when it’s collected. Computers of this age are unfortunately too old to be donated.


Read more: http://www.which.co.uk/technology/compu ... z1kmCJrN2h
Consumer Champions Which?
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial
In this case, however, I can see that such a large monitor might be of use, but if you want a charity or local school to benefit, you'd probably do better to ask someone local in the business of setting up PC systems if he/she thinks there's anyone out there who could use it, and give it to them. Or sell it to them, if they will offer you a price, and give the money to the general funds of the good cause of your choice - without landing them with the embarrassment of saying they don't want your monitor, or having it clutter up their offices.

Said local business could be Eco-computers, but you don't need to deal only with non-profit organisations to do the right thing by society.
Rachael
Posts: 2455
Joined: 23 Jan 2010 13:42
Location: Sydenham / Forest Hill Intersection

Re: Donating computer equipment

Post by Rachael »

Darren from Eco-computers got in touch with me as soon as he saw this thread - there are apparently problems with their website contact forms. With any luck my monitor will soon be out from under my feet and being used.
Rachael
Posts: 2455
Joined: 23 Jan 2010 13:42
Location: Sydenham / Forest Hill Intersection

Re: Donating computer equipment

Post by Rachael »

Tim Lund wrote:I could show you glory-holes heaving with old PC equipment kindly donated to community groups, so in general I'm a bit sceptical about this sort of thing; if it's no longer of much use to the people getting rid of it, generally it's not much use to anyone else.
Which is why I approached a company specialising in recycling and reusing old computer equipment in the first place.
mikej
Posts: 430
Joined: 14 Dec 2006 21:55
Location: New Beckenham

Re: Donating computer equipment

Post by mikej »

Just bring it along to Sydenham library during opening hours and we'll take it there.
Don't know why Eco haven't responded.
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Rachael
Posts: 2455
Joined: 23 Jan 2010 13:42
Location: Sydenham / Forest Hill Intersection

Re: Donating computer equipment

Post by Rachael »

Thanks, Mike. As I explained above, Eco-computers have now been in touch (credit where credit is due) and we are arranging to have the monitor collected. Bringing it along to the library would be tricky, given its size.

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darrent
Posts: 18
Joined: 24 Dec 2010 22:00
Location: Lewisham

Re: Donating computer equipment

Post by darrent »

Hi everyone,

I am so thankful to these forum, I didn't relise we had a problem with our contact form until I read this.

Regarding the comments, I am sitting writing this message now on a computer I brought back in Oct 2007 and it is running Windows 7.

The computer on my office desk is about 5 years old and running Windows 7.

If anything is underspec, we try to reuse the components to upgrade other computers, and if we cannot we also do metal and plastic recycling.

Without these computers, we would not be able to install computers into Rowan Court sheltered home on Silverdale at the end of this month, where we are installing computers into the communal area and giving IT training and two years, telephone and remote access support.

We are aiming to install computers into all sheltered homes and care home in Lewisham over the next two years.

Thank you for the donation of the 42" screen, this will be used in the library because we are starting a project where we are teaching seniors how to use Skype and we are going to do reminiscence session on the big screen.

Also without these computers that are donated we would not be able to complete the project where we delivered computers nationwide to deprived families all over the country.

Please do not forget that all donations of Books and Computers into the libraries are going towards the running costs and repairs of the library.

I would like to use this opportunity to thank everyone who is helping in the library and who has donated books or computers into the libraries and all the customers using the libraries.

Thank you and kindest Regards

Darren Taylor
Chief Executive Officer
Eco Computer Systems
020 8694 5274
07738 290485
JeeBee
Posts: 126
Joined: 5 May 2010 17:21
Location: Sydenham

Re: Donating computer equipment

Post by JeeBee »

Hi Darren,

I have a couple of PCs that I would like to donate.

- A 1.466 GHz Athlon XP, Radeon 9500, in blue tower case.
- A Mini-ITX system - 800MHz VIA EPIA. It's a bit slow. Case is quite nice.
- I also have a 1U black rackmount case, don't ask me why, but you can have that too if you can make use of it.

Kind Regards,

Graham
Rachael
Posts: 2455
Joined: 23 Jan 2010 13:42
Location: Sydenham / Forest Hill Intersection

Re: Donating computer equipment

Post by Rachael »

Darren - I'm really pleased to hear my monitor is going to be used in the library. I may have to pop in and see it in action! (Great interview on Radio 4 yesterday, btw).

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darrent
Posts: 18
Joined: 24 Dec 2010 22:00
Location: Lewisham

Re: Donating computer equipment

Post by darrent »

Hi,

Graham - thank you for offer - We would love the list of items you have, even the 1U rackmount case, I have a use for this. We are installing computers into the largest sheltered home in Europe next month and will need this for this project.

Rachel - This has gone to Deptford Pepys resource Centre at the moment - we had some sign language training going on and needed it for that and then it was used just today teaching 8 seniors on how to use computers. This will make its way back to Sydenham.

Also soon we will have a new website promoting all reuse in Lewisham, please see a taster at http://www.reuseforlondon.com/ but later it will be reuseforlewisham.com.

Regards

Darren
Rachael
Posts: 2455
Joined: 23 Jan 2010 13:42
Location: Sydenham / Forest Hill Intersection

Re: Donating computer equipment

Post by Rachael »

Thanks for the update, Darren. It's really nice to hear how the mnitor is being used.

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JeeBee
Posts: 126
Joined: 5 May 2010 17:21
Location: Sydenham

Re: Donating computer equipment

Post by JeeBee »

darrent wrote:Hi,

Graham - thank you for offer - We would love the list of items you have, even the 1U rackmount case, I have a use for this. We are installing computers into the largest sheltered home in Europe next month and will need this for this project.

Rachel - This has gone to Deptford Pepys resource Centre at the moment - we had some sign language training going on and needed it for that and then it was used just today teaching 8 seniors on how to use computers. This will make its way back to Sydenham.

Also soon we will have a new website promoting all reuse in Lewisham, please see a taster at http://www.reuseforlondon.com/ but later it will be reuseforlewisham.com.

Regards

Darren
Great, thanks. I've just found the rackmount rails too.

Let me get the rest of the data off the systems I don't need and then I can work out a way to get the systems to you.
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