random memes }

Rationalization needed...

I am sorting through the old computer hardware that was collecting dust in the corner of my study.

Used to be, hardware would die before it became obsolete. This made it easy to rationalize the purchase of new hardware. Several years back I hooked up a UPS between line power and each of my computers. Now I have another problem. Old computers no longer die (a good thing), rather they now become obsolete while still perfectly functional (a bad thing - especially given my tendencies).

Now I have piles of new-looking perfectly functional computer hardware ... for which I have no rational use. 100GB+ drives, DVD readers, 2GHz CPUs, 0.5GB memories - all perfectly functional, and all not worth re-using. Clean off the dust, and everything is new and shiny-looking. Why am I about to throw all this stuff out? Oh.

Doubtless I will keep more than what I will find of future use. (Geez ... I'm throwing out 0.5GB memory sticks! How many programmers sweated away how many years of work to make their problems fit in smaller memories - and now I'm junking once-huge chunks of memory?) I waited years for a graphics card that could drive a 1600x1200 screen at full color. Now I am throwing out stacks of AGI graphics cards - not because they are too slow! - rather as there are essentially no new motherboards that can use the old video cards. (I am not a gamer, so the newer cards are not especially faster.)

Of the five old computer cases, one is gone (the newer sexy aluminum case with transparent side panel ... was too noisy). Four are old PC Power & Cooling steel cases - not sexy or stylish, but perfectly functional - of which I will keep at most two. Threw out piles of perfectly functional motherboards, CPUs, memories, and disk - as not worth re-using.

Wish I could find some rationalization for re-using this old hardware and software .... but I know there is none.