# Recommend something to do with a surplus computer **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 11, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-something-to-do-with-a-surplus-computer/485383 "2009-02-11T16:36:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-something-to-do-with-a-surplus-computer/485383/1 "2009-02-11T16:36:43Z")
I recently discovered I have an extra PC in my house I didn’t realize worked. I’m almost certain it has a Pentium III 450, and it’s running 768 MB ECC RAM. Before I decide to sell off it’s internal organs on eBay, does anybody have any interesting ideas for uses I could put it to? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-something-to-do-with-a-surplus-computer/485383/2 "2009-02-11T16:48:25Z")
[Here’s one](http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/03/10/mac-se-becomes-toilet-paper-roll-holder/)idea, although this is a Mac. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-something-to-do-with-a-surplus-computer/485383/3 "2009-02-11T16:48:35Z")
Put a bunch of a disks on it, slap on some variant of Linux and use it as a cheap backup server / NAS. Alternatively, put Windows Home Server on it and use it as a media streaming server for your house. [Windows Home Server - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Home_Server) ETA: your CPU might not meet the basic requirement for WHS; apologies. Given that it’s not really a performance beast, you won’t get much mileage out of running SETI@HOME or some such distributed computing program, but it’s an idea. Donate it to a school/charity? I’m not sure they’ll accept a machine as old as that, but it’s worth exploring. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-something-to-do-with-a-surplus-computer/485383/4 "2009-02-11T16:55:06Z")
I give them away to kids who’s families can’t afford to give them a computer. Many kids need a home computer to practice on or do homework even if they do not have internet access. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-something-to-do-with-a-surplus-computer/485383/5 "2009-02-11T17:04:50Z")
I was going to use a similar situation to have a dedicated music server attached to my music system at home. A nice big screen to run iTunes and easier operation. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-something-to-do-with-a-surplus-computer/485383/6 "2009-02-11T17:22:37Z")
Moving from GQ to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-something-to-do-with-a-surplus-computer/485383/7 "2009-02-11T17:39:50Z")
Donate it! [http://www.goodwillsp.org/howtodonateacomputer.html](http://www.goodwillsp.org/howtodonateacomputer.html) > **[The GRID | Goodwill's Electronics Store | Goodwill - Southern Piedmont](https://goodwillsp.org/shop/the-grid/)** > > At The GRID, Goodwill's electronics store, you’ll find just about anything you can imagine that relates to computers and technology—at Goodwill prices! Our technology store carries an unbeatable selection of products, including laptops, printers,... ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-something-to-do-with-a-surplus-computer/485383/8 "2009-02-11T18:51:29Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Moving from GQ to IMHO. Sorry about that, **Colibri**! ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-something-to-do-with-a-surplus-computer/485383/9 "2009-02-12T01:58:04Z")
> [@MonkeyMensch](#): > > I was going to use a similar situation to have a dedicated music server attached to my music system at home. A nice big screen to run iTunes and easier operation. Yeah, I have a plan to do something along the lines of this [home pc jukebox](http://dailydiy.com/2006/11/01/homemade-touch-screen-jukebox/) if I ever find a cheap touch screen. I’d want to mount it in the wall somehow though. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-something-to-do-with-a-surplus-computer/485383/10 "2009-02-12T11:36:19Z")
It can be nice to have an extra PC around that is clean and not tied to the internet, so it has no security problems and no security software on it. I have a laptop for surveying in the field and also use it for experiments sometimes, and it boots and shuts down quickly and never acts up. It has no security measures of any kind. You have to use a PC like this from time to time to appreciate what a pain all those burdens are. But, I have to agree with others that it would be great to enable somebody else with a donation. There is always that balance between helping ourself and helping others. Which reminds me of some things I should be donating… ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-something-to-do-with-a-surplus-computer/485383/11 "2009-02-12T18:08:20Z")
And after using that, you go to help a friend who only has an old win box with ‘2000 home’ on it, a 800 Hz CPU and 256 of Ram, 100 Hz FSB and 5400 rpm HD. Never deletes temp files and has had Norton installed for years. All I can do to keep my sarcastic mouth shut and not take a sledge hammer to it … ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-something-to-do-with-a-surplus-computer/485383/12 "2009-02-12T18:50:43Z")
For the geek group, I heartily recommend the Linux server route. Get the latest Ubuntu LTS (Long Term Support) server disk and start simple by setting up Samba, in order to have a NAS. Things I have done with mine: [ul][li]MP3 file server[/li] – I had nightly cron jobs run mp3gain on any new additions, nomalizing content [li]Squid proxy + Dansguardian[/li] – a gateway, blocking the entire house from the dark underbelly of the Net. [li]Web server running Wordpress, PHP, MySQL[/li] – allows me to play around with blog templates and blog ideas without actually messing with my public blog.[/ul] I find the server especially useful as a development area for my blog website since I use Go Daddy’s Linux hosting for my public blog, so whatever I want to do there, I can try it in my own protected home network first.