# What to do with old Nat. Geo's **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 20, 2016, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-nat-geos/763417 "2016-08-20T15:37:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-nat-geos/763417/41 "2016-08-22T17:59:43Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > What’s the problem? I’m more of a current events guy, personally. Who knows what information is wrong or out-dated? So all I had to do was drink the shit coffee. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-nat-geos/763417/42 "2016-08-22T21:06:19Z")
For [twenty bucks](https://shop.nationalgeographic.com/product/magazines/national-geographic-magazine/the-complete-national-geographic-dvd-roms%3A-1888-2013-edition), you can buy a DVD box set containing images of every issue from 1888 until 2013 (and I think you can download issues after 2013). So if you can do that, why bother with printed copies? ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-nat-geos/763417/43 "2016-08-22T21:14:45Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > For [twenty bucks](https://shop.nationalgeographic.com/product/magazines/national-geographic-magazine/the-complete-national-geographic-dvd-roms%3A-1888-2013-edition), you can buy a DVD box set containing images of every issue from 1888 until 2013 (and I think you can download issues after 2013). So if you can do that, why bother with printed copies? Do the DvD’s have the adds, and pictures of the front and back covers for each issue? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-nat-geos/763417/44 "2016-08-22T21:22:04Z")
I think so; the description says, “every printed page—every article and advertisement, and thousands of photographs—from 1888 through 2013.” One thing, though. I would hope that they wouldn’t expect you to keep swapping among seven DVDs but instead would just load all of the content on the hard drive of your computer. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-nat-geos/763417/45 "2016-08-22T22:56:54Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > For [twenty bucks](https://shop.nationalgeographic.com/product/magazines/national-geographic-magazine/the-complete-national-geographic-dvd-roms%3A-1888-2013-edition), you can buy a DVD box set containing images of every issue from 1888 until 2013 (and I think you can download issues after 2013). So if you can do that, why bother with printed copies? And worth every penny! That is, it is a crappy presentation that is really hard to use. Yes, you have to load the discs each time, and the images are just scans and are not text searchable. Yes, it’s better than nothing, and takes up less room! ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2016, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-nat-geos/763417/46 "2016-08-22T23:21:57Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > You know why the planet tilts on its axis? Because Americans can’t throw away their National Geographics. ROTFLMAO! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-nat-geos/763417/47 "2016-08-23T01:22:54Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > Old magazines, eh? Donate them to a doctor or dentist for their waiting rooms. Just wanted to pop back in and explain that my suggestion was made with tongue firmly planted in cheek. To me, “old” magazines and waiting rooms go hand in hand–frankly I’d prefer some vintage National Geographics over a stack of _People_ or _US Weekly_. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-nat-geos/763417/48 "2016-08-23T04:56:26Z")
> [@](#): > > You know why the planet tilts on its axis? Because Americans can’t throw away their National Geographics. > > ROTFLMAO! Read the link in post number 8 for the all the scientific details! ---
**Author:** ![Shinna\_Minna\_Ma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@Shinna\_Minna\_Ma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shinna_Minna_Ma)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-nat-geos/763417/49 "2016-08-23T09:13:13Z")
I took my NGs to the local public library. They were happy to take them off my hands, even the old ones from the 60s & 70s. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2016, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-nat-geos/763417/50 "2016-08-23T21:22:41Z")
If you dispose of them, take out the maps first. They make interesting wrapping paper, especially for graduation presents or if someone’s going on a trip. (Although personally I’d find it hard to cut into their maps; they’re so nice). ---
**Author:** ![wolfstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@wolfstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfstu)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2016, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-nat-geos/763417/51 "2016-08-24T00:36:42Z")
I actually have a soft spot for the ones with stories about the space missions of the 1960s to 1990s. I grew up reading National Geographic stories about Viking, Voyager, and Apollo, and grew up to operate such spacecraft. Just this weekend bought some old issues with space stories from a yard sale. Granted that’s a pretty particular interest. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-nat-geos/763417/52 "2016-08-25T05:21:55Z")
> [@JohnGalt](#): > > If you dispose of them, take out the maps first. They make interesting wrapping paper, especially for graduation presents or if someone’s going on a trip. (Although personally I’d find it hard to cut into their maps; they’re so nice). Whenever we get NatGeos donated, we always go through them and remove the maps, which we sell separately. However, if the OP plans to sell any of them online, they need to include the maps or they are considered incomplete. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-old-nat-geos/763417.md?page=2)