How do you "Retire" a computer?

[steveh552]

Never had a Mac (buying my first in the coming days) but iv kept my windows machines until they died, usually it's the system board so I salvage the hdd and recycle the test. Once I get the Mac up and running my windows machine will either be used when I need to due a BitTorrent or I will give if to my 9 year old twins since my 13 year old is getting his own machine for his birthday

 

[Jessica Lares]

I'd just like to say for those who are keeping their old computer as a spare in the closet, you are most likely wasting a valuable commodity. Either make use of it or give/sell it to someone who will. Don't be adding to electronic waste crisis.

It's still going to become waste eventually.

I don't give my stuff away for the same reasons Marty62 mentioned. These people need professional grade machines, not last year's hottest laptop.

 

[ChristianVirtual]

Giving away to others ... Direct family, neighbors, colleagues. In few cases to professional recycler/e-waste collector (where I have to pay).

 

[Robster3]

I sold my late 09 27" iMac yesterday for $950, just use m 15" MBPr now, not bad after 4 years use.

 

[teleromeo]

I kept most of my old macs, last weekend two of my kids were playing games that are older than themselves in the basement. Lots of fun.

 

[happyfrappy]

I always kept my last Mac as a backup, with the quality control/drivers going sideways with Apple lately *cough* 2013 MacBook Air(wifi & audio issues) *cough* and the 2012 mini HDMI glitches I'm not into taking blind risks with a new Mac. (PowerPC era you had the fewest driver hell moments on new model launches)

As far as "retirement", my older PowerPC Macs had their RAM, HDD & ODD stripped out for spare parts/trade purposes and leftovers junked. My only pre-OS X iMac had been rebuilt from spare PowerBook G3 parts via trades(traded PC100 DIMM ram for PC100 SO-DIMMs, faster CPU card and re-wired a PBG3 DVD drive to work in a tray-loader iMac)

Sooner or later any electronic gadget will hit the recycling/ewaste bin.