i have had a good batting average with used machines over last three years

i have never bought a refurbished machine, but i have bought or have been given "used" machines in the past

Apple PPC 601 desktop - good, but obsolete...otherwise, nothing wrong with it (it was a giveaway, so no loss)

Apple Performa 600 - good, but again an obsolete giveaway

Apple Quadra 840AV - never bothered to boot it up and gave that machine away last month

PowerTowerPro 180 - excellent buy for $500 in 1999

pentium 150 - still running and a steal at $225 in 1999

pentium 120 - dud, but i only paid $80 for it in 2000

before 1999, i used machines, since windows 95/OS 8, in public libraries and schools

so out of all the machines i have bought or have had given to me, only one was a dead machine and i think i was the one who did that by accidentaly tossing out important code from windows...but then again, stuff like that always happens on the dark side...that is why i prefer macs