Let’s face it, everyone will at some point in time come a realization that their computer will no longer be useful in the traditional form. For most, this time begins to manifest itself as the computer begins to develop habitual errors and breakdowns. But do not worry; there is always something that your old boat anchor can be used for. Here is a top ten list of great uses for that old worn down PC you have sitting around your home.
1. Give your computer away!
Yes, that’s right; simply give that computer away to someone else. Not everyone is as lucky as you to have a computer and many definitely cannot afford to replace it as it gets outdated. There are many PC owners still today that are using 386 and 486 PCs. They cannot afford a new computer and in some cases do not use it enough to warrant the purchase of a brand new system. It is people like this who will be able to benefit the most from your old PC; simply give it to them and they will be your new best friend.
2. Donate your CPU to science!
Did you know that you could donate your computer’s processing capabilities to science? Well, you can. New breakthroughs in computer technology have made it possible for you to install a program on your old PC and allow you to share some of its processing capabilities. As a result of millions of old PCs around the globe being donated in this fashion, many different science organizations have been able to acquire the vast mounts of processing capabilities that they need in order to make our world a better place for the future generations.
3. Recycle that computer.
There are many different ways in which you can recycle a computer. The most commonly thought of scenario is to simply drop it off at the local recycling plant which will separate all of the materials used in its construction so that these materials can then be later used in future computers. But recycling a computer is not simply limited to this concept. Recycling can also be used to refer to any number of possible reuses for the computer and its parts. Take the hard drive for example; you can get an external hard drive case and turn that older hard drive into a mobile storage device. You can do the same for the CD and DVD burners and ROMs as well. Just remember to never simply throw that old boat anchor away as there is always something useful it can be used for.
4. Turn it into a dedicated gaming server.
You can use your old PC as a dedicated gaming server for some of your favorite LAN games. Now you will have the ability to play with your friends on your very own game server. All of the major LAN party games allow the setup of dedicated gaming servers. Sometimes you may have to download an extra piece of software or two in order for it to work, but in the end it will definitely be worth your time and effort.
5. Build an arcade machine.
What computer lover has not always dreamed of having their very own arcade machine? It would be the coolest thing to have Mortal Kombat right in your living room. Sure a game console and your television would work just fine; but nothing beats the feeling of an arcade machine. Thanks to the development of emulators over the years, it is completely possible to turn that old PC into an arcade machine. Take the SNK Neo-Geo games for example; these only require 4-button layouts and almost all of these games will run great on an old PIII computer. That’s right; you can play games like Samurai Showdown or even Metal Slug in the comfort of your own home using your old PIII.
6. Dedicate your old PC.
Dedicate a computer means setting it up so that it is dedicated to one particular use only. While setting up a PC for general use does have its advantages, it also means that the vast majority of processing capabilities of the computer are wasted for ease of use and efficiency. Think about it this way, when playing a game using Windows XP, take a note of the minimal system requires of the PC needed to play that game on XP, then look at what is needed to play it on say Windows 7. By dedicated your old computer for one particular purpose, you will be able to make use of more of the processing capabilities of that computer.
7. Learn something new.
You can learn something new with your old computer. Download a distribution of Linux and install it on that PC. Take the time to learn the robust capabilities of the operating system and you may find that you prefer it over Windows. At the same time, you could also make use of that old PC as a programming system in which you can start learning a new programming language. You never know you might just find that programming comes easy to you; so why not give it a try.
8. Start a new and exciting hobby.
At some point in time, someone may actually be looking for an old PC just like what you have. I know, it sounds silly, but at the same time it is a simple fact. There are computer enthusiasts all over the world that love collecting older computers. Ok, so the computers will take up a lot of space, but then again, what hobby doesn’t? Imagine someday getting your hands on an original punch-card computer; these were technically the first personal computers that were made available. At one point in time, computers used to take up entire warehouses and made use of a punch-card system for the programs. As time went on, they were made smaller and smaller until they were about the size of a large desk. The next step after this was the introduction of what has become known to the world as the PC and therefore these babies, no matter how large are rare collector items.
9. Build a home juke box.
There are programs out there just like the arcade emulators which allow you to turn your old PC into a coin operated juke box. You simply load your music files onto the computer’s hard drive and let the program run from boot. These programs offer complete visual interaction with the music files and use no where near the amount of system resources as a Windows-based PC; some are even capable of running in the DOS platform.
10. Build a beginner’s system.
If you have a child in the home, expecting one soon or now of a friend or relative who is, then why not build a simple beginner’s system. Too many kids today are addicted to Windows and would not know what to do in the event that something stopped working. On the other hand, having grown up with computers, the older generation has become acquainted with hot keys and even using some of the many other aspects of the computer which often go unnoticed. Building a beginner’s system which features some of the old and classic DOS based games is a great idea. Most of these games offer some form of learning for the young minds of our youth and also help them to improve on hand and eye coordination amongst other things. Most of all though, many of these older DOS based games are free and never require paying any fees or licensing. They are small and light-weight programs which are designed to fit on floppy disks; so just imagine how many of them can be loaded on a modern computer.
In the end, what you do with that older computer is ultimately up to you. Never forget that there is always some form of use for that PC; all you have to do is figure out what it is. Irregardless of whether your old PC is falling apart or just requires a fresh new OS install, you can find something useful it can be used for.
