Dumpster stories!

----- Original Message ----- From: John Wilson <wilson(a)dbit.dbit.com> To: <classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org> Sent: Friday, February 11, 2000 8:29 AM Subject: Re: Dumpster stories! One of the big auction houses that handle a LOT of ex-govt stuff in Adelaide S.A. is Evans & Clarke. After their computer/office eqpt auctions, they ENCOURAGE people to take stuff from the dumpsters they provide for patrons to ditch stuff they don't want out of a batch. (sometimes you buy a pallet of cruft to get a single item you really want, usually for minimal money) I got a Webster Multiport to let my Macs talk to my Netware server and the internet because it was in a batch of junk that went for $5 along with a printer that was all the buyer really wanted. (He gave me the Multiport - he didn't know what it was and had no use for it when I told him) I got a big shock when I found it was worth serious money. E&C have no problem with people snatching whatever they like out of the dumpsters afterwards, as they are paying money to get it taken to a landfill/scrapper otherwise. Sensible. I have some monitors (Sampo 19" hires mono) that the Multiport guy saw them in the bin, asked E&C if he could take one, and was told to go for it and take all he wanted. So he grabbed half a dozen, and I wound up with a few. The big lead smelter here are a bit tougher, you need a business name, (I have one) and you needed a s/h dealers license (until the govt scrapped them) and have to go through their salvage section to find stuff you want. But you can get it very cheap, I picked up some useful DEC stuff that way. (my first Vaxen - a 6310/8530 HSC based cluster came (One of) Heinleins Laws :- Never underestimate the power of human stupidity. Verbum Sap. Cheers Geoff Roberts Computer Systems Manager Saint Mark's College