Computers are about noise, heat vibration and
smell.
Noise, heat vibration and smell are all about artifact degradation.
It depedns.
If you're one of these people who thinks a computer is like a piece of
fine art, then I guess you want to keep it in the state you got it, never
replacing anything, Most museums seem to take this view, even theough the
machines, when thek get them, are rarely jsut as they left the factory.
Alternatively you can run them. YEs, parts fail, but if you've been
sensible, you will know how to handle this, you'll have backups of the
firmware, etc. You replace said parts with the closest alternatives _and
docuemtn the fact_. And enjoy the machine some more.
Artifact degradation is all about pissed off people in
the future,
because you used the things to death.
You do relaise that computers (in particular ICs) will die just sitting
on the shelf? Plastic parts will degrade and fall apart. You might as
well run them while you still have a chance.
-tony