this post was submitted on 05 Dec 2025
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Over the past few years ive gotten desktops from various smaller thrift stores but not i feel like i have too many and im not sure what to so with them? Do i save them and turn them into a bugger project? Do i make a nas out of one of them? Im stumped theres so many things to do with a pc that i dont know where to start, or if this is even the right place to post in?

I pretty much saved theses from e-waste and scalpers but most of the machines are devices nobody wants or has a issue.

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[–] utopiah@lemmy.ml 4 points 3 weeks ago

IMHO fix whatever you can, donate it all locally (HackerSpace, RepairCafe, Linux non-profit, etc) as there are quite a few people dedicated to refurbishing computers for schools, people who need a computer to find work, etc.

Then for the tinkering aspect, keep one, that's enough.

Honestly even 1 isn't really required. Pretty much everything listed here can be done more efficiently without an actual physical computer :

  • your current computer can be a server, just turn off the screen or even accept (which I'd argue is a fair assumption) that at night it will be off. If you want external access put WireGuard or another VPN on it.
  • Want to test distributions or anything else? QEMU or containers, no need for actual hardware