Also; while you've been gone; sometimes discussion wanders "off track"; so I
think that because not everyone knows the best newsgroups; etc. the FAQ
could possibly include a list of good ones; to take current
problems/questions to. That should keep the discussion "on track"; making
it more enjoyable for everyone.
-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Whitson <bcw_at_u.washington.edu>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu>
Date: Thursday, December 11, 1997 6:11 AM
Subject: Re: FAQ
>
>Allright, I'll take a crack at revision for next time.
>I agree that recyclers can be great to deal with - I never
>thought this reflected badly on them.
>
>Recycling is what they do and they do it in the most
>efficient way they can. It's sometimes tragic to see all
>that history shoved in a compactor, but that's why we
>collect these things.
>
>-------------------------------------------------
>Bill Whitson bcw_at_u.washington.edu
> (mail may come from alternate addresses)
> Classic Computers List Operator/Owner
>http://haliotis.bothell.washington.edu/classiccmp
>
>
>On Wed, 10 Dec 1997, William Donzelli wrote:
>
>> >In all seriousness - there are a large (and growing) number of so called
>> >"computer and electronics 'recyclers'" who take usable computers and
>> >recycle them into "reusable scrap". Small amounts of gold, silver, and
>> >platinum are extracted and the remainder of the material is generally
>> >just marketed to less wasteful countries.
>>
>> I have always had a problem with this part of the FAQ. These people are
>> our friends, as they often get the real gems. They do not always get the
>> big stuff - one time I saw a bunch of Tempest rated PCs, and NeXT
>> equipment, all on the same pile.
>>
>> The precious metal content of a big mini or mainframe can be quite a lot
>> (check out <www.mrsscrap.com> and you will see what I mean), so the way
>> they recycle is all based on ecomomics. Obviously, the gold is stripped
>> first - it is the cream. The copper is probably next on the list,
obtained
>> by grinding the circuit boards and wires into powder. The rest is not
>> worth it, literally. It is far too labor intensive to completely strip a
>> computer down to basic metals - the money made would all go into paying
>> the grunts! The labor in China is very cheap (actually, the strippers are
>> young men that work like dogs for 2-3 years to make thier dowry money),
>> thus the frames, disks, and power supplies get shipped overseas.
>>
>> William Donzelli
>> william_at_ans.net
>>
>>
>
Received on Wed Dec 10 1997 - 23:41:31 GMT