Are you sure about this? I'm pretty sure there are several laws to prevent people from going around looking in other peoples' garbage. Trespassing, for one. In residential neighborhoods in Minneapolis it's usually "using an alley as a thoroughfare" that police use to make stops. -Erik On Tue, Sep 14, 2010 at 12:05 PM, Ryan Coleman <ryanjcole at me.com> wrote: > > On Sep 14, 2010, at 11:39 AM, Brian Wall wrote: >> On Sun, Sep 12, 2010 at 4:55 PM, Jason Hsu, embedded engineer, Linux >> user <jhsu802701 at jasonhsu.com> wrote: >>> I have two very old desktop computers (early-2000s vintage), and I am considering replacing one of them with a somewhat newer desktop computer (mid-2000s vintage). >>> >>> What stores sell used computers? >> >> Ask around. Many local businesses throw away PCs >5 years old. >> Usually they recycle them responsibly, but if you get there before >> recycling day you can usually save them a few bucks by dumpster diving >> their unwanted gear. Always ask permission, of course. > > Ask, but it is not required. What's in the garbage is public domain. Littering - the act that gets most dumpster divers arrested - is against the law. > But be courteous and ask. If they say they are going to call the police... IMHO let them call. Just clean up after yourself :) > >> >> Check Craigslist for dumpster dive specials, sometimes employees of >> companies (like myself) can't stand to see good hardware thrown out >> and tell other geeks rather than seeing it destroyed. >> >> Local government auctions are always good to. Back when I worked at >> Wright County we'd sell off ~4 year old boxen for about $20/pop, even >> less if you're willing to take slightly more dated gear. >> >> You can also support TC free geek by buying refurbs from them, the >> money you give them goes back into refurb and responsible recycling >> projects. >> >> Brian >> >> _______________________________________________ >> TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota >> tclug-list at mn-linux.org >> http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list > > > _______________________________________________ > TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota > tclug-list at mn-linux.org > http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list > -- Erik K. Mitchell -- Web Developer erik.mitchell at gmail.com erik at ekmitchell.com http://ekmitchell.com/