Okay, so you're sick of the crashes, the sitting and waiting, the very *appearance* of your geriatric computer. You've tried selling it through the newspaper classifieds, but no one's biting. Finally, in a fit of irresponsibility, you order a new one on your credit card, and the next day (thanks to the immediate gratification of overnight shipping), it arrives. As you strip the static-free wrapper from your new silicon friend, you momentarily consider throwing the old machine out the window, just to see it smashed to bits.

Don't.

Ponder first the fact that electronic components don't have feelings, so no fifteen-story fall from your apartment window onto the pavement could pay back the pain that ol' machine has caused you. Besides, you might hit your neighbor's BMW...and since you just spent four grand on that hummin' new bit-box, you ain't got the jack to pay for such an error.

Whether you're kind-hearted or just thrift-minded, you might consider another option: giving it away. Believe it or not, this country is veined with bleeding hearts who are desperate for the digital equipment that you've outgrown. They fix 'em up and give them to those who can't afford new machines. And while you won't get cash up-front to help pay off those credit cards, you may find that your gift helps *you* at that time of most desperate need: tax day.

If you live in a big city, chances are there's someone just around the corner who'll take your computer equipment off your hands. Ubiquitous charities like the Salvation Army, Goodwill, and others will take practically anything that's still in one piece, and give you a receipt for the item's market value (which is oftentimes whatever you claim it to be). Save the receipt, deduct the amount from your income taxes, and presto: money in the bank.

Even better, many cities have local organizations that specialize in recycling technology to those in need. Contributing your tech to these groups can often be better for your karma, since these specialty agencies frequently give technical support to end recipients--the proverbial "information have-nots." Make sure you ask (that is, if you care) to whom the organization donates the equipment it receives, and whether the organization charges for the equipment. Some groups are more charitable than others.

Looking for a place to dump all your company's old IBMs during your company-wide upgrade to Macintosh? (Fat chance) There are numerous organizations that specialize in large-scale donations. One of the best is Gifts In Kind, International. With numerous branches in America and abroad, Gifts In Kind accepts donations of five or more computer systems and distributes them to needy non-profits. Gifts In Kind distributed more than 10,000 computers to 2,000 organizations last year, so they know their business. However, they only accept working systems. "The equipment must be given by the donor in working order, and generally they're given in lots of 5," explains Susan Corrigan, President and CEO of Gifts in Kind. "Oftentimes people are trying to give away all kinds of things, and not all of it is in working order. We just don't have the staff or capacity to deal with this kind of stuff. 386 technology is the very bottom of what should be given. The operating software should be on there, and it should be okay with the operating system manufacturer to include that software. It should also include the manuals and all of the components: cables, keyboard, mouse, etc. In other words, we're looking for working systems, not just pieces."

If your equipment is not in working order, or isn't a complete system, you'd do well to contact the National Cristina Foundation, based in Greenwich, Connecticut. According to Administrative Coordinator Sally Bers, the NCF routes virtually any kind of computer hardware, in any quantity, to the needy. "We are a not-for-profit engaged in looking for donations of computer equipment," says Bers. "All of our partners are engaged in training or rehabilitating people who are disabled or economically disadvantaged." Whereas organizations like Gifts In Kind accept the donations directly, NCF matches donors with appropriate recipients, and handles the coordination and documentation of the gift. "What people need to do is call us at 1-800-CRISTINA, and ask for a donation form. We send out the form, and the donor lists what they have to offer, the condition it's in, and where it's located. We then go through our database and match the donor with an appropriate recipient agency. We do not deal with individual end-recipients; these are all 501-C3 not-for-profit agencies, so all donations are tax-deductible."

Bers notes that broken or incomplete equipment is often acceptable. "Some of our partners have deep technical backup, and we know who can accept broken equipment, who can store equipment, who can accept 700 units, who can accept 5. The one item we kind of shy away from are broken monitors. But some of our partners will even take those." Bers also notes that most donations can be arranged without the need for shipping. "About ninety percent of the time, we can find a local organization that can take the equipment. In the rare instances when we can't, and if the donor doesn't want to pay for the shipping, we try to get the recipient to pay for it. But it's worth noting that shipping is tax deductible, as long as you hang onto the shipping receipt."

So before you decide to fill the ports of that old 386 with bottle rockets and tape M80s to your motherboard, think twice. You could help someone in need, thus improving your digital karma (and your tax liability), thus reducing the likelihood that new CPU will grow to haunt you like the last one did. Not a bad deal.

- Joe Nickell [9/1/97]