View Full Version : Big box of various computer cables
I bought my first home computer sometime around 1999. It was one of the very first iMacs. I've had 4 more computers since then, I'm on my second printer, 5 or 6 monitors and god knows how many other random peripheral devices from USB hubs to external hard drives. Most devices come with the cables they need, but I've always kept the cables when getting rid of the devices. Last weekend I installed a couple of wifi repeaters so that our whole home would have better wifi coverage, which required 3 ethernet cables because the devices get their power that way and one has to be plugged into the router via ethernet. It turns out that of all the cables I have in this box I had exactly 3 ethernet cables and I thought to myself "See, Self! It's a good thing you've kept this giant box of cables! They finally came in handy!" But do I really need them? Power cables, USB cables, phone cords, old school monitor cables, coaxial cables. It's probably 30 cables in all. When I bought my most recent computer none of the monitor cables did me any good because my new computer required an HDMI cable to connect to the monitor so I still ended up having to buy yet another cable...) It's literally a 12 bottle wine box jammed completely full to overflowing with cables. At least they're all in one spot...
Should I keep them all, just keep one of each and toss the rest, toss everything, post it on craigslist for someone who believes that you can never have enough cables to take? I just don't know. I'd be curious to hear if others have faced this and how they dealt with it.
Ham radio guys love old cables like this. Many radios use similar/identical connectors, and they are easily repurposed.
ToomuchStuff
10-2-14, 10:49am
I would keep several USB cables, since it is a current tech. There are adapters from HDMI to those older monitors if you still have/use one, so I would consider those cables out. A few friends keep a spare power cable around, not so much because of power cable issues, but if someone brings over a system (either for gaming or for fixing), they have them on hand. (they leave spare monitor cables hooked up, so they can just grab the monitor)
Some older tv's still had a VGA connector for hooking up to from a computer (ever do this and does your tv have HDMI?).
Otherwise, we have a computer recycling place in our city, as well as a business that does that and taught people how to do their own (not sure if they still do, as their place they used to do that burned down). In other cities you have projects such as PROJECT REGLUE. http://reglue.org/about.html
They might be able to put them to use with donated equipment (what happened to your old systems, without the cables?), as they sometimes don't get cables with them.
Then there are the electronics and ham guys as bae said.
How long was it since you used something out of there prior to the network cables? What is your time (shopping, buying new cable) verses space worth and how recent of tech. (why are you keeping cables from the Bondi Blue, it only used phone, power, keyboard and mouse)
Gardenarian
10-2-14, 11:04am
I'd post it on Craigslist. You might ask if you can barter for something that you need.
Hi, my name is Alan and I too am a hoarder (of computer related items). Back in the early days of personal computing I was that guy who built his own, often cannibalizing multiple machines to create one. Eventually I became responsible for my company's asset disposal program which enabled me to initiate, and take advantage of, our retired computer re-sale program where I could purchase older, and or broken, machines for next to nothing. I must have bought 50 machines and monitors during a two year period which were all then refreshed and given away to nieces/nephews, neighborhood children and one local elementary school. In the process I dedicated one room of my house as a workshop where I also stored hard drives, power supplies, cables, modems, network cards, etc. Nothing was discarded because you just never knew when you might need a particular item.
When that room began to overflow, my wife staged an intervention. I agreed to stop collecting/hoarding, not so much because it was getting out of hand but rather because I discovered that for every computer you gave away, there was an unending series of requests for maintenance & repair. I started giving away components rather than whole machines and after a couple of years finally got the collection down to a laundry basket full of cables, boards, memory chips and drives that I thought might be useful for the machines I kept on hand. This thread has reminded me that I haven't touched anything in that basket for over two years, and am not likely to ever do so. I'm now thinking that a dumpster may be the ultimate answer.
iris lilies
10-2-14, 12:04pm
Alan's story reminds me of my friend's experience. She ran across a bill from a storage company for a storage unit and thought it was odd because she knew of no storage unit. She wondered why her husband rented one, and without telling her. What was he doing with it?
Well, come to find out he was using it to store salvaged computer parts. He is in charge of computer operations for his organization and when they get rid of stuff, he cherry picks the "best" things. He had already filled up their basement (and I've seen it, it is a hoarder's electronics paradise.) So after filling up the basement, he had to go elsewhere or so he thought.
I know the solution. Take everything that you are not using, box it up and put it in the alley behind Carroll Street in St. Louis.If you end up needing something you threw away, just buy a nice, clean, safe, new one. This will keep things nice and neat and tidy and organized. The goal is to have a home or office that looks as though it is vacant, and it will even make you appear to be efficient. Hope that helps you some.
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