Used Laptop for a charitable cause?

[samstokes]

Used Laptop for a charitable cause?



Hello,

This is an unusual request, I know, but I know that there are probably hundreds of people out there that have old laptops that they no longer use, since they have replaced them with updated models, etc.

I have just finished a Master's Degree in music and I am working two part-time jobs teaching music lessons and teaching music classes to adults with developmental disabilities. Unfortunately, this is not enough to even pay my bills right now, much less to buy a new laptop.

Unfortunately, due to the nature of teaching music lessons, there are often openings in my schedule of 30 minutes or an hour. I would really like to use that time composing music or playwriting, so that my time would be more effectively used (and I can spend my time at home with my wife and 1 yr. old daughter).

So, if any of you happen to have an old laptop that has Win98 or higher (this is what I need to run the Finale Music Notation Software), I would be eternally grateful if you would donate it to me. I can't really offer anything in return, unless you need a music transcription done, in which case I would be happy to oblige.

Thanks for reading, and for any help that you might offer.
Sam

samstokes@hotmail.com
www.geocities.com/samuelstokes

 

[talldude123]

Laptops are pretty expensive. Does it have to be a laptop? You can get a lot of desktops, running P2-P3's, for a good price, usually 30 desktops for $600-$1000.

 

[samstokes]

Laptop vs. Desktop

Thanks for the reply.
Because of the portability factor - since I need something that I can carry with me to both of my jobs - I would prefer to get a laptop.
But just out of curiosity, where would you get a deal on desktops like what you mentioned?

 

[talldude123]

If you want just a basic, used laptop, probably Ebay. They can rip you off, but they provide what a basic used computer shop would, for a lower price (I dislike the bidding system, I just look at the Buy it Now prices).

Here are a few notebooks, NOTE they're cheap, and won't have wireless cards or much performance.
Laptops are never cheap, and can often cost $200 to get one that physically works.


Pentium 1 133Mhz, 16MB RAM, 2GB HD, Win 98SE. $55
http://cgi.ebay.com/HP-OMNIBOOK-200...QQihZ008QQcategoryZ140082QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Windows XP Professional, 500 Mhz Pentium 3, 256 MB RAM, 20GB HD, Windows XP PRO $205
http://cgi.ebay.com/DELL-LATITUDE-L...QQihZ004QQcategoryZ140080QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


That's about the cheapest laptops. The first one is useless, and will take about a few minutes just to boot up. The second one isn't bad at all, and can run quite a bit.