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One of the biggest challenges that face a geek is where to get a supply of parts and equipment to build all the toys he/she wants/needs to learn more and have a system at home to be proud of. What are some of the local/internet resources available to the geek for acquiring equipment?
This NOLUG, and any other LUG/computer group. Let's face it, other geeks are a good source of parts. Almost everyone has some kind of parts stashed back in a closet or in a drawer. And we like other geeks and always want to help them out.
Thrift stores - one of my favorite!! Never miss a chance to go to a GoodWill, Salvation Army store, or any other type thrift store. I bought a working HP Laserjet IIIP for $24.95 at a junk store, and i bought a 20 ft Sun 13W3 Monitor cable and Sun4 mouse for $3.00 at GoodWill, and a 3com network card for a quarter ($0.25) at a Salvation Army Store. If you take the time to dig through the junk boxes and the equipment that has been donated by either people or businesses to these charitable organizations, you can find bargains. Now, you have to be persistant and look hard. Some of the computer equipment is priced ridiculously high. And it is a hit or miss kind of proposition. BUT, for the persistant geek, there are treasures to be had for pocket change.
Yard sales - there are some neat computer toys to be had a yard sales. Older equipment in mint condition that has been in someone's closet for years untouched. If you spend a little time and look at yard sales, you can find things that are very usable.
EBay (mine and Hunter's favorite toystore!). Don't sell the online auctions short. Yes there are things that are sold at way above their retail value, but network parts and unix/vax machines and sun stations go sometimes for ridiculously low prices. Like all methods of scrounging parts, it just takes time and persistance.
Where you work, schools, etc. As someone who works in the computer industry doing network consulting, there are tons of perfectly good equipment that is sitting in storage rooms unused at all kinds of businesses. Some of these businesses will give you the stuff if you haul it off. Especially if you tell them it is for the NOLUG organization, and will be used for educational purposes. A lot of times they just want the space cleared up and rid of the old equipment.
Dumpster diving itself! Now it sounds strange, but keeping up with when schools and businesses throw away equipment is a good way to acquire stuff. Some businesses and especially schools had rather throw stuff away rather than give it away. Doesn't make sense, but it is true. So, if you know someone at a school, or in an IT department at a business, ask them to keep an eye out for equipment being thrown away.
The newspaper. There are sometimes some good deals in the local newspaper. Not often, but a few.
Closeout/junk tables at computer stores. Treasures abound in these places. Especially in bigger cities like Houston.
So, in a nutshell, finding good CHEAP sources of equipment to feed your geeky habits just takes time and patience. Now, over time you can end up with a collection of stuff to use, but it won't happen overnight.