Ask HN: Does anyone have an old computer laying around unused in Brisbane, AU?

I'm currently unemployed, broke and using a 5-year-old laptop to work on my startup. The laptop has undergone multiple emergency surgeries and is basically on life support at this stage, going into cardiac arrest every hour or so.

Does anyone happen to have an old laptop or desktop laying around unused? I'm really, really not fussy about what type of machine it is, or how many times it has traveled around the sun.

If you don't need Windows or the mobility, a Raspberry PI 2 may be an alternative. They are about $35 plus tax and the model 2 is as capable as a five year old Laptop.

Craigslist isn't in Australia, it's just in movies from our perspective.

The Australian equivalent is gumtree.com.au that was bought out by eBay a while back.

Check out freecycle.org, it's a place where people advertise stuff to give away for free (normally on condition of you picking it up). There is also a "wanted" section to ask for particular items, which you might find useful.

Here is the URL for the Brisbane group: https://groups.freecycle.org/group/freecycle_brisbane/posts/...

Freecycle.org is a good option

One other way is to check out the surrounding local council's hard rubbish collection days. Scour the nature strip for exactly this and you will be quite lucky. Your chances improve with the poshness of the council.

I recycled a Multi-function printer 8 years back in Melbourne, Australia and it works fine except its hard to get the print cartridges, so gets used mostly as a scanner.