The best way to get it?

[onlyonemac]

Hi!

This might sound unreasonable, but what is the best way to acquire a free Mac ? I'm looking for an SE/30, but almost any compact past the Plus would do (not the Classics-ugly).

I'm on a very tight budget, so I can't really afford anything, but I would love a compact to sit by my Performa . So, any suggestions as to how I might get one? (Also, I'm in the UK).

Thanks

onlyonemac

 

[Macdrone]

Ya good luck on a free SE30, they are still kinda looked for. Might find a regular SE for cheap.

Good luck on your hunt but free these days normally means broken for most.

 

[Cosmo]

You'll get best luck with getting free compact with Macintosh Classic -model for sure.

 

[LCGuy]

Another vote for the Classic. Really though, the best time to get Compacts for free was 10 years ago, when everyone was throwing them out. Mac 128k, 512k/e, Plus, SE, SE/30, Classic II....they're all, for the most part, being recognised as the collectables that they are and are either being held onto, or being sold.

 

[onlyonemac]

OK, compacts or not compacts. How about any other 68k Mac? What's the best one(s) to go for, and how do I get 'em!

 

[Macdrone]

Craigslist, ask around. Most people won't do anything free these days.

Good luck.

 

[CelGen]

Once you filter out the people who are too attached to them, the Mac Classic is probably the easiest to get compact mac for free. It is after all a crippled SE in a new enclosure.

I have one that I use for holding a door open. They're just that useless. Want to replace it with another SE.

 

[uniserver]

i would get your self a piece of cardboard, and write on it, " Will Trade services for Vintage Mac's "

then walk around the city, holding it up, with a smile. Stick a couple of vintage multicolored apple stickers on the sign too.

 

[Cosmo]

Put an add on local newspaper, follow the local macintosh forums, buy cheaply from eBay.co.uk, look ad's on shop billboards, talk to people, there's lots of ways, none excatly easy.

 

[Cosmo]

Recycling centers, thrift stores.. UK is big country.. tons of stuff around. Get to know older Macintosh -users.

 

[JRL]

If you have any connections with local schools try searching around. Usually they've gotten rid of all the unwanted Mac stuff by now but you can get really lucky. I got around 10 Macs (from a original LC to a G3 desktop) and associated paraphernalia (lots of KBs/mice/random Apple cables) from my old middle school (around 2008 or so). It was free but it took some time to get them from the school because of data concerns and all.

 

[Bunsen]

Freecycle.

 

[onlyonemac]

What's that?

 

[Concorde1993]

What's that?

Google is your friend: http://www.freecycle.org/

 

[krye]

The Apple Store gives away free Macs all the time. You just have to drive your car through the metal grate and crash through the glass doors and they'll give you what ever you want. (Sometimes they throw in a few iPads too.)

 

[KC13]

Back in the late nineties, I was randomly speaking to a person at a presentation I was attending and mentioned that I liked to refurbish older computers and give them to people who couldn't afford them. He asked for my number and a week or so later called and asked if I wanted a few Macs. A "few" ended up being 3-4 carloads. In those days, I had at least 3, sometimes many more, examples of every Mac made excluding the rare ones. Wish I still had that collection today. They were mostly all in like new condition with no yellowing whatsoever.

 

[TheIanMan85]

I think the best ideas have already been given, but I'll list off what I think would work best.

1: Schools. I've gotten the most cheap/free stuff from schools. The trick is talking to the right person. Sometimes the IT department/computer teacher is in charge, but I've found that the head of maintenance is usually in charge. Sometimes you have to follow the trail to a town or county employee responsible for all kinds of surplus, from computers to desks to school buses and police cars. Some of them can give "worthless" stuff away, or sell it for a dollar to just show they got something for it. Others may have to auction the stuff off. Which leads us to...

2: Local Municipal Auctions: If it's a silent auction bid high enough to outbid anyone trying to buy for scrap value...which wouldn't be that high anyway. I've gotten good deals from town auctions. The ones around here are always sealed bid, never ben to a live auction.

3: eBay, craigslist, etc: Keep looking online, especially for anything close to you. I've never posted a want ad on craigslist or another similar local site, but have heard of people getting results. Sure won't hurt.

4: Find the ones people have hiding in their closets, basements, attics, etc. Find ways to talk about people's computing history. I've found the ones that come from individuals who have owned them since new are most likely to be in great shape with lots of software disks and accessories. With any luck they're happy to give it all to someone who'll actually use it and appreciate it.

5: Always keep your eyes open. Might be obvious, but it's worth mentioning. Curbs on garbage day, anyplace you go... When visiting a friend's family business two of their first three computers they ever had were on the floor in one office. I got two Lisa 2s with their keyboards and mice, software, some old magazines (I think this is where I got my fist issue Macworld), manuals (at least one still in shrink wrap), and an original keyboard box and accessories box. I traded them a Power Mac that was then about 5 years old in trade, which I had gotten in school surplus for $1. I've told this story before but it's my best "they're out there" story.

As one last piece of inspiration, earlier this year a I was given a functional SE/30 from a friend who had it in his basement. I hope you find some cool old Macs!

 

[fairchild]

Call it the morality in me, but i find i've enjoyed paying for the few macs i've come across over the last couple of years. I'll admit that i've received a couple freebies, but the ones i've enjoyed the most, i've paid for. When you talk to an original owner of a computer who cared for it enough to keep it all that time till now, and you think of what they paid original price, and the nice condition it's in, i feel it's only fair to compensate them for it. I don't have much spare money either these days, but these original owners are themselves apart of the Macintosh Liberation Army. If you search craigslists etc often enough, you'll find really nice machines for not ridiculous money, but you also won't feel bad for walking off with something you may re-sell later for considerable profit. I also support the idea of searching recycling centers and schools and junk piles, because those machines are that much closer to death, but keep in mind they may need accessories, parts and tlc to keep or get them working as they've probably been neglected for a while. A big part of the hobby is repairing them, but not everyone is up to the task.