Title Trader

I finally settled on Title Trader as my CD/DVD swap site of choice. Although I had some initial difficulty figuring out how to list my items, once I did, I was good to go, and was able to successfully trade the bulk of my items there. Also, Title Trader does not limit you to trading only CDs or DVDs. You can list all kinds of other stuff such as books, magazines, audio-cassettes, even household items ala Freecycle.

Here's how Title Trader stacked up against my criteria:

1. Shipping

   Alas, while you can print a shipping label, inexplicably, it is not paid postage!?! nor at this time, are you able to pay for it online via credit card. . .
   

2. Avoiding the Post-office

   . . .therefore you still have to go to the post-office, stand on line and deal with the quirks of the postal staff. Bummer!

   For example, I do not trust the postal service not to manhandle my CDs/DVD packages as they wend their way through the system. So, to decrease the chances of any damage during shipping, I err on the side of caution and try to pad the envelope really well. One postal clerk eyed my package suspiciously and asked what was inside. When I told him, he asked why was it so thick, was anything else in there . . .? But, after processing it he just carelessly tossed (more like hurled) it into the mail bin behind him, which is EXACTLY why I padded it to the hilt. I'm thinking to myself, "My package has hardly even gotten into the post office good, before it getting roughed up! Thankfully, so far the CDs/DVDs I've shipped seem to have arrived intact.

3. Liner notes, artwork & case

   At Title Trader you have the option to send as much or as little of the accompanying material as you want. Some traders will note this type of information in their listing, which I found helpful in choosing with whom to trade.

4. Simplicity

   It's very easy to set up an account. The site also loads quickly on my dial-up connection.

   Each book, CD, and DVD is worth one Request Point and can be used to request a book, CD, or DVD from Title Trader's collection once you have received positive feedback. An email notification is sent when one of your items has been requested and you can print a shipping label at that time. I listed several items, and got requests right away, but again, how quickly or how many of your items are requested will be dependent on what you have to offer.

   Although, at first I found Title Trader a little tricky to navigate (I couldn't figure out how to list my items) once I did, things went more smoothly. Searching by UPC or ISBN can also be a little tricky. Sometimes those number don't work, but then, plugging in the title or artist will yield the item. Just be forewarned that you may have to fiddle around with your search queries a bit.

   Also, in one case, I had a problem printing a shipping label because the recipient's address could not be verified in the USPS database. Although, I emailed the site for assistance on several occasions, as far as I can tell, I never received a response unlike the speedy one obtained from SwapSimple's customer service department. (see my post on that here) However, since shipping labels are not postage paid, you can manually create your own shipping label without losing anything, which is what I ultimately ended up doing.

All in all, even though the need to go to the post office is somewhat of a hassle, the site's overall ease of use and laid back feel is what won me over in the end.

One More Thing: Premium Features

Title Trader premium access costs $19.95/year. However, when you first sign up, they will give you a 30 day trial that includes a few of the site's premium features, most notably a daily, customizable, email listing newly added items

Other premium features include:

• Wishlist Notification - email alerts when items appearing on your wish list have been added to the Title Trader inventory
  
• Saved Searches - allows you to maintain a list of your most frequent searches. When an item is added to the site
• Buddy List - allows you to bookmark your favorite users so you can keep an eye on what they have listed.
  
• Safe Swap Premium Member - enhances you status as a reliable trading partner.

Again, please note that this reflects my particular experience ONLY! You're mileage may vary.

Swapsimple

Another swap site that I looked into as an Exit Strategy for my CDs and DVDs was SwapSimple. At SwapSimple you can trade books, DVDs and video games, but not music CDs (go figure!). Setting up an account was easy enough. I provided an email address, made up a password and I was in like Flynn. I then received an email confirming my registration which included a clickable link leading to a few other questions to answer, such as how I'd heard of the site, my age (you must be 18 years or older), and stuff like that.

However, for me, that's about where the "simple" part of SwapSimple hit the road, and what I will mostly be discussing in this post.

1. Shipping

   SwapSimple members can print a free shipping label, which to me was very appealing. 'Nuf said!

2. Avoiding the Post-office

   Of course the pre-paid shipping label also removes the need to go to the post office, so long as your item weighs less than one pound. Another plus!

3. Liner notes, artwork & case

   SwapSimple, members are expected to send all accompanying material, rather than just the disk alone, so that suited me as well.

4. Simplicity

   Now, here's where things started to fall apart.

   Although, I initially listed three items, I only actually ended up trading one of them. And while I was able to send out that one item without incident, I found the actual process of doing that to be so exacting, that shortly thereafter, I delisted the other two items.

   • Pop-up Panic!

     For one thing, to even list an item for trade, in addition to my name I had to provide my gender and telephone number, something I wasn't too wild about, and wondered why that was necessary. Then, some pretty specific and rather stern pop-up instructions appeared about using the site and what needed to happen when, in order to effect a successful trade.
     
     There were other, similarly dire, warning pop-ups at just about every subsequent step of the transaction, through finally printing the shipping label once someone requested one of my items.

     Don't Get Me Wrong! In and of themselves, none of the stipulations were at all unreasonable. I definitely understand that some people need to have such things spelled out as explicitly as possible, because left to their own devices they simply won't follow through. Still, as a fairly reliable sort, myself, I was left feeling vaguely anxious. Even with the best of intentions, we all can slip up at one time or another. I tend to pursue several Exit Strategies at a time in order to maximize the chances of actually getting rid of something! As far as I'm concerned, all bets are on until that item is out of my house and into the hot little hands of someone else. So, I was terrified that I might fail to remove a no longer available item from my SwapSimple inventory quick enough! Consequences for such a failure included possible penalty charges or the suspension of my account.

   • Point System

     SwapSimple says that their point system is straightforward, but it seemed a little complicated to me. The site figures out and assigns a "market" value to the items you post. You receive a fraction of that value immediately upon listing the item (aka Instant Trade Credits) and the rest of it upon successfully completing your trade. From this standpoint you begin accumulating points and can request items right away. Also, as long as you have points, you can trade for any category of item. For example if you trade a book, you are not limited to requesting another book. You can request a DVD or a video game of whatever value, so long as you have accumulated the necessary points.

     However, when I went back to check on my account after the one trade I completed, I was surprised to find out that I hadn't earned any credits! I contacted Customer Service about it and to their credit , they got back to me pretty promptly. They explained that my trade item had a "market value" worth less than $0.50 and that they only award credits in whole numbers. Unfortunately for me, they round down instead of up. So my traded item ended up being worth zero points instead of one. They further advised that there were many 0-credit items that could be requested. I checked this out this category, but there weren't all that many things available, at least on the date I looked. But, in honor of completing my first swap, SwapSimple credited my account five points. Still, if I had not contacted them, I probably would never have received these points.

     Also, swapping is not actually free, unless you are:

     • swapping within a personal swap network of friends, their friends, etc. or . . .
     • . . .swapping items worth 10 credits or less
     otherwise, trading items worth more than 10 credits with people outside of your network will cost you $1.00 (items worth 11-20 credits) or $2.00 (items worth 21 credits or more) per swap.

     While not completely inscrutable, I would not exactly call this system straightforward either.
     

   • Site Feel and Navigability

     Finally, swapping via the Internet is probably an inherently social activity, however I would say that this social networking aspect is very much accentuated at SwapSimple. Just to say, that this may not be everyone's cup of tea.

     Also, I am probably one of the few people left in the universe with a dial-up connection, so it took a bit of time for some of the site's graphics and doo-hickey's to load as I navigated through the site. This became a particular issue while I tried to figure out how to display my inventory. Me and my dial up connection spent more than a few frustrating minutes clicking various links and then waiting for the screens to load while I tried to figure it out what I was doing wrong.

Obligatory Disclaimer: Anyway, as I stated in last week in the SwapaCD post, this review reflects the criteria that are important to me and how this impacted my particular experience ONLY! You're mileage may vary and SwapSimple may suit your needs perfectly.

Next up: Title Trader: The CD/DVD swap site, I finally settled on.

SwapaCD

SwapaCD is a popular music CD swap site. I actually discovered this site while checking out Paperback Swap, with whom they're affiliated (I also see they've added a DVD swap site to their offerings. I'll have to check that out!).

I have not, as of yet, used SwapaCD for reasons initially outlined in My CD/DVD Cup Runneth Over and which I will discuss in further detail below.

1. Shipping

   While not necessarily a complete deal breaker, ideally, a swap site would allow me to generate a postage paid shipping label (either free of charge or for which the costs can at least be prepaid by credit card). SwapaCD members must pay the shipping costs when responding to requests, as well as a charge of 0.49 per trade, plus 1 CD credit. SwapaCD provides a downloadable template for a paper envelope mailer, which pulls the recipient's address information, however at this time, it does not also include the postage.

2. Avoiding the Post-office

   In terms of ease and convenience, I would prefer to avoid a trip to the post office or waiting on a long line there. If you just send the CD in their special mailer as recommended, SwapaCD estimates that postage costs will probably be little more than a first-class stamp, give or take, and you can just drop it in the mailbox. However, if you add the goodies (jewel case, liner notes, artwork) it will probably be more. Depending on what you decide to ship, unless you have a scale at home or are comfortable guestimating the charges, a post office visit could be in your future. Which brings me to my next point.
   

3. Liner notes, artwork & case

   Not so much with DVDs, but for music CDs I like having the artwork and liner notes, which can often include song lyrics or information about the artist and other musicians. A jewel case makes it easier to store, but those are otherwise easy enough to get elsewhere, if you want them.

   While SwapaCD members are certainly free to ship as much of a CDs accompanying materials as they like, in order to keep mailing costs to a minimum, SwapaCD recommends that they only ship the CD itself, using the aforementioned envelope mailer. However, they also provide tips and information about the approximate costs for various other shipping options and configurations.

   Incidentally, I have to say that at the particular time that I was considering SwapaCD, I was skeptical that a mere paper envelope would allow a CD to be delivered through the mail unscathed, while shipping them in their protective, plastic jewel cases might actually increase the likelihood of their being damaged (this in spite of proper padding which adds to the shipping costs). But, that was before I discovered and joined a popular DVD rental club and have since come to experience the efficacy of the paper envelope mailer, as paradoxical as it may seem! So far, in about a year's time, I have only had one DVD to arrive damaged.

4. Simplicity

   Finally, a swap site should be as simple as possible to use, not only in terms of listing and tracking items for trade, but in comprehending the point scheme. Of primary concern would be

   • How is value assigned to the items being traded?
   • How do you accrue the necessary value to make requests?

   In all fairness, since I did not end up joining SwapaCD, I can't really speak to how easy or not, it is to use the site, but based on the information I was able to read there, it seemed easy enough. Of course, you'll need to take my comments here with the necessary grain of salt.

   The point system in use seems quite straightforward. As previously mentioned, each CD trades for one SwapaCD credit along with the 0.49/trade charge. You can earn one free credit after posting your first ten CDs. If you want to request CDs before you have accumulated enough points you will need to purchase SwapaCD credits available in increments of $5.00.

   Now, depending on your reasons for trading, the point scheme may be less important to you. Perhaps you have a glut of CDs you just want to get rid of and don't care so much about acquiring others. On the other hand, you may get into swapping as a way to acquire and enjoy new content, while avoiding the accumulation of stuff that you don't like so much. As I explained in Something for the Bibliophile, swap sites allow you to hold onto an item for as long as you want (forever, if that's the case), or trade it back once your finished with it.

   So again, logistical matters such as these are something to be aware of and keep in mind when considering a swap site.

Obligatory disclaimer: These are the criteria that are important to me and how they played out in evaluating this particualr site, however your needs may be quite different.

Next up: My experience using SwapSimple, another media swap site.

My CD/DVD Cup Runneth Over

One of my decluttering projects from August (Wow! That was awhile ago already!) involved weeding. I think of weeding as a complimentary strategy to decluttering. The way I see it, decluttering has more to do with identifying objects for eventual removal OR allowing you to reorganize what you have so that it is neater. Weeding, on the other hand, involves reviewing a category of things you have, such as books or clothing, selecting particular items to get rid of, while keeping certain other items. This is what I did with various music CDs, DVDs and audio cassettes.

There are a number of options for dealing with CDs or DVDs. You could give them away to friends or relatives, or via The Freecycle Network™ or craigslist, or donate them to a non-profit organization, which they in turn sell to raise money. Again, be aware that the criteria of accepted items can be very specific, which may or may not coincide with what you want/need to get rid of at any given time. So, you'll need so keep that in mind should you go that route. Here are a couple of organizations I came across that accept such donations, however I have not tried myself:

• Eco Encore
• Housing Works Used Book Cafe (also accepts records and CDs)
• Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter's Amazon.com Shop, Emporium Online

As with my books, I decided to go the swap route again and checked out the following three sites:

• SwapaCD
• Swap Simple
• Title Trader

Creating an account at each of these sites is free and fairly simple to do. However, on SwapaCD you will be charged 0.49/trade plus one SwapaCD credit.

I'm sure at this point, with the growth of the Internet, there are hundreds of swap sites to choose from, so you may be aware of others that you prefer. In fact let me offer this disclaimer right now:

My upcoming reviews of these sites strictly reflect my particular experience ONLY! (as does everything else discussed on twigghugger!) You're mileage may vary, so the sites described here (and elsewhere on twigghugger) may or may not end up being your cup of tea.

Having by now accumulated a bit of swapping experience under my belt, my ideal swapping situation

• allows me to generate a shipping label (free, or the allowing the postage to be prepaid by credit card)
  
• allows me to drop the item in the mailbox, thus avoiding the lines at the post-office or dealing with cranky postal clerks
  
• allows the option of sending/receiving all materials (jewel or DVD case, liner notes, artwork, etc)
  
• is as simple as possible to use in terms of listing and tracking items for trade

None of the three CD swap sites that I considered had all three qualities together. So far the only swap site that I have used that meets all these criteria is Bookins (see Something for the Bibliophile), but alas at this time you can only swap books through them.

Be that as it may, for my purposes, one CD/DVD swap site did emerge as my preferred site. Here is a quick and dirty chart summing up my overall opinions.

but I will discuss them all in more detail in separate, upcoming posts. Stay tuned!

New Tricks for Old Cell Phones: CollectiveGood

There are millions upon millions of cell phones either lying around collecting dust in people's homes, waiting to be recycled, or which may have already been tossed intot the trash. Millions more will be added to one of these three categories with each passing year. In A Tale of Two Computers, I talked about how recycling electronics was relatively easy compared to other items, because of the existence of numerous ways and opportunities to responsibly dispose of such gadgetry (also referred as "e-waste" or "technotrash", see Green Disk)".

There are

• periodically scheduled municipal drop-offs (see A Tale of Two Computers)
• manufacturer or retail store "take-backs". Check out
  • the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Plug-in Partners page
  • Staples' ambitious, recently launched program
• various non-profit organizations that collect them for recycling or that refurbish and redistribute them for use by others (throw the terms +"recycle" and +"cell phone" into your favorite search engine and take your pick)

So, I'll say it yet again:

There is really no good reason not to make the effort to responsibly dispose of your unwanted electronics!

Furthermore, cell phones as well as other electronic equipment, contain toxic materials such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic which the EPA has deemed to be hazardous waste. Therefore, simply throwing your cell phone into the trash is a bad move. If it ends up in a landfill those toxic materials can leach into the ground and seep into local water supplies. This is an even better reason to make the effort as much as possible, to responsibly dispose of your cell phone.

The existence or establishment of processes, policies or programs that facilitate and encourage consumers to responsibly dispose of a product at the end of its useful life is known as "product stewardship" or "extended product responsibility". This helps to minimize a product's impact on the environment. You can read more about this concept at the EPA's Extended Product Responsibility page.

Identify

Well, of course I had a couple of old cell phones taking up space and decided it was time to divest myself of them. One of the cell phones that I got rid of was what I fondly refer to as a Nokia brick, circa 1997, as opposed to today’s sleeker and infinitely more compact models. Check out these pictures at the Museumsstiftung Post und Telekommunication's Telefone 1863-2000 page, to get an idea of what it looked like! Now, when's the last time you saw anyone pull out a cell phone like that? Yet, Packrat that I am, I had one up until late last year.

GreenDisk, which I talked about in an earlier post, accepts a variety of electronic waste, including cell phones and PDA's. However, for the two cell phones that I was getting rid of, I decided to use another organization called CollectiveGood. They deal specifically with cell phones, PDA's, pagers and related accessories such as battery chargers, and say they accept all makes and models. In fact, they are partnered with Staples to handle the free recycling service for cellular phones, PDAs, pagers, digital cameras, and chargers that the store offers to customers (one component of Staple's big takeback program, which I mentioned above). CollectiveGood will refurbish this equipment for reuse, and will donate a portion of the resulting proceeds to charity. Anything they cannot refurbish will be properly recycled in accordance with the EPA's guidelines.

Gather

CollectiveGood's process was pretty simple, which as you know by now, is just the way I like it. At their site all you have to do is:

1. select a charity from one of those listed with CollectiveGood (your donation will be credited to this organization)
2. fill out and submit the online form with your contact information so you can receive an acknowledgement of your donation (takes about 10-12 weeks)
3. print the information/instructions that display once you submit this form and enclose it with your shipment to ensure that your selected charity is properly credited
4. pack up and send your phone(s) in accordance with those same instructions

Also note!: that whenever, wherever and however you end up donating or recycling a cell phone or similar device, just like a computer, you need to "prep" it. That is, you need to make sure that you have

• disconnected any services associated with the equipment that you are donating or discarding
• deleted, erased and/or removed any personal information on such devices (e.g., email addresses, telephone numbers, passwords, photos, etc)

otherwise you run the risk of incurring unauthorized charges or misuse of that personal information. You are responsible for any subsequent mishaps if you fail remove it, not the organization you or donating them to, or any subsequent recipients!!! You can read more about CollectiveGood's polices in this regard at their FAQ page.

The documentation that accompanied your cell phone should have information about how to clear this data from your phone. If by some chance you no longer have the manual (or can't find it) try visiting the manufacturer's website. WirelessRecycling.com, another cell phone recycling site (I've never used them) has a handy database for finding data removal instructions for a wide variety of cell phone manufacturers and models. Click on the "Erase Your Personal Data" link.

Remove

I sent each phone that I had at separate times, however, you can also send multiple items at once. Just make sure to pack them securely. I happened to still have the original boxes they came in, along with the manual and other peripherals that came with them (now, don't even act surprised!), so I packed everything back up in those,I then placed them inside of another cardboard box, just to be on the safe side.

All that was left after that, was to take myself off to the post office, and send them on their merry way.

Digital Spring Cleaning: The Final List!

With this entry, I more or less bring my Electronic DeKluttering Project (EDP) (see Digital Spring Cleaning) to a close, something I'm very pleased and excited to report!

Harboring three computers was bad enough (see a A Tale of Two Computers). However, it may be less obvious that electronic gadgets spawn their own peripheral, klutter-y, flotsam and jetsam. And, as the list below will graphically demonstrate, this just adds up to a big ole' pile of stuff!

Once again, my cousin Julio (see The Diskard) came to the rescue and happily took the whole kit and caboodle off my hands. When he picked it up earlier this past week, he advised that he had already found new homes for a lot of it! This of course delights me to no end.

All I can say is, thanks again Julio!

In any event, I am posting this list in all its klutterish glory, not only to show what exactly had accumulated that I was no longer using, but to also show that with a little imagination, persistence and knowing who to contact, you can actually responsibly dispose of quite a few more things than you might at first think.

Perhaps some of you will be able to create even longer lists than this! Well, I say have at it and happy dekluttering!

http://twigghugger.blogspot.com/2007/05/diskard.html TARGET=NEW> The Floppies

1. 9 boxes (10-20 disks each) of disk
2. 4 boxes (10-20 disks each)
3. a number of blank, never-been-used disks

Hardware

1. Altec Lansing speakers & subwoofer
2. BSR External CD-ROM player - 6800MX
3. Iomega External Zip Drive 100
4. Panasonic KX-P1180 Impact Dot Matrix Printer w/stand and cables
5. several computer cables

Related Accessories

1. Mouse Pad
2. Plastic keyboard cover
3. Telephone cords
4. HP Inkjet print cartridge - black (#45)
5. 5.25" Disk Holders/Cases - 4 (medium sized)
6. 5.25" Disk Holder- 1 (large)

Manuals and Books (scads of 'em!)

1. Advanced Graphics With the IBM Personal Computer by Ian O. Angel (1985)
2. ACS295 Altec Lansing User Guide
3. CompuAdd - Color Monitor (VGA) User's Manual
4. CompuAdd System Manual for Models 212/216 (1989) - loose-leaf, w/ various system disks (8) CompuAdd Model 212/216 Setup Disk MS-DOS v. 401 Install
   MS-DOS v. 401 Operating 1 MS-DOS v. 401 Select 1
   MS-DOS v. 401 Operating 2 MS-DOS v. 401 Select copy
   MS-DOS v. 401 Operating 3 MS-DOS v. 401 Shell
5. Daily Planner & Calendar for Publisher: 3.0 for Windows (User's Guide) (1993)
6. Dell D1028L Color Monitor User's Guide (Digital AutoScan Color Monitor)
7. Dell Dimension Vxxx and Vxxxc Systems Setup Guide (1998)
8. Dell Dimension Vxxx and Vxxxc Systems Reference & Troubleshooting Guide (1998)
9. Dell-Installed Microsoft Windows 98 Set-up Guide (1998)
10. Fast EtherLink XL User's Guide & Quick Guide (1998) - w/ disks
11. Getting Started: Microsoft Windows 98
12. Halo DTP Manual (Desk Top Publishing Editor): v. 1.3 - Guide to Operations (1988)
13. Hand - Scanner Utility Scankit v.1.01 (1989) - w/ 3 Program disks v. 1.3b
14. HP DeskJet 880C Series Printer: User's Guide (for Windows) (12/98)
15. Integrator Manual 3rd ed (3/89) - w/ diskettetopics covered include: The Calculator File Manager
    Appointment Calendar Game
    Editor PC-FullBak
16. Keyboard (Ergonomic) User's Guide
17. Logitech Paintshow Plus: User's Manual (1989)
18. Logitech MouseMan User's Guide - w/ diskette
19. Making the Most of Your Money (Intuit) Quicken 2000
20. Managing Your Money: User's Guide for 256K IBM(R), PC and Compatibles - v.5.0 - by Andrew Tobias (1988, Meca)
21. Managing Your Money: The Official Guide to Version 6 - by Andrew Tobias (1989, Brady Books/Simon Schuster)
22. Mars 105 Hands-Scanner Users Manual (Marstek)
23. Microsoft Works Suite 99 Manual w/ disks
24. Norton Antivirus User's Guide - v.5, Windows 98 / Windows 95 etc.
25. Outlook 98 10 Minute Guide: Master the Essentials You Need in 10 Minutes or Less by Joe Habraken (1998, Que)
26. PC-FullBak - Manual w/ disk
27. ProComm Reference Manual (1986) v.2.4
28. SD-M1202/ATAPI DVD-ROM: Technical Notes v.A0, 6/98
29. Software CineMaster DVD Playback: User's Guide - w/ CD
30. VGA Card Software Manual: A Supplement to the VGA User's Guide (1988)
31. VGA Card User's Guide: For IBM PC/XT/AT & Compatible Computers & IBM Personal System/2 Models 25 & 30 (1988)
32. WordPerfect Manual (1989) - v. 5.1, loose-leaf w/ 11 diskettes Install/Learn/Utilities 1 Spell/Thesaurus 1
    Install/Learn/Utilities 2 Spell/Thesaurus 2
    Program 1 Printer 1
    Program 2 Printer 2
    PTR Program/Graphics 1 Printer 3
    PTR Program/Graphics 2

Miscellaneous Software (mostly DOS based)

1. 3Com U.S. Robotics CD-ROM
2. Art Gallery BAK-UP Diskette
3. Best EGA/VGA Tetris Clones (Reasonable Solutions, 4 disks)
4. CityMap - NY (Softkey) 5 diskettes
5. Crossword Puzzle Creator (Reasonable Solutions)
6. Dell/AT&T ConnectDirect CD
7. Dell Dimension ResourceCD
8. Epson Driver(?)
9. Grammatik II original disk & BAK-UP
10. HealthAide (Reasonable Solutions, 2 disks)
11. Home Buyer's Guide Collection (Reasonable Solutions, 2 disks)
12. Inmagic
13. Kedit
14. Managing Your Money (1987) 4 disks
15. Managing Your Money (1988) 5 disks
16. Managing Your Money (1989) (v.6) 5 disks
17. Meal-Master (Reasonable Solutions, 3 disks)
18. Microsoft Works Suite 2003) - 6 disks
19. Mouse Software v. 4.10 - original disk & BAK-UP
20. Music Trans Sys II (Reasonable Solutions)
21. Paintshow Plus (Logitech) v. 2.21
22. Pianoman (Reasonable Solutions)
23. PC Outline (Shareware Express)
24. PCWrite Utility BAK-UP Diskette
25. PCWrite Program BAK-UP Diskette
26. PrintMaster
27. Procomm 2.4.2 - Premier Computer Innovations (1988)
28. Sierra Entertainment Demo w/ Manhunter & Goldrush
29. Software Labs Print Shop Graphics Library
30. Unicom RemDat2(?)
31. VGA Card Utilities (2 disks)
32. Wheel of Fortune (3rd ed)

Miscellaneous DOS-based Games

1. Beyond Columns, VS2 Demo
2. Blocks, Fallout, Dlink, Stetris
3. Blockout
4. Brix
5. Egaint
6. Carmen San Diego
7. Colors
8. Comrade
9. Flip
10. Frac
11. Paga2
12. Paga3
13. Quatris2
14. Rampcube
15. Sitris

Spring Cleaning - The FREECYCLE™ NYC FreeMeet

Identify

Sometime last month, I received an email regarding a FREECYCLE™ sponsored FreeMeet. This event was described as a

. . . chance to unload unwanted, but usable items, take home things you can put to good use and meet other folks from the Freecycle community. Anything leftover at the end of the event will be donated to local charities or recycled to the extent possible. As the name suggests, the Freecycle™ FreeMeet is FREE and open to the public!

You don't need to bring anything to take anything (though a tote bag might help). Please bring portable items only and leave furniture and other heavy stuff at home (log on to www.Freecycle.org to find people who can pick these items up from you).

The FreeMeet was sponsored by a local YMCA, Freecycle™ New York City and the Office of Recycling Outreach and Education (OROE).

Well! My eyes fairly danced at the thought of such a DeKluttering Extravaganza! This would be an opportunity to get rid of an assorted collection of items in one fell swoop, sans some of the difficulties associated with the typical Freecycle™ exchange or other swap strategies that I have previously discussed (see Join a Freecycle™ Group! or Throwing Away at Throwplace.com® for the particulars).

However, my glee was short-lived. Unfortunately, I had another activity scheduled later that same day so I wasn't sure I would be able to attend the FreeMeet and then get home in time to get ready for my other event. Never the less I passed the information on to a friend who is also trimming his klutter. He said he would probably go and graciously offered to take my stuff along, so it worked out.

Gather

I had already identified a variety of things that I planned to part with and had gathered them together in a shopping bag, so all was in readiness. By way of inspiration for my fellow hoarders out there, here's a list of the accumulated objects that I hoped would find happy new homes:

1. Snowflake candles (3)
2. Christmas candle
3. Apple candles
4. Liz Claiborne purse
5. Daffodil bookmark
6. Scooby Doo bookmark
7. Pair of patent leather red thongs
8. Ballerina finger puppet
9. Personal organizers (paper based - 2)
10. Cloud address book
11. Ice scream scoop
12. Fanny pack
13. Coaster
14. Washington DC marble/pewter paperweight
15. Stationery set
16. Kiddy kalculator - (2)
17. Samsonite garment bags (2)
18. Wallet
19. Camera (non-digital)
20. Cosmetic bag and mirror set
21. Plastic lei
22. Assorted paperbacks (9)

Assorted Paperbacks

1. Connecticut - Off the Beaten Path: A Guide to a Unique Place
   
2. Possessing the Secret of Joy - Alice Walker
   
3. If Beale Street Could Talk - James Baldwin
   
4. The M.D. - Thomas M. Disch
   
5. The Dark Tower II: The Gunslinger - Stephen King
   
6. With a Tangled Skein - Piers Anthony
   
7. Native Tongue II: The Judas Rose - Suzette Haden Elgin
   
8. Dragon's Egg - Robert l. Forward
   
9. The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands - Stephen King
   

Not a bad haul, eh?

Remove

At the appointed time my friend swung by and picked up my stuff and proceeded to the FreeMeet.

Later he called to tell me that it was pretty easy. He was met at the door by volunteers, who took the things he had brought and whisked them to the area where the actual swapping was taking place. He didn't even have to stay or go down to the swap area. However, he did go just to take a peek to see how it was set up.

I don't know if all FreeMeets are organized in this manner, but this format certainly worked for us!

A Tale of Two Computers

In Digital Spring Cleaning and Diskard I mentioned that I had somehow come to harbor three computers in my tiny apartment. How could that happen, you ask?

Identify

I acquired one of the computers when I returned to graduate school, the first time around. It was the first PC that I ever owned. A CompuAdd PC running DOS. Great computer! Never had any real problems with it. Sturdy and solidly built. Just how sturdy I only truly discovered later, when I tried to extract the hard drive. But I digress.

I eventually bit the bullet and got a Windows PC, but not being entirely convinced that I would get along with it, I kept my CompuAdd as a sort of electronic security blanket. Eventually though, I used the CompuAdd PC less and less until it just sat shrouded in the corner, collecting dust.

This second computer, I only had for a couple of years before it needed to be replaced. As many of you may know, it can be quite a production (and a painful one!) to transfer your files and applications from an existing computer to a new one. Never mind having to then prepare it for a new owner if you decide to give it away or donate it to charity. However, with this computer, uncharacteristically, I somehow managed to accomplish these tasks relatively quickly and passed it on to my mother, who had finally decided she was ready to take her first steps into the world of computing.

I trundled along with my third computer for about seven or eight years, before it too began to conk out. Unfortunately, getting rid of it did not proceed as expeditiously. I was in the final throes of another academic experience {{{shudder}}}, and hoped it would hold out long enough for me to complete my coursework, which it thankfully did. Incredibly, I still had one more academic requirement to complete, so I just did not have the time nor the fortitude right then, to go through the contortions of breaking this third computer down, in order to get rid of it. It would be two more years, before I could even contemplate that project and then, due to my floppy disk dilemma (see Diskard for the sordid details), possession was extended a tad longer.

And so, this is how I came to have three computers in the house, not a completely unreasonable scenario, at least for a Packrat, right . . .?

Gather

Nevertheless, the day finally came when I truly accepted that I did not need to have three computers, when one would do just fine, and had the time to do something about it. The CompuAdd, trusty little computer that it was, went first. Its 5.25" drive no longer worked so I really had no further reason to keep it any longer. I even managed to suppress a compulsive thought that there might be stuff on the hard drive that was possibly worth keeping, which would have only needlessly delayed the inevitable. I consoled myself by reasoning that if I had not looked at it or needed it by now, I probably wouldn't miss it! However, as a slight concession to myself, I decided to remove the hard drive before getting rid of the computer altogether.

And, let me tell you, I might just as well have been trying to break into a safe! Those CompuAdds were solidly built machines. Tightly screwed (like lug nuts on a tire) and all but welded together. Once I managed to get inside the box, I had to figure out where the hard drive even was! It turned out to be tucked quite securely under the 3.5" floppy drive bay, which also had to be removed in order to get at the hard drive. All told, it took several hours to figure all this out, get everything apart so I could do the extraction and then put it back together. I very nearly gave up, especially since the computer drop was the next day. But you know what I always say . . . I am nothing if not persistent and at last the deed was done. Several months later, I repeated this drill with the other computer. Thankfully, getting the hard drive out of this one was much, much easier. Undoing one screw here, pressing a couple of release tabs there and POP! Instant access inside the box. And this time, the hard drive bay was not buried under some other component, but was instead easily spotted and also easily released by undoing one or two screws and pushing on a couple of tabs.

Remove

The computer and its related equipment will probably be some of the easiest stuff you'll ever get rid compared to other treasures you might accumulate over the years.

For one thing, relatively speaking, the tech industry is way ahead of manufacturers from other industries in incorporating "take backs" into their business practices. By that, I mean they have specific and explicit policies to facilitate the consumer's ability to properly dispose of their used or unwanted electronic gizmos, but more importantly, this information is readily communicated to the consumer at some point during the acquisition process or ownership phase. For example, printer cartridges. Within the packaging of the new cartridge, my printer manufacturer includes instructions along with a postage-paid return envelope for sending back the old one. Imagine being able to do the same with a pair of shoes or sneakers...an ironing board...? Anyway, you can check out the EPA's Plug-in Partners page for a listing of companies who have such a program in place.

Also, a variety of organizations have sprung up that either sponsor electronics drops, will pick up, or to whom you can send your old equipment for refurbishment or proper disposal. GreenDisk is one such organization that I've previously talked about and actually used (also discussed in Diskard). GreenCitizen, (I haven't used them) based in California is another. Every so often, the Lower East Side Ecology Center in NYC among other activities, sponsors electronics drops. Earth 911 is another excellent resource for finding out how and where various items, including electronics, can be recycled nation wide.

To dispose of each of my computers, I took advantage of one of the municipal electronics drops, which are scheduled from time to time by the city. Both times that I dropped my computers off, I found it extremely easy, convenient and well-organized. They were held in locations to which you can drive your car if you choose. Once there, personnel then direct you to the particular spot where they will unload the stuff from your car, after which they point you in the direction to exit the area. Each time, I was on my way in less than 5 or 10 minutes. In fact, the hardest part was getting the stuff down from my apartment and into the car, beforehand.

Really, I can't see any good reason not to take advantage of the available opportunities to get rid of this type of stuff. Also, while putting the finishing touches on this week's post I discovered that Staples just announced a massive takeback program. There's a press release at the Earth 911 site, here.

So, there you have it. What are you waiting for!

GreenDisk

Last week in The Diskard entry I described my difficult, but ultimate triumph in disposing of an accumulation of 5.25" floppy diskettes, and advised that this was part of my multi-faceted Electronics Discard Project (EDP), discussed in Digital Spring Cleaning. For The Diskard's "Removal step I used Green Disk, which turned out to be a really easy solution! Just the way I like them!

According to their website, "GreenDisk began on April 22, 1993 (Earth Day!) . . . [and] was founded by high tech industry veterans who had a particular passion for the environment." I had actually first heard of them many years ago through a professional list serve I subscribe to. Someone on the list asked if anyone knew of an environmentally friendly way to dispose of disks and CD's, and Green Disk was suggested. Packrat that I am, I tucked this bit of information away for future reference. Once I decided it was time to finally get rid of these floppies, I untucked it and decided to give GreenDisk a try. You see! Hoarding can have its advantages!

Through a series of partnerships with both for-profit businesses and non-profit agencies GreenDisk takes advantage of existing recycling centers to process what they call "technotrash". This arrangement also provides employment opportunities for disabled adults. Certain of the refurbished "technotrash" items are sold as GreenDisk's branded line of office supplies. Those items that cannot be refurbished are dismantled and properly disposed of, and they will provide a certificate to that effect. Everyone wins!

There is a fee to take this stuff off your hands (varies depending on the service you use), but for me, this was well worth it. Another great thing about GreenDisk is that they handle both small (30 lbs or less) and large amounts (over 300 lbs) of technotrash, so this deklutter solution is one that is suitable for both individuals as well as businesses. They accept quite a wide variety of electronic refuse:

desktops

laptops

monitors

printers

CDs

DVDs

videotapes

cell phones and other PDA equipment

but this list represents just a smidgeon of it. For a complete list visit their FAQ.

I used the Technotrash Pack-It service, although there are other service options available: Technotrash Can and the Computer and Component Recycling Program. With the Technotrash Pack-It service you use your own box and fill it with up to 20 lbs worth of whatever technotrash you can fit into it. At this writing the cost was $6.95 plus you have to pay for shipping. Anything over 20 lbs will costs 0.30¢ per additional pound. It took mere moments to set up an account. Placing my order and the final checkout process was also a breeze. The mailing label was included as a .PDF attachment to the order confirmation sent via email. Regular users of their services can manage their account and product orders through the site.

The Technotrash Pack-It service is good for small amounts of such items as floppies, DVDs, CDs, mice, cell phones, PDAs. Smaller, computer-related stuff like that. For larger volumes of this type of trash, you should use the "Technotrash Can" service. Various box sizes and pricing are available, however all the ins and outs are clearly spelled out at their site.

For computer components like monitors, printers, laptops, or complete desktop systems, they require you to use the Computer Component Recycling Program. If you or your business has unique needs, you can contact them to arrange a solution tailored to your particular situation. Note: "Technotrash Can Service is available only in the 48 contiguous states. Service is not available in Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, or outside North America."

I packed up my floppies and just for the heck of it, tossed in a bunch of promotional CDs that I had (such as might be received from a certain internet and email service provider that starts with an Amer...?). I took the box to the post-office in order to weigh it on the self-service scale. It came to a little over 9 lbs. Later, I placed my order and printed out the label, then went back to the post-office to mail it. I used US Postal Service Media Mail, however you can choose whatever shipping method you like (e.g. UPS, FedEx or whatever). A week later, I received a Certificate of Destruction, which GreenDisk states is a bonded guarantee that the intellectual property and all of the physical materials were disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner.

And that was that! Diskard Mission accomplished!

The Diskard

The Diskard was one facet of my overall Electronics Discard Project (EDP), which I alluded to in the Digital Spring Cleaning entry last week.

Identify

Somehow, I had managed to accumulate about 13 boxes of 5.25" diskettes. Each box held or was capable of holding about ten diskettes, twenty with a little shameless cramming. I also had a number of what I think were never used, blank diskettes that my father had given me at some point. For those of you who may not be getting the picture (or don't want to face it), let me spell it out:

I HAD AMASSED A COLLECTION OF NEARLY 300 5.25" FLOPPY DISKETTES!

And, as some of you may also be very well aware, 5.25" diskettes are definitely a storage media of the past. For the less technologically savvy among you, in computer years, think of them as dinosaurs! So you know they weren't really serving any useful purpose other than to collect dust and take up space on a shelf in my apartment!

Why didn't I just toss them and be done with it!? Even with the length of time those diskettes had to have been sitting there, I still thought there might be some useful data worth preserving (Well, you never know!). My plan was to take a quick look at them, copy any files I wanted to keep over to 3.5" diskettes so that I could access them on my current computer, and delete the rest. Easy enough, right?!

Well that part of my plan proved to be a huge stumbling block on my DeKluttering Path. One of the three computers I had been harboring in my small abode (another facet of the EDP to be discussed in a future post) had both a 5.25" and 3.5" disk drive. Ordinarily it would have been just the ticket, however, its 5.25" drive was not working properly, and I never dreamed how difficult it would be to find a comparable set-up. Actually, finding a 5.25" drive wasn't even the main problem. There are plenty to be found on eBay! I even went to the trouble of setting up an eBay account in the hopes of successfully bidding for one! The true predicament became figuring out which one of the hundreds of such drives available would be compatible with the other computer system I had, which could accommodate a 5.25" drive, and then to somehow figure out how to install it correctly.

The only other solution, with which I occasionally flirted, was to purchase yet another system with the requisite floppy drives (also available on eBay), but that just seemed like waaaay too much trouble. It also involved bringing another computer into a house which already had too many of them, rather than getting rid of one. Basically, to my mind, a big step backwards!

Gather

However, I am nothing if not persistent. I finally thought to contact a cousin who troubleshoots and repairs computers and posed my problem to him. He was able to scavenge up a system for me, but more importantly, one that I could use at his house, rather than mine! But, I wasn't quite out of the woods yet! Both of us have busy schedules so it took a while for us to hook up. In the meanwhile, I got everything organized into a shopping bag and set it aside until we were finally able to get together.

<<--l-->>

Many of the diskettes were unreadable. It is very likely that over time they had simply gone bad. Also, another techy friend of mine advised that 5.25" drives can be finicky and may fail to read perfectly good diskettes. Oh well! I did the best I could, under the circumstances, and more or less accomplished my goal of copying some stuff, deleting other stuff, and finally determining what could be trashed. It ended up taking eight or nine hours, but I was determined and my inner Packrat was appeased. Plus, my cousin and I also had a really great time, just shooting the breeze while I did it.

I could now proceed to the "Remove" step of the DeKlutter drill. Thanks Julio!!!

Next up! My floppy diskette exit strategy: Green Disk!

Digital Spring Cleaning

After several weeks absence I am happy to get back to twigg hugger! March and April were unusually busy months for me. As a result, I confess to having experienced a bit of Deklutter-er's Block, that is, a state where decluttering activity slows down or just plain comes to a halt.

I am now pleased to report that I finally was able to complete several phases of a long term and multi-faceted Electronics Dekluttering Project (EDP), which I will discuss more fully in upcoming entries. My EDP involved the disposal of a many year's accumulation of the following

Hardware

• two computers
• a dot-matrix printer
• external CD-ROM drive
• scanner
• set of speakers and sub-woofer

Software

• old DOS based computer games
• along with other DOS based applications

Various other electronic accessories

• old used and unused 5.25" floppy disks
• computer software and hardware manuals
• a Unix-based email account!

Mmm hmmm! As you can see the tenacity of my Inner PackRat is phenomenal! But I was committed to disposing of this stuff in as responsible a manner as I could in spite of some of the challenges this presented.

I am nothing if not persistent, so stay tuned!