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    <title><![CDATA[Discussion on Does used equipment make sense - even in this economy? ]]></title>
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    <lastBuildDate>2013-05-25T21:52:07-07:00</lastBuildDate>
             

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        <title><![CDATA[Refurbished Equipment has its own department at IBM]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2546776]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[I worked for IBM, the refurbished equipment division. You'd be surprised at how much refurbished equipment is sold. Many of the largest companies in the world utilize refurbs. It's a great way to save some money while still having quality product. I recommend either buying from the manufacturer or a very good broker that guarantees their product.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2546776]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[irene@...]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 2008 07:18:38 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[Used equipment - depends on the OS]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2546603]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[Latest OS and programs require that a really fast machine be used - that is, if you decide on Windows.Many Linux distributions run beautifully on older equipment - you can even run Linux from a memory stick. So you save twice - Linux for free, and you keep using older equipment.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2546603]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[fourijm@...]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Tue, 15 Jul 2008 23:10:05 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[Reasons for Buying Used / Refurbished]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2543641]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[It may be / contain a specific piece of hardware that is no longer available 'new'.  While this scenario probably doesn't happen much in the PC marked, it may in the mini/mainframe market.  Example:  A Dumb Terminal is no longer manufactured or available new.And also, for electronic equipment in general, sometimes newer equipment is missing a feature I'd like to have.  Again, not a PC, but here's an example:  I recently needed to replace a DVD recorder that went &quot;bzzt-powie!&quot;.  It had but two requirements:  Record DVDs and play DIVX* movies.  I had a relatively hard time finding a reasonably priced unit that had these two features.  This was not the case only two years ago.  So I bought a refurbished unit that was &quot;1 model older&quot; from the unit on the shelves today.  It works great and was a steal, to boot.* .avi's encoded with DIVX CODEC.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2543641]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[rfolden@...]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2008 06:45:24 -0700</pubDate>
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    <item>
        <title><![CDATA[&quot;Refurbished&quot; is a much abused term]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2543075]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[The word &quot;refurbished&quot; is used to include everything from off-lease or traded-in school computers to new equipment with a critical design flaw that an unscrupulous manufacturer or distributor is trying to unload to an unsuspecting buyer.  This unfortunate fact makes buying &quot;refurbished&quot; equipment a total crap-shoot unless the buyer knows, reliably, the true source of the equipment.  Equipment that is known to be off-lease from a business usually is the safest purchase if the buyer can utilize last year's or two year old technology. (I have noticed that the asking price of this off-lease equipment has gradually been creaping ever closer to the price of new equipment in recent years making it less of a bargain while also verifying the &quot;worth&quot; of such a purchase). Often, an overstock of new equipment that is first grade and has never been sold to a customer is offered at substantial savings; but the buyer must be diligent in researching the source of such equipment.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2543075]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[john3347]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:14:38 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[I have bought refurbs since 1984]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542927]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[I started buying unix refurbs for our cad system from the very beginning.  My first refurb system in 1984 cost $110,000 for a workstation &amp; term.  Now that the cost of CAD systems is down under $5,000 each, I can afford new, but last year I bought five off-lease units to match what I already had.  Saved about $10,000.  Had to purchase two copies of XP to replace win2k o/s and one replacement for a bad memory stick.  Had to upgraded memory in two others.  IT put about 10 hours into setting up the five units.  Did I mention that I saved about $10,000?  A year later, the only failure was a power supply.Based on that, I purchased three workstations for personal use.  One was damaged in shipping. The vendor gave me a new case to replace the damaged one.  The scsi hard drive died early without warning.  I should have realized there would be more from the shipping damage. $7,500 worth of computers for $900, and a hard drive failure.  Replaced a 40GB scsi with an 250GB SATA for $75.  My daughter now knows why she should backup the hard drive.Three years ago, I bought two new workstations for work and the ones I got had 64 bit winXP.  IT tried to set them up, and the software we used would not run properly on 64 bit.  So they went back to the vendor where I am sure they were sold as used/refurb.  Someone got a good deal on those.Overall, I think my experience is good.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542927]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[ux2x]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2008 08:00:46 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[Watch for Software Licensing Issues]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542948]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[I buy used and refurbed equipment all the time. But if it comes with software, or even firmware, make sure the license permits a transfer. I heard a story years ago (during the dot-com bust) of a guy who happily showed his Cisco rep the used router he got off eBay for pennies on the dollar--only to have the rep tell him the firmware license is not transferable. Needless to say, it cost him more in the long run!]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542948]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[steven@...]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2008 07:53:39 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[That's why there]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542861]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[are warranties. I've had plenty of new equipment which were shipped to me with various defects, that I had to spend a few hours making sure it's their problem, an hour on customer service to get the RMA, and then to pack it up and ship it out.Going with refurbished equipment shows the Business Unit, that the IT department gives a d@mn about the budget.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542861]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[Komplex]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2008 06:44:49 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[Enviromental Impact - Excellent Idea]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542839]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[Think about the impact this has on the environment. Computer waste is a huge hit. I am not a flamming liberal but I think buying refurb when it is not a critical system is an excellent idea. Also let us think about the reverse. Selling our used computers. We can offer these machines up and in the end make money to reduce the cost of future systems...now that is a good idea too.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542839]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[WiseITOne]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2008 06:08:00 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[Try it, but don't use refurb as your main source]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542775]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[We just started recently using some refurb system boards for older PC's and buying parts for old machine with much success.  Many large organizations don't want you to purchase equipment from used dealers because of the potential hassle but it may be worth your time to at least try using some used equipment, especially if demand stays relatively the same.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542775]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[touch0ph@...]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2008 05:12:30 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[In fact]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542748]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[Some refurbs are brand new and double-QC'd.  For instance: someone buys a new PC and it was delivered, but when they unboxed it, they found out it was a desktop and really wanted a tower.  The selling company may allow a return, and since it's been opened, it can't be sold as new.  It goes through a second Quality inspection, price reduced, and sold as a refurb.  It is inspected twice, and sells at maybe 15% off!]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542748]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[mkowitz]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2008 04:47:47 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[75% of the time it's used equipment.]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542771]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[My organization focuses on recycling. That is a core function. Most equipment is &quot;get it used&quot; followed by &quot;donated equipment&quot; and &quot;new but only after research shows that is the best way&quot;.All used equipment is first cycled through the inspection shop(area isolated from main offices).  As much info as possible is gathered (manuals, data sheets, and repair books).  It is tested (checked for power up), cleaned (inside and outside), and burned in (operated for 6 to 8 hours to check for problems).Sometimes the process of checking out the used equipment can cost more than buying new, but the organization is focused on recycling, so it is more a must do than a budget issue.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542771]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[bus66vw@...]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2008 04:46:07 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[Not on my network infrastructure]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542769]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[I keep my networking gear a long time (my Cisco rep would confirm that) so only new gear comes in.  If you buy used Cisco you have to re-license the operating system since it is non-transferrable and you will have to have the machine certified by Cisco ($$) before they put it on a maintenance contract.PCs are a different matter; a low cost refurb can make sense, it all depends what you intend to do with it.  If you require MS Vista with all the bells and whistles the refurb is most likely under powered.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542769]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[crt]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2008 04:39:57 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[No... Buy new]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542733]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[what if you blew your budget on a badly &quot;refurbished&quot; equipment? IT departments spend a lot of money on maintenance and upgrades, but they don't buy new unless needed (once you buy it you're stuck with it), secondly, and we're talking IT departments not individuals,you'll get a better deal from a supplier or manufacturer on new equipment. if one thing I've learned in this time of prices driven down..is buy new which will last longer. Though the famous adage goes like this &quot;if it ain't broken, fix it&quot; in IT that's not the case..especially with a consumer base demanding better services at current prices which puts the burden on you of keeping with their demands..So it is not a matter of new equipment or not. This means put a better argument for upgrades before the accounting department.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542733]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[kadry76@...]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2008 04:01:48 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[Depends on how far you go]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542508]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[Box for box the obsolete refurbs we were buying cost more than a new equivalant. Not so much used as vintage collectors item They might be simpler to fix, but fixing costs money, inhouse or through an external supplier. There are gains you can make but you have to look at the availability.Just something like RAM prices for old style slots for instance. Often it's cheaper to by another refurb, pluck the memory out and chuck the rest in the spare parts bin.Use it to defer a significant change by all means, not to obviate it though.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542508]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tony Hopkinson]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:17:02 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[Beg to differ...]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542344]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[A used car won't last forever, the number of moving parts are so huge, something will break, and its inevitably a long run into either great expense or the trash heap.Used computers can live along time, I've seen 13 year old computers hooked up to process machines that worked fine. The only problem would be spare for that point in time when the HD packs it in.And fixing computers is much simpler than most car fixes. James]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542344]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[JamesRL]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:01:41 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[Have used both with success]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542286]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[At a former employer that was not-for-profit, we bought used (off-lease) and factory refurbed equipment regularly.We usually went through a firm called C-Tech to do so.  Had nothing but good experiences with them.We would purchase warranties for the systems (HP servers, workstations, laptops), but honestly, the only components to go bad that I can recall were some hard drives on the servers (which were always setup in some form of array, so no real losses were ever suffered).If I had a billion to spend on a new data center, would I go used/refurb?  Almost assuredly not.  However, for a budget strapped organization that doesn't require the latest and greatest, this is definitely a legitimate option.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542286]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[NotSoChiGuy]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2008 11:19:35 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[Dust Bunnies Galore]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542231]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[When I worked at the police department, the dispatchers in the radio room were still allowed to smoke on the job in the dispatch center. And did they ever. It was a like a pool hall in there some days.You could see the effects on the equipment when you opened it up. The insides of the machines were just full of grime, dust bunnies and coated with goo...Nasty stuff...]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2542231]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[John Sheesley - TechRepublic Pro]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2008 08:58:48 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[The only place, I've seen that done 'successfully']]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2541777]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[The equipment in question was obsolete.The places where I've seen it done unsuccessfully, well nuff said.Generally what you get if you go down this route is a smaller initial investment and higher ongoing costs.No different to a used car. If you have the resources to spend a good while under the hood keeping it going, it will do. But unless you are some sort of hobbyist, the $500 vehicle is because you can't get the finance to buy something better.It's your only option, it's by no means the best one.]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2541777]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[Tony Hopkinson]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:45:58 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[ope, it is a selected option]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2541703]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[to save $3 or $4 more bucks ]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2541703]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[The Scummy One]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:13:12 -0700</pubDate>
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        <title><![CDATA[Cost effective backup]]></title>
        <link><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2541380]]></link>
        <description><![CDATA[We did recently purchase a refurbished RS6000 as a cost effective backup to an aging server still in use.  If the old dog goes out, then we can be back up in a couple of hours. (Time is money...)]]></description>
        <guid><![CDATA[http://www.techrepublic.com/forum/discussions/102-268280-2541380]]></guid>
        <dc:creator><![CDATA[richardp@...]]></dc:creator>
        <pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2008 07:54:03 -0700</pubDate>
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