It sounds like both of you are out to make a buck -- it's just that the recyclers have got bucks that are scaled up a little bit.
Honestly? There's a certain point at which you shouldn't expect someone to be able to use an older computer simply because they're "low-income" or because they're younger than a certain age. (Although I'm an advocate of good old-fashioned education that puts a focus on the actual concepts that are to be learned, and not "using a computer for everything we can.")
A low-income household doesn't need an old slow machine for typing or drawing, they need something with which they can keep up on the news and with which they can hunt for a job, or communicate with potential employers.
Old computers are great to have around as a hobby, for someone who already has a modern computer, and who has time to play older computers. But there are a lot of situations too where it's simply silly to have a modern computer as well as an older computer. I'll be the first to admit that about half of what I do on my computer could be done on the 840av.
But the 840av (or just about any other non-newworld Mac) on its own uses twice as much electricity as my iMac, and the other half of what I do is so impossible on the 840av, it's not even funny to think about it. Plus I live in a dorm, and the fewer things I have to shuffle around to get to the very limited space on my desk, the better.
Honestly? There's a certain point at which you shouldn't expect someone to be able to use an older computer simply because they're "low-income" or because they're younger than a certain age. (Although I'm an advocate of good old-fashioned education that puts a focus on the actual concepts that are to be learned, and not "using a computer for everything we can.")
A low-income household doesn't need an old slow machine for typing or drawing, they need something with which they can keep up on the news and with which they can hunt for a job, or communicate with potential employers.
Old computers are great to have around as a hobby, for someone who already has a modern computer, and who has time to play older computers. But there are a lot of situations too where it's simply silly to have a modern computer as well as an older computer. I'll be the first to admit that about half of what I do on my computer could be done on the 840av.
But the 840av (or just about any other non-newworld Mac) on its own uses twice as much electricity as my iMac, and the other half of what I do is so impossible on the 840av, it's not even funny to think about it. Plus I live in a dorm, and the fewer things I have to shuffle around to get to the very limited space on my desk, the better.