Charities, having examined the cost of refurbing and using obsolete computers donated by well-meaning patrons, have started to turn away junk machines.
"It's not uncommon that a nonprofit gets a donation, finds out that the computer is not going to work for them, then they're stuck with the cost of recycling the computer. It can end up hurting them," said Joan Fanning, executive director of NPower, which provides low-cost, onsite IT support and training to nonprofits.