Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

I have a laptop that I no longer use, and was wondering if there are any local charities like in the UK that take old laptops off you, clear them of all the information stored on its hard-drive, install new windows operating software, and then give the refurbished laptop to a deserving person?

PortisheadScouser, I did exactly that for a number of years here but stopped as I could not find deserving people who actually wanted any laptop that was more than 3 years old, nor any PC of that age either. Not even the schools would touch them as they had to budget for repair/maintenance for any equipments they have. It was a really sad time of life when I could not even give away perfectly sound and legal equipment to people who needed them but held out for brand new modern equipment. Nice to see that someone is still trying to help out there - well done and good luck to you.

waddo, tried to do the same here with a perfectly sound, 3 year old Samsung smart phone and couldn't give it away. I still used it as an emergency phone when I needed one. Temporarily swapped SIM card over and it was absolutely fine. Sign of the times I guess.

I'm doing the same. Bring back old phones and laptops to hand out to locals that cannot afford them. No problem here, but then again I do not live in Girne.

After visiting several computer shops and asking them if they could wipe clean the laptop and give it to a deserving cause/person, I was left with no alternative, but, to this afternoon break the laptop into lots of small pieces -- hammer a screwdriver through the hard disc and throw all the bits into the bin. A crying shame as the laptop was in perfect working order before I took the hammer to it!

I am so sorry to hear that as I was typing a reply , I am struggling with a new laptop which jumbles letters - I am told because the keyboard is too sensitive for a trained touch typist Seemscrazy and is giving me serious scommunications problems s o I am looking for sensible sleaning ugestions including buying second hand though I would need help cleaning and resetting

RR, as a trained and very experienced touch typist myself I can assure you that there is no such thing as a keyboard that is too sensitive! Modern keyboards, in particular on laptops have smaller keys than you would be used to, generally set closer together as well and lack the "feel" of the older keys you would be used to. My best advice to you is to use an external keyboard of an older type that can connect to your current laptop via USB and simply used the laptop as a screen. Additionally, if you are having problems with your touch pad (this is the flat bit that serves as the mouse) these things are also available as USB connected additions or you could revert to an old mouse as well.

RR you can change the keyboard settings to make them less sensitive to touch. If the keyboard and keys, as Waddo has suggested, are smaller than you are used to, then you will get used to it with use, but will take a bit of time, but you have to persevere, and you will get there. Been there and done it.

I was not trained as a touch typist, but made myself do it many moons ago, rather than use the 2 finger approach used by many of my colleagues at work, and so glad that I did. Then had to get used to using a computer keyboard rather than a typewriter and be a bit gentler. Looking at the keyboard puts me off, and I actually couldn't tell you what keys are what, but my fingers know.

Soner wrote:I'm doing the same. Bring back old phones and laptops to hand out to locals that cannot afford them. No problem here, but then again I do not live in Girne.

You are so right Soner, never had a problem out Tatlisu way giving old stuff away, most are just grateful, no matter how old it is, as long as it works. Just once I had someone a bit cheeky, saying they would come really late at night to pick up a couple of mattresses, which had hardly been used. I put them both outside there and then. They came and picked them up within about 10 minutes, as they knew someone else would take them.

Soner, you are absolutely correct about living in Girne and the surrounds. When I was in computer store yesterday, there were a couple changing their phones, the woman for no other reason than she had had her old one for 6 months and her daughter had a more up to date one, and she wanted one as well. I sometimes think that Girne is on another planet. Alphamike, like you say, nothing stays outside our place for more than 24 hours. Last year I put out an old PC (it looked old as well) having first removed and destroyed the hard disk. Less than an hour later I heard a lorry stop, wait 2 mins and then drive off again. I checked and the PC and all the wiring etc had gone.

Th anks for all your suggestions. Alphamike : how do I change the keyboard settings please? (Idiots guide!)

RR https://computing.which.co.uk/hc/en-gb/ ... a-keyboard