Consoles you wouldn't take even if given for free

[HoshiChiri]

^^^ you have our into words the feeling which keeps me from selling the boxed and perfect Turbo Grafx 16 that my neighbor gave to me, no strings attached. I haven't opened, played, or tested it (emulation of TG16 is sufficient for me).

The important factor with Moocher's Honor is time- for example, my SNES was a freebie from a friend, and the game collection included some notable titles- Zelda, Mario RPG, and especially Evo. If something came up & I needed to sell these, I would no longer feel guilty about it becuase they've been mine for over a decade, and I've lost contact with said friend. I have satisfactorily met the 'intent to keep & use' part of the code, and could no longer offer a return anyway. So depending on how long it's been & if your neighbor's still around, you may be in the clear!

 

Or maybe it's just laziness, because eBay selling is a hassle.

Ain't that the truth- it's why I still have that big box of anime I meant to sell a couple months ago sitting around.

[Tanooki]

I'm really not into the concept of moochers honor, though I'm not one who will take a freebie and turn it over right after as that's kind of sleazy. I'm just not into sitting on stuff that goes disused or outright unused for a long stretch of time either. I've had a few free things, and I have less of them now because I passed them to another person who would put it to good use and no I didn't just mail every one of them for free, some were, some weren't. The way I see it, once it goes from A to B, it can go to C just fine without any strings attached unless you had it in writing that A has a first right of re-acquiring or refusal as part of getting it in the first place. Times and circumstances change, maybe that freebie you got 5 years or 15 years later is worth like a lot of cash. Do you let it rot, perhaps needing the funds desperately out of some sad sense of honor, or do you put it to good use to make things better?

[carlsson]

Mac LCs, Performas and Quadras [..] I have doubts the demand has increased significantly, but I haven't checked.

 

I believe there was a little bump on the market, at least for the earlier Mac models after Steve Jobs' passing. Not sure what the market is today, but at least for G3 and later Mac models those still seem to be boat anchors.

[zzip]

In a world with an ever growing population and sometimes housing problems, it is good to hear that the AtariAge community in general doesn't have space issues. As long as you get stuff for free, several of you are willing to pile and hoard stuff infinitely. Yes, I've got a little more stuff than I need as well, but even for free I wouldn't hoard more than I had an interest and use of, in particular if we play with the "no trade" rule.

 

When I was younger and got my own income, I started to hoard the kind of hardware I wished for but could never get as a kid/teen. All it did was collect dust in my basement, hardly ever used. I've been selling it off and it brings more of a sense of relief than a sense of loss. I basically wouldn't take any classic console even if free because it would just restart the cycle.

[Eltigro]

I might refuse another PS2. I have enough of them already.

[CaptainBreakout]

You know, I just thought about it and I think I probably wouldn't take anything modern... Anything with intangible software that requires a subscription service really turns me off.

 

The Wii store shutting down was a bit of a heartbreak. Since I think of these things as a potential heirlooms rather than disposable entertainment. It's getting worse now since it seems current console designers have moved beyond planned obsolescence and into planned uselessness.

[boxpressed]

If you keep regular tabs on eBay or other sites like it, and if you are good about selling items yourself (know how much stuff costs to ship, how to pack, etc.), you can get all the 2600s, PlayStations, PS2s, Xboxs, and Wiis you want for free by selling off the games and controllers that come in the lot.

 

Thing is, you have to decide whether it's worth the effort. Unless there's some rare in the lot that I need, I usually pass on lots like these, even if you could make $10-$20 on the deal. So it's almost like "What consoles wouldn't you take for $20 if you had to spend time cleaning and listing it?"

[Skippy B. Coyote]

Are there any consoles that have no trade or resale value whatsoever? If so, those are the only ones I wouldn't take for free. Even if I don't personally care for a system I can always trade it to someone who will appreciate it, and get something I'd rather have in return.

[+GoldLeader]

I was thinking on this question and the only thing that came to mind was when a friend of mine gave me a dusty, incomplete PONG clone of some kind...Things that are broken (obviously) or missing power supplies and hookups (esp RF), but I suppose that's not the spirit of this thread...

 

If it worked, I'd say any old computers suck, but they're not consoles...Maybe if it was an extremely UGLY CONSOLE...So STADIA I guess?

 

Oh I just thought of another FUGLY ASS console The Nutari box! (They want to call it a "vcs", but I just can't bring myself to do it)...

 

I don't know if we're talking vaporware here or not (that sadly may someday exist) but...

 

If you're going to give me an "atari" Tacobox, Make sure you give me 2 of them.

 

One to Poop on and one to wipe my butt with afterwards!

[vrocko]

Been awhile since I posted but I'd take just about anything someone gave me. Bought a CDI + games from a lady at a garage sale for 5 bucks. Didn't think twice a out how bad it was. Got a 2600 and about 20 games from a friend who was getting rid of stuff to make room for his business. Only one I thought about not taking was a R-zone handheld "console" with a couple games, Indy 500 racing and Street Fighter. Yeah I'm a sucker I took it.

[BassGuitari]

Basically any Atari 2600 system, since I have all the major hardware variants except a Sears L6 and Columbia Home Arcade. I'd take one of those, or something funky like a Kee Games 6-switch case mod. Or maybe some clone system with a bunch of games built in, for shits and giggles.

 

Otherwise, I could never turn down a freebie. Even the worst systems usually have some redeeming quality or points of interest. Even if it wasn't something I was previously interested in, I might come to really enjoy it and be glad I got it. Some of my favorite systems were previously overlooked freebies, like the TRS-80 Color and Apple IIgs.

 

And if it just ended up collecting dust, I could just pass it on. No harm, no foul.

Edited April 26, 2019 by BassGuitari

[0078265317]

I will take anything for free. Play with it for a couple of weeks. Then recycle it or ebay it.

[TheCoolDave]

If you keep regular tabs on eBay or other sites like it, and if you are good about selling items yourself (know how much stuff costs to ship, how to pack, etc.), you can get all the 2600s, PlayStations, PS2s, Xboxs, and Wiis you want for free by selling off the games and controllers that come in the lot.

 

Thing is, you have to decide whether it's worth the effort. Unless there's some rare in the lot that I need, I usually pass on lots like these, even if you could make $10-$20 on the deal. So it's almost like "What consoles wouldn't you take for $20 if you had to spend time cleaning and listing it?"

 

THere is also the TIME factor... Finding the deals... waiting for them to come in, Fixing possable issues, dealing with the packing and shipping...then the fees on ebay/paypal/etc. So, yes, this does work but, also takes a lot of your free time.

 

I dont know a console I would not take, esp if it was free. If you dont want your consoles, feel free to ship them to me

Edited April 28, 2019 by TheCoolDave

[boxpressed]

 

THere is also the TIME factor... Finding the deals... waiting for them to come in, Fixing possable issues, dealing with the packing and shipping...then the fees on ebay/paypal/etc. So, yes, this does work but, also takes a lot of your free time.

 

I dont know a console I would not take, esp if it was free. If you dont want your consoles, feel free to ship them to me

 

Isn't that what I said in what you quoted from me?

[Lord Thag]

Having once had a bigger collection that I've downsized... I pretty much turn down anything I don't actually play these days. It's too easy to get buried in this stuff. If it's not a console I fire up at least once a year to play... you can keep it.

But in terms of taste... anything from the PS1/n64 era. I don't like any of those consoles at all, outside the tail end of the Neo Geo releases. Early 3d was ugly, clunky, slow and usually had terrible play control. No thanks. I much prefer sprite based stuff until you get up to the later eras.