I've "repaired" - actually restored to higher working quality -- several old model Mac Book Pro laptops. They are solid, with a nice aluminum case and a good screen. I find them usually at yard sales for $10 or so. Take them home and open them up. Replace the battery for about $35, install Mint Linux on the hard drive and give them a good cleaning. I've actually found dead bugs in a couple of them clustered around the tiny fan and heat sink. They work fine with Mint Linux and I've also installed Ubuntu on a couple as well. In cases where the hard drive is dead, I've plugged in a 1TB SSD.
I donate these to local Ham Radio operators so that they can have a portable to run various Ham Radio programs such as FlDigi and packet radio.
Cool. I've fucked around with Ubuntu on occasion.
You aint findin laptops around here for 10 bucks though.
Rare here too, but usually a really old laptop that the owner says "it's busted and I can't update anything". This is true of the old Mac Book Pro series before 2013 which will not update to the later Mac OS. I can almost always jew the owner down to $10 or maybe $15 by explaining abut everything that is "wrong" with it and that "I just need it for parts".
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