I will readily admit that it is often hard for us to get rid of things that still work.  We have been cleaning the house over the past few months and if something is broken or junk it is easily thrown out.  The problem is what to do with the stuff that still works.  We have four different varieties of computer in our home.  My broken screened computer which still can be used when hooked up to a monitor is now at home in the kitchen and I use it for all my school and recipe stuff.  It is not hooked up to the internet. 

Dan has a work computer and a personal computer - both laptops - and that is where he does all his scouting (Pack Master program) and lesson plan stuff for school.  We are currently sharing the personal laptop when he can leave it home with me.  He has been leaving it more lately because I am stuck not being able to do much and it keeps me in touch with the outside world a bit more.  LOL

Two other computers we have are the one we had before I got my laptop (ME edition) and one that my mom gave to J(14) and it is the Windows 98 version.  J(14) uses it to do school stuff.  The ME edition was wiped and restarted and has recently been moved to the den and is loaded with learning games and school related programs now.  There is no online access and the kids are using it strictly for homeschooling and reward for getting work done purposes.  It works very well for us to use it in that capacity.  There is something for everyone...  Bookworm, which is my daughter's program that I am currently addicted to.    There is a Spanish program and a music writing program along with a slew of little K-3 learning games, some Hoyle board and card games.  E(9) also has a crocheting and knitting program that have helped her learn to do all those cute little projects that she does.  It has been a great tool for us while I have been out of commission a bit, too.  It has been so much of an asset that I bought a geography program and a Hoyle Word program for their stockings for Christmas.  I just wish we had been able to do that when J(14) was homeschooling but we just did not have the computers at that point to be able to do that. 

At some point in the near future I will be getting a new laptop and then the old one will be put out in the study room for J(14)... he has requested it so he can upload his music writing program to it.  It only works on the newer systems and not the W98 that he has now.  I think at that point we will get rid of the oldest computer to make more room but for now all of them are in use and serving us well. 

Repurposing all the old computers has worked very well for us and enriched our schooling experience in recent months in a very fun way. 

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