Does your corporation throw away useful stuff? How often and how much? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Warhawk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2020, 12:29:48 pm
content: Guys, I simply can't get over it. My corporation (+30k employees) just threw away a whole bunch of test equipment.This includes 5GHz R&S spectrum analyzers, 1GHz Agilent oscilloscopes, Weller soldering stations that were "toxic" because somebody used a leaded solder, 6 GHz active probes, etc. etc. It goes to the same trash bin as three to four years old laptops etc.My colleagues and I tried to officially rescue some equipment but it was impossible. We practically hit the wall everywhere we asked. Arguments were silly. Something like "confidential data loss prevention prohibits us giving you the scope because it has a memory onboard". Other people claimed that the equipment has already zero value therefore it can't be sold. I mean just process things. Nothing that would even make sense.I do not necessarily need these things. My lab is complete but I would love to see local hackerspaces, universities, or fellow hobbyists using it. Nope. But next year our PR team will beg for money for the local orphanage to "build the brand of care". We will spam customers with useless newsletters and will give away useless flyers on the Electronika fair.And this happens every so often.$%^& you my corporation!How is it with you and your employer? Does thereduce/re-use/recyclework with your company or is it just aPR "statement of being environmental friendly" on LinkedIn?Am I wrong? What to I miss?

author: Tomorokoshi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2020, 04:02:06 pm
content: A = Does your boss have any technical hobbies?B = Does your bosses boss have any technical hobbies?If !(A OR B) then there is no hope. They simply won't have the imagination or inspiration to understand the intrinsic non-monetary value of equipment like that, along with the goodwill that would be generated by distributing it properly.I've seen it in both situations, where they are either passively supporting it or actively blocking it. It gets tricky when some in the organization understand it, and some don't.A very frustrating example is when an executive secretary threw out shelves of books without asking anyone in engineering if they wanted anything. I was able to get only few items that managed to wind up at the top of the bins.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2020, 04:37:03 pm
content: I've already run into similar situations.One thing to consider is that for a company, donating equipement to employees may have legal implications that most employers don't want to have to deal with (even for amortized gear). So yeah, this is crazy, but throwing it away is often much simpler.

author: daqq
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2020, 08:53:51 pm
content: My current employer never did this, once a desirable device (computer, measurement tech, whatever) was intended to be thrown out, it was generally snatched within hours. There are also options to buy. The confidentiality issue was solved by removing the disk, or by scrubbing it hard.QuoteWell, if it goes to a professional recycler, the odds are good that it wont hit the market. If the recycler is less professional, you'll find it on ebay or something similar soon enough. Let's just say I know a guy.

author: m98
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2020, 09:23:27 pm
content: What kinds of confidential Information could you possibly store on the internal memory of an oscilloscope or spectrum analyzer? Software options?

author: rf-messkopf
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2020, 09:36:15 pm
content: Depending on where you live it may also be for tax reasons that employers cannot give away things to employees easily. At least in Germany test equipment that is given away to employees or sold below market value would count as a benefit in money's worth, which would be subject to income tax. Large companies don't have a process for that, and would not risk being accused of tax evasion, so that the equipment rather goes to the dump. Usually the only chance is to get these thing out of the trash yourself while your boss is deliberately not looking at it. That is more likely to happen in small companies.Quote from: m98 on May 23, 2020, 09:23:27 pmModern Scopes, SAs, VNAs, etc., contain a PC platform with a hard drive. I have found a lot of old data (screenshots, measured data, limit lines, etc.) on second hand equipment that I've bought, in one case very obviously from a large and well known German electronics company.But probably not very useful for spying.

author: wn1fju
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2020, 10:12:02 pm
content: My "corporation" was funded by one of the large USA government three-letter organizations. At my most recent security investigation, I casually mentioned how we often threw out old, obsolete small parts such as 7400/4000 DIPs and loose leaded resistors/caps/transistors, etc. I told them that sometimes, when I was involved with putting the items into the garbage, that I would keep a few small boxes in a cabinet in our lab because one of my hobbies was fixing old test equipment and once in a while some of the obsolete stuff was hard to find from the usual distributors. Therefore, I would help myself to a part if it was in the cabinet.Wrong thing to admit!!! I found myself back in the investigator's office for further explanation. I tried to convey that we were talking about parts that were worth anywhere from one cent to one dollar, but that didn't help matters. I was told in no uncertain terms that if our company threw a file cabinet into the dumpster (the investigator actually pointed to the file cabinet in the office while he was saying this), I would not be entitled to take it.Bottom line: I was yelled at, my boss was yelled at, our facilities manager was yelled at, etc. Our company had to issue a memo clarifying the issue.Bottom, bottom line: I kept my mouth shut next time!

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2020, 11:02:58 pm
content: When I worked at a place that did hardware they occasionally threw all kinds of interesting stuff into the e-waste bin, although nothing as valuable as that. From an official standpoint they couldn't give me permission to take things, but the IT manager and I had a sort of informal don't ask-don't tell agreement. He'd turn a blind eye just so long as I didn't leave a mess.Personally I think throwing out good usable equipment like that is criminal and I refuse to give companies I know are doing that sort of thing any money. I'd encourage anyone to salvage what they can, but absolutely don't tell anyone about it.

author: c64
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2020, 12:13:12 am
content: Quote from: Warhawk on May 23, 2020, 12:29:48 pmTell us the location of your dumpster

author: 25 CPS
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2020, 12:38:57 am
content: It’s changed several times at the place I’m at. The guy who hired me gave me an old scope and it was written off and proper authorize to remove paperwork was drawn up with two copies. One was turned in at the security desk on the way out the building and the other was for me to keep for my records. I’ve kept it in the robe pouch as a keepsake of its own.Not too long after that, there was a corporate policy change and a contract was signed with an e-waste company. I think the phrase “sweetheart deal” could be used interchangeably with the word contract in this case because they got exclusive rights to all of the company’s e-waste just as a massive downsizing happened along with a real estate and equipment purge. Everything had to go through the e-waste company. We started seeing our equipment and spare parts on eBay at gigantically inflated prices. I filled in at one of our smaller sites and saw a room full of vintage Tek and HP gear waiting for their shipper to come and collect it all. Eventually one of the guys there started quietly giving stuff to people who wanted it rather than see it scrapped for parts. I ended up with a machine from there that way.I saw on older HP oscillator sitting on a bench at the main site and asked if it was getting junked. The answer was yes so I asked if I could have it. The answer was yes if the guys boss said yes, which he did, so it came home with me. Then, total policy reversal which makes me wonder if the contract with the e-waste company came to its end, they had this internal rummage sale and people bought stuff but really, after 10 years of the e-waste company cleaning the place out of all the good retired equipment, all that’s left is the stuff that’s still in use and table scraps.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2020, 12:59:06 am
content: Quote from: james_s on May 23, 2020, 11:02:58 pmInformal agreements are great but leave you vulnerable when the shit hits the fan. Suddenly no one knows about any agreement and your job is on the line. Someone may be looking for an easy and cheap way to get rid of you at some point. Getting rehired after getting caught stealing isn't going to be fun either. It's a devil's dilemma as simply throwing out good quality kit feels criminal in its own right. I'm not just talking about the hoarder's, I mean collector's point of view but also from the point of view of a society with what ultimately are limited resources. Tax rules do seem to encourage this kind of behaviour, unfortunately.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2020, 04:14:01 am
content: Quote from: Mr. Scram on May 24, 2020, 12:59:06 amOf course that could happen, but life is full of calculated risks, I chose to take that risk and it paid off. If they wanted to get rid of me they wouldn't have to accuse me of stealing, my state has at-will employment, for better or worse the employee or the employer can terminate the relationship at any time for any reason. So yeah, I could get fired for "stealing" things or I could get fired for saying the wrong thing to the wrong person or because they don't like the color of shirt I'm wearing or the way I comb my hair. I'm not opposed to taking a few risks to acquire interesting things. Many people risk a lot more for income of one form or another, there are quite a few jobs where a significant number of people are killed, worst case for me was getting fired, which never happened.

author: Wojciech Krolopp
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 24, 2020, 09:46:31 am
content: It's not exactly grabbing e-waste but few times when staying late hours at the office I opened up my coworkers computers and replaced parts with cheaper ones. I bought some cheap Pentiums and swapped them in place of Core i7. Then I sold those i7 and made some neat profit. Code monkeys did not even noticeEngineering salary is a joke anyway so might as well make some money on the side.

author: m98
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2020, 11:17:46 am
content: Quote from: Wojciech Krolopp on May 24, 2020, 09:46:31 amReally hope this is just a bad trolling attempt, and not you confessing to crimes on the internet.

author: Warhawk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2020, 11:48:59 am
content: Quote from: c64 on May 24, 2020, 12:13:12 amI've just measured on googlemaps and it is 16,309.98km from Sydney Central Train station.

author: nfmax
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2020, 11:51:19 am
content: It's when you see stuff you have personally developed (and been granted a patent for) being trashed, because the whole project is dropped as it doesn't fit in with the product line roadmap of the latest manager to be rotated in for a two year stint, that it really grates!

author: Warhawk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2020, 11:54:10 am
content: Quote from: m98 on May 24, 2020, 11:17:46 amI am sure this is trolling. Especially with this nickname. Nobody is that stupid.

author: Warhawk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2020, 12:03:40 pm
content: Quote from: james_s on May 24, 2020, 04:14:01 amHiring and firing people in the U.S. is insanely easy. Here in Europe It is extremely difficult to get rid of an employee after he or she finishes the probation period (typ. 3-6 months). Even dealing with a bad performer is not easy. Investigating the attendance system, internet usage or proving you took a pencil home is a dirty way to do it.

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2020, 12:08:13 pm
content: Depends on the business, my dads old company had a rule that if it was in the dumpster until an hour after open of business the next day it was up for grabs, the truck would usually come the hour after that, and it was there compromise in case anything important accidentally got binned, someone would notice it and report it.They also had them sign a waiver that if they wanted to be insured against injuries while rummaging they needed to have a confined space permit first, which I don't exactly agree with, but I see why they implemented it.My own work doesn't really every throw out anything of value, its usually 3rd hand or entry level gear, and when things break we repair it, well past where the sunken cost fallacy begins to apply.My mothers old work was odd, they kept buying good things then forgetting where they stored them so they bought them again, led to a few fun toys when I was young, don't know the whole story about them though.

author: c64
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 02:18:30 am
content: Quote from: Warhawk on May 24, 2020, 11:48:59 amI'm in Melbourne LOL

author: ivaylo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 05:33:11 am
content: These “my corporation/government/whoever is stupid and I am not” sentiments are pretty naive. There are all sorts of legal, tax, compliance, etc considerations which are someone’s job and a part of why that organization is successful. There could be malicious intent or incompetence of course, but in the West that seems to be more of the exception.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 05:41:48 am
content: Quote from: Warhawk on May 23, 2020, 12:29:48 pm

author: daqq
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 06:34:09 am
content: Interestingly enough, many devices have a 'sanitation' feature, where all potentially confidential data is cleansed by a few simple click. See:https://www.keysight.com/upload/cmc_upload/All/Truevolt_DMM_Product_Declassification_Security.pdf

author: Zucca
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 07:05:38 am
content: All the useful disposed waste (from work or not) that fit my backpack goes home with me.I do not care about rules, it is just common sense. It's part of my italian DNA.Yes, I proudly confess my crime here.Warhawk: It broke my heart to read this.

author: brabus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 08:28:24 am
content: Very sad to admit, but I fully understand this.You know, things work out as long as people use their brains. But NO, people ALWAYS have to piss out of the pot.What happens:- Employee brings home a cool 1GHz oscilloscope straight from the "garbage" bin- Notices a small dent on the cover, calls Agilent for a warranty repair/substitution- Wants a full set of probes, for free of course- ...- The company gains quickly bad reputation from Agilent, for so many warranty claims and free extra required.Sorry, but: NO. No matter how valuable it can be, trash goes in the trash bin. Full stop.This reminds me of my experience in the automotive business. Well known german brand, using ~100 vehicles for each project as test vehicles. Brand new cars, often with ALL extras to try them out. Many of them were used for a few hundred kilometers or so. Once upon a time, as an employee, you could buy those cars at the end of the project. The bargain was astonishing, you could get a €80,000 car for €20,000 or less, with maybe 3000 km on the clock.What happened: people being people. Shortly before the end of the project, project members started ordering brand new engines to put in the cars, full brake sets, full interior reupholstery, free expensive extras and so on.As soon as the company noticed the regular steep increase of project costs toward the end, they banned the benefit. ALL cars will be DESTROYED at the end of every project. Full stop.Now, what to say: thanks people for being people.

author: Zucca
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 08:42:26 am
content: The sad part is when you want to be dishonest (garbage, ebay or whatever).I still do not see a crime to take home garbage and then repair it or use it without harming anybody else (company or people).I never did what brabus wrote, it will be just stupid. Sadly I can imagine stuff like this happens and it make me sad even more.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 11:08:15 am
content: I once worked for an electronics retailer that would have products to be written off. Previously, these items were just tossed into the skip bin, but these were sometimes raided. On more than one occasion, the recovered, faulty items would find their way back through the front door for repair or replacement.Once this action had been identified, a new procedure was put in place. A representative from head office would have the list of items to be written off and would witness one of the staff physically destroy each item before ticking it off the list.I know. I was the one assigned to do the destruction on more than one occasion. There was nothing left worth salvaging after that.

author: Marck
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 11:23:14 am
content: “Obtaining” toys during decommissioning or hardware refresh is a fairly common thing. Usually for taxation reasons or the simple fact that the cost of processing selling and administration will outstrip any profit to be had this equipment is disposed of to waste.I have never had a problem with my guys taking anything that was destined for a skip with a couple of simple rules. I hate stuff being wasted if someone wants it or can use it or can get a couple of extra bucks salvaging metals for recycling if they want to put in the effort instead of it going to land fill.1. It never turns up on eBay or gum tree.2. If your going to sell it for scrap don’t use company assets to transport it. Keep your sneaky side profit well away from your work life.3. Share the love. If someone wants a particular item to put it to use for hobby or education let them have first option on it before you sell it for scrap weight.4. Don’t take more than you really need because someone that ends up with half a dozen racks of hardware will no doubt end up selling it on gum tree or eBay.5. And most importantly don’t steal it. Just ask for it. And that’s because on rare occasion for whatever reason some things have to follow traceable disposal. And most importantly I might get a slap on the wrist for letting someone take a bit of old kit that was on its way to the bin but if I don’t know someone has taken it and someone has a cry about it all of a sudden it’s theft and that’s how people loose jobsM

author: Fred27
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 11:29:13 am
content: Unfortunately this sort of mindless destruction goes on all the time. My brother used to have a removals and storage business. He had a publicly owned body pay him to store hundreds of (presumably excess) brand new printers they had bought. He stored them for a few years. Then they paid him to take them to a crusher and have them crushed - with one of their employees watching to make sure this happened. They were all boxed and unused. He couldn't persuade them to donate them to schools or anything. Maybe not quite as valuable or desirable as test gear, but a shocking and pointless waste all the same.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 11:59:27 am
content: Quote from: Zucca on May 25, 2020, 08:42:26 am10 years ago fished out some disassembled phones from garbage bin and put them back together (they were replaced under warranty to customers, then scrapped). There was a guy who's job was taking them apart and throwing into bin. We no longer were allowed to take them since there was scandal in recent past when such phone was brought back to warranty repair, and apparently repair was made under warranty so manufacturer paid for repair and obviously got IMEI number in the report. To not have the same issue with ones which I fished out, I erased part of IMEI code on the label under battery cover. Though I guessed they possibly could be brought back under warranty if reception was dumb enough to accept them anyway by simply looking IMEI in the menu. That was my main concern so I gave/sold them only to people who I knew personally.

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 12:22:46 pm
content: IBM destroyed about 10,000 excess top-of-the-line "butterfly" laptops with a retail value around $10K each in the 1990's. That is $100 MILLION dollars worth. They did not think it appropriate to donate them to underprivileged people or to poor countries. They thought it better to destroy them because they would not be profiting on them and I guess they could write them off. They might have been concerned they would find their way back onto the market, cutting into sales. With a character like Louis Gerstner at the helm, it was not surprising they were not used for any altruistic purpose.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 12:46:11 pm
content: When the big scope makers have trade-in deals they instruct their dealers to destroy the scope and provide evidence they have done soTheir reasoning is that every 2nd hand scope on the market is one less sale for a new scope.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 12:51:18 pm
content: BTW, I get asked many times about the legality of me taking stuff from the dumpster. Yes, it's legal. The dumpster is on private property (partly owned by me BTW), does not fall under council regulations, and it's actually against the strata policy (and collection company policy) for office owners to dump anything other than regular office waste into the dumpster room. No electrical stuff or furniture etc allowed.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 02:34:59 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on May 25, 2020, 12:51:18 pmThe best advice is probably to check your local laws and situation. In some places it's legal as stuff thrown away is considered abandoned. In other places it's still considered property and therefore theft.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 02:38:26 pm
content: Quote from: blueskull on May 25, 2020, 11:35:10 amYou must be pregnant a lot.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 02:44:51 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on May 25, 2020, 12:51:18 pmIf I understand correctly, office owners dumping electrical gear is per se not allowed. Your getting ahold of some of it actually helps the collection company not to have to deal with it.Still wondering whether some office owner could not one day get you in trouble if you ever get ahold of anything (like computers) that could contain confidential information (although obviously if some company trashes stuff with confidential information, they would be pretty dumb.)

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 03:34:39 pm
content: Back when I worked at a TV Studio, 75 ohm terminations were "at a premium".We used a large number of them, & we were always battling to find enough for any given job.We were getting rid of a bunch of stuff, & as part of our "corporate good citizen" policy, we laid them out on tables & invited the local hams to dig through them, prior to disposing of them.As a ham myself, I had a look before they were scheduled to arrive.I was surprised to see that virtually all the stuff still had the terminations on them.I got a reasonably sized cardboard box & half filled it with terminations which went straight back into service!I found many other occasions to repurpose really good quality parts from redundant equipment, within the company.It was often far more economical to dig through the forgotten parts for some long gone equipment & find a part which could be used somewhere else, rather than go down the rabbithole of trying to obtain the "correct" part from a supplier on the other side of the globe!After all, I was being paid for my technical skills, not my skills as a purchasing clerk!Of course, that sort of thing would be frowned on today by the "suits".

author: olkipukki
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 05:36:34 pm
content: Quote from: Warhawk on May 23, 2020, 12:29:48 pmYes and No.Quote from: Warhawk on May 23, 2020, 12:29:48 pm...and your corporation would "love" to see headlines such as "Warhawk Corporation donated toxic equipments with dangerous lead metals to our local university students"Quote from: Warhawk on May 23, 2020, 12:29:48 pmYes, you do, in short - "liability.legal.insurance."

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 05:42:15 pm
content: I remember a problem decades ago when the University of Illinois (IIRC) obtained some surplus heavy-duty transformers and used them in a student project. Unfortunately, the transformers contained PCBs, as this was shortly after they were banned.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 08:10:25 pm
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on May 25, 2020, 03:34:39 pmI've seen quite often one department is throwing away things while another department is buying more of those same things. The left hand doesn't talk to the right and most people simply don't care, it's not money out of their pocket. Drives me nuts though, I hate waste, and corporations are often incredibly wastedful, yet they're happy to cut amenities and benefits to save a few bucks.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 08:15:08 pm
content: Quote from: Fred27 on May 25, 2020, 11:29:13 amI would have invited the local news media to witness it and very publicly shamed the company. Actually my personal ethics would prevent me from actively participating, they'd have to hire someone else to come retrieve the equipment from me. In cases like that I don't care about the money, I don't like senseless destruction of usable equipment and would much rather see or assist in the destruction of corporations and people who authorize or engage in such practices. Any time I hear of such things that company goes on my blacklist and I will never give them a dime.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2020, 09:17:27 pm
content: Quote from: james_s on May 25, 2020, 08:10:25 pmNever stiff your employees over a few dollars unless you are firing them immediately after the fact.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2020, 01:26:14 am
content: Quote from: thm_w on May 25, 2020, 09:17:27 pmAnother slightly divergent angle, is the way different industries often use the same equipment, but have no inkling of this.A case in point, was where a TV Studio was spending big bucks sending the wheels off camera dollies back to the UK for retreading with appropriate "magic" stuff.This was expensive, incredibly time consuming, & meant the dolly concerned was out of service for long periods.One of the Techs (not me) checked around, & found that a local company used the same material for the wheels of hospital trolleys, tables, etc.The upshot was that they could get all four wheels on the dolly done locally for the price of one wheel done in the UK, with a two week maximum turnaround, compared to two plus months.One of my jobs, for my sins, in a previous job was to fix "dehydrators".These were used to pressurise large coaxial feeders with dry air to prevent moisture ingress.They had a lot of black nylon tubing between various parts & for the outlet.As they came, they used brass fittings wnich included "olives"as a vital part of the sealing function.The "olives" were effectively "consumables" as after one use, they usually would no longer seal.We quickly used up our inadequate quota of spares, so, armed with a handful of "petty cash", I set off to the last place we had bought such bits.They didn't have any that size, & couldn't tell when they were likely to get some more, so I was cast back on my own resources.Looking through the "Yellow Pages", I found a likely contender.They didn't have the parts, but pointed out that "the world had moved on", & the brass fittings had been replaced with nylon self locking fittings.These were a "dream" to fit, so we went over to them.When I changed employer, the TV Studio were in the process of moving & upgrading their Earth Station, which used the same sort of dehydrators.Unfortunately, they also still had the brass fittings.This company had their own "pet" source of the fittings, so, again, I set out with a handful of petty cash. (as a "noob"in this firm, I didn't care to "make waves" & bring up the new type in discussion).Same story :- "Sorry, out of stock, dunno if we will stock them again!", so I went to the other place & bought the nylon ones.I returned to work in some trepidation, however, they not only approved, but were enthusiastic about the change.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 26, 2020, 01:39:47 am
content: Quote from: SiliconWizard on May 25, 2020, 02:44:51 pmGet me in trouble with who?The police? Nope, not their concern.The council? Nope, not their concern.The strata? Good luck with that, I'm on the executive committee. They'd get more in trouble for dumping their illegal office stuff in the dumpster room in the first place.Could they sue me for some reason? Sure. Anyone is free to attempt to sue anyone at any time for any reason. Good luck.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 26, 2020, 02:33:58 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on May 26, 2020, 01:39:47 amThe person whoshouldbe worried would be the one who put any such confidential content out in the wild.That is just sheer stupidity.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2020, 02:38:14 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on May 26, 2020, 01:39:47 amUse your position on the executive commitee to pass a strata "by law" that all non complying rubbish will be seized & sold to the highest bidder.As no one else is likely to be remotely interested, bid 1 cent, & it is all yours free & clear!"No skin off the noses" of those who are non complying, either, so they will.continue with the practice.

author: 0culus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2020, 04:34:58 am
content: I guess I'm lucky because my workplace has a deal with a local auction house to auction off surplus equipment (T&M and a lot of other stuff) once it has sat in reapplication for a while. This has two benefits. (1) at work, it can be possible to score some very expensive equipment you need for your project for no cost from the reapplication stash and (2) if you see something you want for yourself, just keep an eye on the upcoming auctions in the next couple months.