March 14, 2009
Q: I have a heap of dead PCs, parts, CRT monitors, etc., that I would love to get rid of. Will the trash guys take them? Should I toss them in the old neighborhood Dumpster?
A: No, please please please don't toss them into the Dumpster. They will contaminate the landfill with all sorts of toxic metals. Instead, take the energy and time to recycle them properly.
Recycled material will one day become parts for new electronics. There are a number of local outlets that will recycle your electronics for free or for a nominal fee. For example, Office Depot and Staples have recycling programs where you can purchase a recycling box for a small fee, and they will recycle almost whatever you can fit inside the box. All things electronic, including cell phones and batteries, can be included in the box.
Larger entities like a recent LG/Waste Management/Comcast recycling event will allow you to drop off material for free. Just remember to erase or destroy your hard drive of any personal data before you drop them off.
Q: I have heard from Web design friends that today's designs are doing away with home buttons on Web sites because they are passé, and people just know to click on the Web site logo to go back to the homepage. What are your thoughts on this?
A: You can't assume that all folks will know how to get back to the homepage. It really depends on the kind of Web site being designed, and perhaps more important, the Web site's primary audience.
For example, the MGM Grand Vegas Web site (www.msmgrand.com) does not have a homepage link, but the Web site and casino are targeting a younger demographic. On the other hand, a retirement community in Pacific Grove (www.thecanterbury.org) does put a homepage link on its navigation. The general reason being that it may be easier for an older person to navigate around the Web site with the home link as a visual anchor.
We recommend determining who will be using the Web site and their navigation styles before implementing a design.
Bits ‘n Bytes is a question and answer forum for individuals to e-mail the Byte Technology team about general technology questions. Reponses are published twice per month, and are written in language that ordinary folks can understand, not techno-speak. If you have a technology related question, please feel free to send it to bitsnbytes@byte-technology.com or write to:
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