Run a lightweight Linux distro on older hardware maybe?

This is it. Buy used Dell and HP hardware with 32 GB of RAM and swap the pcie ssd for 4 TB.

No, this is not it. It only worked when there were a small number of buyers for used hardware, who were largely enthusiasts. The moment it becomes mainstream you're going to face the same scarcity in the used/refurbished market as well.

	▲	intrasight 10 hours ago \| parent [-]
		There are lots of such computers to be repurposed. It'll relieve price pressure and avoid e-waste.

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thatguy0900 18 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Exclusively using a ever dwindling stock of old hardware is not really a practical solution to preserving hardware rights in the long term

	▲	jjgreen 11 hours ago \| parent [-]
		The future is ragged shoeless and grimy humans fighting over the last few 1990's pocket calculators.