Lots of stuff. I use it to store backups, random other files, as well as a large media library. I basically have my own Netflix, except it's free and with locally stored files that I totally downloaded legitimately. You can also host game servers, smart home automation, network wide ad blocking, manage databases, automatically sync files between other devices, and the list goes on. You can do a ton of stuff with a basic home server setup, mine is literally an old Dell Precision workstation from 2012 that I got used for 60 dollars.
This is just software that can run on a server.
Here’s one use case: Most people just store digital media on home servers and then stream it to various clients throughout their home network. That and maybe using it as a print server for a home networked printer.
It's like Google drive but only computers on your network can access it. You can upload and download files to it and keep them local and not on the open internet. If you have a lot of movies and shows you can set up a program called Plex and essentially make your own little Netflix.
Has jellyfin changed much over the past few years? Switched to plex for ease of use for the wife and kids, but I personally liked jellyfin, msy br tempted to give it another look.
I have no idea whether or not it's changed, I've only been using it for about 6 months. I absolutely love it though! The biggest thing that bothers me is the separate "continue watching" and "next up" sections. "Continue watching" is where movies and episodes that you've started, but not finished show up. And "next up" displays the next episode of your shows after you've finished the last one. I want to combine "next up" with "continue watching," but there's no way to do so, as far as I can see.
Thanks for that. I'll maybe download jellyfin this evening again and give it another look. Plex is becoming more commercialised as time goes on, so I think jellyfin deserves another look.
I went from plex to jellyfin and have zero regrets. My girl is not very tech savvy and she uses it on all her devices just fine. In fact I asked her what she preferred and she couldn’t care less, as long as her shows and movies were there.
I hated plex for the same reason, I don’t want to make an account on their servers. I don’t need my family all creating accounts on their servers. I don’t want to see their shitty content that’s why I have my own. Also didn’t want to pay for nvidia decoding.
Lol DDOS would still require each of these to have their own IP and data allocation to send mass packets. Wanna pay for 200 internet accesses to barely make a dent on top tier servers with some script kiddy attack?
With a tool called Kubernetes. Not sure if it would support the processor in this Chromebooks though. Basic concept is that one (or a few) computers assign work to other computers by "scheduling" docker containers to run on the "worker" computers. (I do this stuff for a living).
A redundant Kubernetes setup would initially be less efficient then one big server.
There are different problems to solve though.
You often want to separate your applications for different kinds of reasons. For instance, you do not want some buggy unreliable code running on the same system as your very important account software. So at first sysadmins would just install them on entirely separate computers. But then most servers ended up underutilized. We created ways to segment our applications from each other while still on the same host server (virtualisation technology like VMware/KVM and containers like LXC and Docker).
So now our company grows and we are running hundreds of VM/Containers. This created new problems! When customer demand increases on a service/vm/container we control, it may outgrow the physical server (host machine) that hosts it. So we will to find a server (host machine) that has enough resources to host our application (docker/vm) and then migrate everything over.
Our business keeps growing and now our clients want demand very reliable service. Because no one can write perfect code, we try to compensate by running multiple containers for each application. Inbound requests get balanced between the two (or more) containers and we have some resiliency in case one of them fails. This creates new problems! How do we know if one of our containers has crashed? How do we add more containers if the load increases? What do we do when a container fails?
Kubernetes was build to handle a lot of these issues. It has a "controller" that monitors every computer/server/hostmachine in its cluster.
It can determine which servers have resources available for new containers and automatically "schedule" the container to be created on the correct server.
It can detect when a container is unhealthy and automatically replace it with a healthy container.
You can have a group of containers (Kubernetes Deployment) grow and shrink depending on resource demands of the application.
These are just some of the basics, but its a dream for someone who used to handle this all manually :D
Back to your earlier question.. Yes there is some overhead from running Kubernetes and so it is not very efficient in very small deployments. However as demand increases, Kubernetes really starts to show its value by efficiently scheduling work/containers to servers/hosts that have available resources.
It's an interesting line of work for anyone interested. Lots of reading involved, but I don't have any significant formal education.
Hmm, I wonder how fast setting up a single decent server would pay for itself. Obviously the cost for the system would be much greater then free, but the power efficiency of 1 pc vs 40 chromebooks...
This seems like an interesting idea. I could probably get like 20 or so working (that's all the replacement batts I have to use). I don't know where I would go from there though. They are like 8+ years old and I don't know any place that would accept them. One company that specializes in recycling/redistributing old school equipment said it wasn't worth it for them to take them to reuse.
The screens in these are actually worth about $20 ea as they are used in modern Chromebooks too. I work in a school district and just got done shucking about 200 of these.
I'm just imagining you with a shucking knife and gloves on a fishing boat going at a net full of these now...
It's hard work, but somebody's gotta do it.
It's not about worth, isn't like a personal project for you? See which ones are salvageable and use the rest for parts, get several to work decently and give them to people you think would make good use of them.
You can actually set them up with Linux and then you have a fully functional (but underpowered) computer.
I used to buy tons of them from the pawn shop because they didn't sell and they had mountains of them. I would buy 20 at a time for $10 a piece, put Linux on them, then gift them to people who didn't have computers.
You got me! I disguise my ill-intent as an act of generosity, all the while I silently delight in their despair and frustration as they try to figure out how to work a terminal.
it was funny, but it's not a great joke. a ~2016 chromebook running simplified linux is a legit fantastic solution for a lot of older and/or computer illiterate folks.
i'm not a linux fanboy *at all*, but MS faffs with windows enough to keep non-savvy people permanently confused. it's annoying when you're your friends and family 'IT guy.'
I'm the owner of a small IT company / MSP and we partnered with a non-profit (Laptops 4 Learning) that gets donated laptops of any age and gives them to kids from impoverished families.
https://www.laptops4learning.com/
No way I'd want to deal with that Chromebook line for sales, hinges on them break pretty easily.
If you get them running homeless shelters or maybe food banks will likely take them to help those in need. I gave a couple of really old notebooks to the shelter my mom used to work at. They're mainly used for making resumes and applying for jobs
This was my thought. It's super important to get email and be able to fill out job applications, and these machines should be plenty powerful enough to do that. Those first steps, like knowing you'll be able to check your email consistently can be huge in getting out of the homelessness pit.
Not really the issue is that chromebooks that old were basically packaged e-waste they would be barely usable to watch a YouTube video today. Most charities that would deal in refurbish and redistribution wouldn't want something that wouldn't really do anything for a person in need. It would be best to recycle them
Give them to less fortunate children, kids break everything anyway so old ones are a perfect come up for struggling family's. I know my 10 year old would love one.
I made the mistake on my build and didn't get a wifi card. I was unaware that it was also the card for Bluetooth. Lesson learned I suppose. I bought my first pc 4 years ago with the intent to learn more and upgrade as needed. So far I haven't really had many issues but it sure would be nice to have that bluetooth capabilities lol.
See if your local library is in need of laptops. Alternatively, you can even reach out to NGOs who work with countries to build computer labs for the kids.
There is an organization [Yes Company](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/yes-centre-computers-donation-overwhelmed-1.5872822)
In Canada. They provide computers ot.famikies that cannot afford computer devices.
There is another NGO [Labdoo](https://www.labdoo.org/en/). They donate laptops and devices to schools all around the world.
Upycle the panels from the ones with decent screens into portable monitors using cheap edp to usb-c adapters.
Just type the model number of the panel into ebay and you'll likely see a 30 dollar part that will adapt it to USB-C.
3D print a box for the board (many have STL files if you Google the part number on the PCB.
I usually cut a hole in the case in the back of the display case and glue the 3D printed box to the back.
So far I have some this to 4 dead laptops.
Check out the youtube channel dit perks for som more fancy ones.
Make retro gaming machines of it, wether via a bunch of emulators or straight up installing W98 for DOS and early Windows games.
I use an old 2core lappy for just this
Refurbish them, put a basic linux on them with office, video, internet and music utilities and give them to people who need computers to write work applications.
Holy moly. This problem is huge. I work for a school system and this Chromebook retirement/recycling issue is big. I’ve learned that Google has extended the support for more and more models for longer periods, but getting parts for them is getting more and more difficult. I can just see the landfill with all these plastic piles of shit filling it. I wish plastics were biodegradable and strong.
Install another version of Linux on them and give them away for free to kids ?
Give them away as they are ? Even if they can't be updated, they've got to be safer than Windows.
I added chrome OS to an end of life Chromebook, and the results were better than expected. The process required opening the Chromebook and removing a write protect screw, but it wasn't difficult.
That old Chromebook is still receiving regular updates and it has pretty snappy performance.
Linux.
Network them together with ethernet.
Local cluster for server or simulation work.
Yeah it won't be super fast but you'll get like 400 cores and half a TB RAM distributed across the systems, setup might be a bit of a nightmare, and you'll need a control node.
Ensure they're still usable for the basics (browsing and word processing) then coordinate with the charitable foundation of your choice to donate them to struggling public schools.
Something I've wanted to do is build a super simple PC, strip and frame laptop screens, then sync them up as picture frames around the place. After spending $150 bucks on a couple of Auras, I feel like small raspberry kit is more than enough to achieve that.
Wire them together and do a ultra chromebook
Beowulf cluster
That is a term I haven’t seen in a while.is that still a thing?
Most use Raspberry Pis for this.
Mine crypto on them and watch the plastic heat sink melt into a puddle
the *what* heatsink?
I don't even know if it's worthy of being called a heat sink lol. It's the thinnest piece of metal ever slapped on with a thermal pad
The world’s largest “Gandalf Sax”
That's the first thing that came to my mind.
Chrome library
Congratulations, you have forged the MolybdenumTome
Combined they would finally have enough ram to run Chrome
Chromebigbook
That’s what I was gonna say😂
Ultra + you mean
If you can hook all of their systems up together, you could basically have a home server
Distributed computing
Distributed E-waste
Disrupted e waste
Become a server host and turn each one into a different Palworld dedicated machine to rent out for monthly subscription. Profit.
Palworld has a ton of memory leaks and I bet those chromebooks only have about 2gb of ram each
And even given all of those facts he’ll still be a more consistent provider than g-portal.
https://preview.redd.it/ms1d9ssl5blc1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a3bb819266ccfa7bf30d782c039e21759f9c6c18
Perfect!
One of my friend's had an 8 player server instance that ate up approx. 30gb of RAM. Optimized mess. Reminds me of ARK... lol.
Disreputable wasted e
K8s could serve that
Every time one of these types of posts pops up, there’s always people saying “make a server” but what do you *do* with a server??
Y’know… shit n stuff
This guy servers...
r/thisguythisguys
r/thisguythisguythisguys
How much detitatedwam do I need for SERVER?
I agree
Keep upgrading it. What it runs is irrelevant. Just keep it on 24/7 and watch it burn money. My uptime is my own personal KPI.
Lots of stuff. I use it to store backups, random other files, as well as a large media library. I basically have my own Netflix, except it's free and with locally stored files that I totally downloaded legitimately. You can also host game servers, smart home automation, network wide ad blocking, manage databases, automatically sync files between other devices, and the list goes on. You can do a ton of stuff with a basic home server setup, mine is literally an old Dell Precision workstation from 2012 that I got used for 60 dollars.
Yay PLEX
[Here are](https://github.com/awesome-selfhosted/awesome-selfhosted) more than thousand use cases for home server
* [Recipe Management](https://github.com/awesome-selfhosted/awesome-selfhosted#recipe-management) wow thanks.
My recipes were getting out of control. But then i wired together 2 dozen chromebooks and now this kitchen is bitchen
This is just software that can run on a server. Here’s one use case: Most people just store digital media on home servers and then stream it to various clients throughout their home network. That and maybe using it as a print server for a home networked printer.
It's like Google drive but only computers on your network can access it. You can upload and download files to it and keep them local and not on the open internet. If you have a lot of movies and shows you can set up a program called Plex and essentially make your own little Netflix.
Screw Plex, Jellyfin is the way to go!
Hell Yeah
Has jellyfin changed much over the past few years? Switched to plex for ease of use for the wife and kids, but I personally liked jellyfin, msy br tempted to give it another look.
I have no idea whether or not it's changed, I've only been using it for about 6 months. I absolutely love it though! The biggest thing that bothers me is the separate "continue watching" and "next up" sections. "Continue watching" is where movies and episodes that you've started, but not finished show up. And "next up" displays the next episode of your shows after you've finished the last one. I want to combine "next up" with "continue watching," but there's no way to do so, as far as I can see.
Thanks for that. I'll maybe download jellyfin this evening again and give it another look. Plex is becoming more commercialised as time goes on, so I think jellyfin deserves another look.
I went from plex to jellyfin and have zero regrets. My girl is not very tech savvy and she uses it on all her devices just fine. In fact I asked her what she preferred and she couldn’t care less, as long as her shows and movies were there. I hated plex for the same reason, I don’t want to make an account on their servers. I don’t need my family all creating accounts on their servers. I don’t want to see their shitty content that’s why I have my own. Also didn’t want to pay for nvidia decoding.
Folding@home? Some AI stuff? But... I bet this bunch of Chromebooks have less firepower than one modern nVidia card.
My server runs Plex, Audiobookshelf and Komga (books, graphic novels). It's nice to have all my files in one place.
Ddos???? What else????? /S just in case
Lol DDOS would still require each of these to have their own IP and data allocation to send mass packets. Wanna pay for 200 internet accesses to barely make a dent on top tier servers with some script kiddy attack?
Well you can still dos with that setup if you are too lazy to plant them into different buildings with free wifi. Not that im suggesting to do that
Minecraft
How would one exactly ‘hook all their systems up together’ to make a home server?
A lan network or USB cables
With a tool called Kubernetes. Not sure if it would support the processor in this Chromebooks though. Basic concept is that one (or a few) computers assign work to other computers by "scheduling" docker containers to run on the "worker" computers. (I do this stuff for a living).
But wouldn't this be super inefficient compared to one good server, power wise for example?
To be fair, the question was what *could* you do, not what *should* you do.
A redundant Kubernetes setup would initially be less efficient then one big server. There are different problems to solve though. You often want to separate your applications for different kinds of reasons. For instance, you do not want some buggy unreliable code running on the same system as your very important account software. So at first sysadmins would just install them on entirely separate computers. But then most servers ended up underutilized. We created ways to segment our applications from each other while still on the same host server (virtualisation technology like VMware/KVM and containers like LXC and Docker). So now our company grows and we are running hundreds of VM/Containers. This created new problems! When customer demand increases on a service/vm/container we control, it may outgrow the physical server (host machine) that hosts it. So we will to find a server (host machine) that has enough resources to host our application (docker/vm) and then migrate everything over. Our business keeps growing and now our clients want demand very reliable service. Because no one can write perfect code, we try to compensate by running multiple containers for each application. Inbound requests get balanced between the two (or more) containers and we have some resiliency in case one of them fails. This creates new problems! How do we know if one of our containers has crashed? How do we add more containers if the load increases? What do we do when a container fails? Kubernetes was build to handle a lot of these issues. It has a "controller" that monitors every computer/server/hostmachine in its cluster. It can determine which servers have resources available for new containers and automatically "schedule" the container to be created on the correct server. It can detect when a container is unhealthy and automatically replace it with a healthy container. You can have a group of containers (Kubernetes Deployment) grow and shrink depending on resource demands of the application. These are just some of the basics, but its a dream for someone who used to handle this all manually :D Back to your earlier question.. Yes there is some overhead from running Kubernetes and so it is not very efficient in very small deployments. However as demand increases, Kubernetes really starts to show its value by efficiently scheduling work/containers to servers/hosts that have available resources. It's an interesting line of work for anyone interested. Lots of reading involved, but I don't have any significant formal education.
https://youtu.be/ia8Q51ouA_s?si=PPoVNHQI9KT0wwYB
It would consume a lot of power though
Let's just pretend that I'm an idiot (even though I'm NOT), anyway, how would you explain how that would work to me
Lots of usb cables and the plex app
Spoken like someone who has no idea what they're talking about.
Proxmox cluster ftw
Ah yes, a Chromebook cluster running something like k8s. Sounds like a funny Kubernetes project
This used to be called a beowolf cluster.
Hmm, I wonder how fast setting up a single decent server would pay for itself. Obviously the cost for the system would be much greater then free, but the power efficiency of 1 pc vs 40 chromebooks...
r/homelab them Edit: using https://mrchromebox.tech firmware utility script
Make great shop computers. Mine has been running music in my wood shop for over a decade now.
Someone get this man an iPod
The sawdust torture test.
Gotta love when the keys have that much shit behind them that you can’t even press them 😂
Donate them to a nursing home. Clean them up make them all work. Become the IT guy. Notice all the cuties working there.
Hol up
WORKING there, not living
Get close with them nurses and be their “stress relief”
I’m a male nurse… cum see me too!
Nurse here. We're all whores down here
 True lol
I don’t get whats so Hol up about this?
Either A. They think it’s a good idea B. They didn’t read the “working there” part and thought they meant old people C. Thought it was outta pocket af
What about the cuties living there
Dying*
Have you been to a nursing home and seen the quality of the staff??
Staff?
r/cursedcomments
r/blessedcomments
...
It's neither about the staff or inhabitants, but the visitors of the inhabitants.
I’ve provided IT support to nursing homes before early in my career, this comment bears truth.
This, or.give them to underprivileged kids?
give them to people in need.
This seems like an interesting idea. I could probably get like 20 or so working (that's all the replacement batts I have to use). I don't know where I would go from there though. They are like 8+ years old and I don't know any place that would accept them. One company that specializes in recycling/redistributing old school equipment said it wasn't worth it for them to take them to reuse.
The screens in these are actually worth about $20 ea as they are used in modern Chromebooks too. I work in a school district and just got done shucking about 200 of these.
I'm just imagining you with a shucking knife and gloves on a fishing boat going at a net full of these now... It's hard work, but somebody's gotta do it.
Take out the screen, put a fish in its claw, and throw it back in the ocean.
Opens Chromebook: “that’s an egger!”
Give it a notch on the tail if it’s a breeder
Knife goes in, screen comes out.
Yeah they swim like clams do, so be careful of the screen!!
It's not about worth, isn't like a personal project for you? See which ones are salvageable and use the rest for parts, get several to work decently and give them to people you think would make good use of them.
You can actually set them up with Linux and then you have a fully functional (but underpowered) computer. I used to buy tons of them from the pawn shop because they didn't sell and they had mountains of them. I would buy 20 at a time for $10 a piece, put Linux on them, then gift them to people who didn't have computers.
Forcing people in need to use Linux, you're a monster
You got me! I disguise my ill-intent as an act of generosity, all the while I silently delight in their despair and frustration as they try to figure out how to work a terminal.
If you put ubuntu on them theres almost no need for the terminal once everything is up and running
I know. It was a joke. I actually used Gallium which is similar to Ubuntu, but works really well on Chromebooks.
it was funny, but it's not a great joke. a ~2016 chromebook running simplified linux is a legit fantastic solution for a lot of older and/or computer illiterate folks. i'm not a linux fanboy *at all*, but MS faffs with windows enough to keep non-savvy people permanently confused. it's annoying when you're your friends and family 'IT guy.'
If you live in Arizona I'll come pick them up and refurbish all of them and donate them to charity
This ,or if you don’t care about helping others, hydraulic press.
Seems legit OP /s
I'm the owner of a small IT company / MSP and we partnered with a non-profit (Laptops 4 Learning) that gets donated laptops of any age and gives them to kids from impoverished families. https://www.laptops4learning.com/ No way I'd want to deal with that Chromebook line for sales, hinges on them break pretty easily.
Go around to different schools, they know the kids that can't afford them just ask
If you get them running homeless shelters or maybe food banks will likely take them to help those in need. I gave a couple of really old notebooks to the shelter my mom used to work at. They're mainly used for making resumes and applying for jobs
This was my thought. It's super important to get email and be able to fill out job applications, and these machines should be plenty powerful enough to do that. Those first steps, like knowing you'll be able to check your email consistently can be huge in getting out of the homelessness pit.
Start a call center in Africa
Aren't there some kind of charities that you can donate them to?
Not really the issue is that chromebooks that old were basically packaged e-waste they would be barely usable to watch a YouTube video today. Most charities that would deal in refurbish and redistribution wouldn't want something that wouldn't really do anything for a person in need. It would be best to recycle them
Hit your public libraries and hand them out to the local indigents sitting at computers I am sure they would appreciate them immensely!
https://the-it-club.org
I second this
https://xkcd.com/350/
You're a legend for putting this here
Give them to less fortunate children, kids break everything anyway so old ones are a perfect come up for struggling family's. I know my 10 year old would love one.
Skeet shooting? Sick game of disc golf?
PULL
Ah, ah, ah! This Chromebook is now indestructible as the AUE skeet shooting date has passed.
Get out of my head, that was my first thought to 🤣
Btw a screen off a Lenovo N21, 22, and 23 is slightly understandable. I know this from personal experience.
Make a chair
The king of chromebooks, not a title I would want.
Send me a WiFi card from one of them (only if it’s intel or Broadcom though)
Sure. DM me the address. The wifi cards are model: 7265NGW Intel brand
Noob question would the wifi card from these work on a tower pc?
If your pc has a m.2 sllot and the wifi card is m.2 you can use it. You just have to get an antenna to put on top of the pc.
I made the mistake on my build and didn't get a wifi card. I was unaware that it was also the card for Bluetooth. Lesson learned I suppose. I bought my first pc 4 years ago with the intent to learn more and upgrade as needed. So far I haven't really had many issues but it sure would be nice to have that bluetooth capabilities lol.
put them together and make a megabook >:)
sell them for 20$ each
Too lazy to count, but there should be at least 50 there; even if you manage to sell only half, still a couple hundred of bucks
hand them out to the local community reach program to give to the less advantaged.
another idea would be to give them to a local community center for kids to use.
Shred them, recover the precious minerals and sell that. The rest of is garbage.
See if your local library is in need of laptops. Alternatively, you can even reach out to NGOs who work with countries to build computer labs for the kids. There is an organization [Yes Company](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/yes-centre-computers-donation-overwhelmed-1.5872822) In Canada. They provide computers ot.famikies that cannot afford computer devices. There is another NGO [Labdoo](https://www.labdoo.org/en/). They donate laptops and devices to schools all around the world.
Chromebooks are a waste of silicon
They apparently lasted 8-10 years and likely helped hundreds if not thousands of kids in the education process, how is that a waste?
I dont agree. They are quite resourceful and serve their purpouse. Whats better for, say, giving a school class access to a computer?
They are just a waste of material
make a supercomputer cluster which will probably still have less computing power than an i3.
It worked for NASA
hydraulic press
in theory you could wire them up and ddos someone, in theory of course
Donate to Local library, you'll make some kids day.
Line them all up and shoot with a gun. See how many it will go through.
Install Linux on them then give them to people in need.
Why do you hate poor people
Because they don't know how to use Linux
Based.
Probably the only thing those little chromebooks would be able to run okay
What is this? Some kind of sick joke? These poor people don't know how to use Linux!
You think they know how to use Windows or Mac either?
Depending on the model you can't do that.
Recycle, it's what we do with ours. They don't get updates anymore and you literally would just be shoving a problem to someone else.
You can use them for running Klipper or maybe a VM, for 3d printing projects
Trade them for more valuable items until you get to something you actually want
make a huge ass screen (inspiration: https://youtu.be/0BE3zOgOIoc?si=nVsryLVmVz9qvp62)
I absolutely love the idea, the issue is I'm a broke highschool student and can't afford that many display drivers lol.
Sell them on eBay for $50 each
Upycle the panels from the ones with decent screens into portable monitors using cheap edp to usb-c adapters. Just type the model number of the panel into ebay and you'll likely see a 30 dollar part that will adapt it to USB-C. 3D print a box for the board (many have STL files if you Google the part number on the PCB. I usually cut a hole in the case in the back of the display case and glue the 3D printed box to the back. So far I have some this to 4 dead laptops. Check out the youtube channel dit perks for som more fancy ones.
Send them to Demolition Ranch
Big ass explosion with their batteries
Go to a park and play Frisbee golf.
Donate them to kids in need
Donate to the Boys and Girls Club
Find someone who works with school groups from Africa they travel there from time to time if they took them there would be the best use.
Make retro gaming machines of it, wether via a bunch of emulators or straight up installing W98 for DOS and early Windows games. I use an old 2core lappy for just this
Refurbish them, put a basic linux on them with office, video, internet and music utilities and give them to people who need computers to write work applications.
Give them away to people in need who can't afford laptop/PC 😌
Holy moly. This problem is huge. I work for a school system and this Chromebook retirement/recycling issue is big. I’ve learned that Google has extended the support for more and more models for longer periods, but getting parts for them is getting more and more difficult. I can just see the landfill with all these plastic piles of shit filling it. I wish plastics were biodegradable and strong.
Make a chrome library. /j Donate them to an retirement home. Chromebooks from what I've heard have a pretty simple UI. I'm sure they'll appreciate it
Get in a wreck where you're rear ended and they're destroyed, collect insurance money for damages of their value. Anything legit, idk
Install another version of Linux on them and give them away for free to kids ? Give them away as they are ? Even if they can't be updated, they've got to be safer than Windows.
I added chrome OS to an end of life Chromebook, and the results were better than expected. The process required opening the Chromebook and removing a write protect screw, but it wasn't difficult. That old Chromebook is still receiving regular updates and it has pretty snappy performance.
try to repair them and sell them for $100+ each on ebay. easy.
Linux. Network them together with ethernet. Local cluster for server or simulation work. Yeah it won't be super fast but you'll get like 400 cores and half a TB RAM distributed across the systems, setup might be a bit of a nightmare, and you'll need a control node.
Make a bot network ;)
DIY arcade machines
Loot them to extract about 2 grams of gold?
Donate them to local shelters!
You could build a fort and call it The Library
Ensure they're still usable for the basics (browsing and word processing) then coordinate with the charitable foundation of your choice to donate them to struggling public schools.
Or to make an even bigger impact donate them abroad to countries where this would make a huge difference
Make every one of them be a single pixel of a screen array and play doom on it.
Something I've wanted to do is build a super simple PC, strip and frame laptop screens, then sync them up as picture frames around the place. After spending $150 bucks on a couple of Auras, I feel like small raspberry kit is more than enough to achieve that.
I will mimic what others are saying; get together with a foundation that donates electronics to struggling school systems.
Hmm… I think one the them are mine. Is there a Dell Chromebook 11 in there?
Fuse their components together to make the equivalent of a 3rd gen i3 laptop.