Cost-effective or technology-defective?

By Shafia Agha

The Pakistani used computer market has been very popular among the masses for several years mostly due to the difference in prices of new and second hand computers. At present however this is not true as the prices of new computers have drastically declined because of technological advancements, while the prices of used computers have remained relatively steady. The difference in prices of new and used computers has declined from 50 per cent to a mere 30 per cent.

Todayís computers have a higher value for money due to the ëtech jumpsí by popular brands of hardware. Multi core processors, efficient motherboards with optimum compatibility etc have completely changed the personal computer (PC) scenario and left the Pentium 4 (P4) in the dust.

Technology has advanced so rapidly that it has become difficult for the masses to keep up with this change. Just a few months ago the dual core processor was the most advanced technological chip around, since then the core 2 duo and now a quad core is out in the market. These new processors are more efficient, faster and reliable than their predecessors.

If analyzed technically, used computers available in the local market have become obsolete. They do not have the processing power to run latest softwares like Windows Vista and cannot accommodate newer hardwares. Another problem that the buyer has to face is that these computers come without a warranty and to make matters worse these defect prone computers are fitted with outdated parts, thus finding replacement parts becomes impossible. This means that these computers have to be disposed off once they develop a fault. Therefore, investing in a second hand computer involves a great financial risk.

Used imported computers are more harmful for Pakistan than people who buy them seem to realize. Infact, the United Nations has termed this as computer dumping or electronic waste (e waste).  Despite being a signatory to the Basel Convention that restricted importing used/old computers, more than 500,000 used computers are finding ways into Pakistani computer market each year.

 E-waste is toxic and contains high amounts of hazardous materials such as lead, mercury, chromium, cadium and plastics.  In his speech at the Basel Convention on the control of trans-boundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal, the executive director of the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), Achim Steiner said that e waste being discarded carries a wide range of obsolete computers and televisions to defunct mobile phones. He cited a recent article which showed that at least 700,000 computers are arriving in South Asian ports, every month. The recycling and disposal of computer waste in these countries becomes a serious problem since their treatment methods remain rudimentary. Such activities pose grave environmental and health hazards; for example, the deterioration of local drinking water which can result in serious illnesses.  Achim Steiner further added, ìIf these were good quality, second-hand pieces of equipment, this would perhaps be a positive trade of importance for development. But local experts estimate between a quarter to 75 per cent of these itemsÖ are defunct.î

These obsolete as well as reusable pieces according to the Society for Conservation and Protection of Environment come from either the U.S or Singapore, where they are loaded by the so called recycling companies. Making the long journey to Karachi, the rust finds it way to the motherboards and rams. Here they are taken to the infamous ëShershah Godownsí and dumped in piles to be sorted out.

 After carefully sorting them, the rest is all wasted and is recycled by mostly women and children in the godowns, working in the worst of conditions where they are exposed to toxic fumes given off by the burning hardware. The sorted ëcleaní pieces are auctioned off to wholesalers and retailers who clean them up and check them for damage. A lot of irreparable hardware is discarded off, recycled and replaced by cheap knock offs and old repaired parts from previous consignments. These are the machines that actually make it to places like Regal and are sold at prices starting from Rs8,000 to Rs13,000.

Logically there is no comparison of used PCs with the warranted, new products available in the market. The price gap between used PCs and the new ones has decreased while the technological gap has widened considerably. These new processors have the advantage of more processing power, efficiency, power conservation, compatibility and reliability than their used predecessors. Then there is a huge advantage of a three year warranty that leading companies such as Intel directly offers on all its products. There is no doubt that new PCs are four times better valued than the old, used ones.

When comparing used PCs with the option to buy a new one, one considers the value for money, warranty, compatibility, power, reliability, efficiency and performance. Simply put, new machines are reliable because their designs are technologically superior. They are compatible because they have been made with advanced computer hardwares and softwares. As they have somehow managed to fit more and more processing transistors, hence they are more powerful than the old ones. Efficiency comes as they consume less power and do more work, and have an overall better value for money as you get all the qualities of a great central processing unit (CPU) at a very competitive price with a genuine manufacturer warranty that makes life easier, especially for us Pakistanis with the frequent voltage fluctuations..

 Brand new computers will run on for almost 5 years or more while the old PCs being sold have already lived their lives and can become non-operational anytime. They are inefficient, incompatible, unwarranted, inconsistent performers and plainly put are already contributing to the rising e waste problem in Pakistan. They will eventually be taken apart and burnt for minuscule quantity of gold or used as filling.

Existing and potential computer users in Pakistan need to be educated about the risks and negative externalities involved when buying a second hand computer. These users need to be given more incentives to buy reliable, warranted and licensed computer goods. Already a few hardware manufacturers have taken the responsibility in this regard. Extensive expenditure on research and development has made new machines comparatively affordable, better valued as far as money is concerned and most of all safer, minimizing the use of potentially toxic materials in their construction. This trend tends to have a very positive effect on the e waste problem as it directly decreases the demand for used PCs and to a large extent decreases the risk of toxins release.

Itís a win win situation for us and for technology manufacturers and suppliers if we as consumers go after greener, affordable, efficient, reliable and compatible products and be part of the solution rather than being part of the problem. We all need to have a little foresight when it comes to buying a PC, this will surely enable us to make overall better decisions, foregoing temporary and trivial monetary benefits.