Tech Treasure or Corporate Waste? The Wildest “Throw It Out” Story from an IT Insider
What if I told you your dream tech haul is sitting forgotten in a cardboard box—destined for the dump, all because someone high up said, “Just throw it out!”? That’s exactly what happened to one lucky IT worker in a hilariously memorable tale from Reddit’s r/TalesFromTechSupport. When a government tech company moved offices, they left behind more than just stale coffee mugs and dusty extension cords. Turns out, the true jackpot was in the “junk” boxes crammed into the network closet.
But this isn’t just a story about free gadgets. It’s a window into the wild, often wasteful, world of corporate tech culture—where the phrase “just throw it out” can mean anything from ditching old Pentiums to accidentally giving away a brand-new ASUS gaming laptop. And as the Reddit community quickly proved, this story is just the tip of the tech iceberg.
The “Trash” That Made Tech Dreams Come True
It all started with a move. As Reddit user u/Half_MT recounted, after the company’s office relocation, boxes were shoved into the network closet—usually a black hole for forgotten routers and obsolete cables. But curiosity (and some professional caution) led our protagonist to peek inside before tossing anything.
Inside? A treasure chest worthy of a Silicon Valley pirate: a brand new ASUS gaming laptop, shrink-wrapped Beats headphones, Sonos Bluetooth speakers, a Google Glass headset, stacks of Raspberry Pi kits, a Blue podcasting microphone, Samsung tablets, and a 30-piece precision tool kit. In total, about $10,000 worth of pristine tech.
Here’s where it gets better (or worse, depending on your view): when the C-level exec walked by and barked, “I SAID THROW IT OUT!”—that’s exactly what they did. Straight into the team’s bags, not the dumpster. “Myself, IT, and engineering had a field day,” u/Half_MT gleefully admitted. Who could blame them?
“Just Throw It Out!”—Corporate Waste Hits Home
This story resonated hard with the tech support community. Turns out, “just throw it out” is a universal experience—sometimes to hilarious, sometimes to tragic, effect.
Commenter u/3lm1Ster summed up the mood: “I just love when managers say ‘throw it out.’” Of course, as u/OITLinebacker pointed out, there’s a dark side: “Although there is a flip side to that when the manager is pissed that you tossed out those Pentium III computers… in 2015…” (Raise your hand if you’ve ever been asked about that “ancient” machine you recycled years ago, just as someone needs it for a mission-critical legacy app.)
Others chimed in with tales of their own corporate bounty. u/DoTheThingNow confessed to outfitting their entire family with laptops and MacBooks from a company obsessed with hardware refresh cycles. “Everything is old now, but I know one or 2 of the laptops are still in service after being refreshed with ChromeOS and given to kids.” It’s a reminder that yesterday’s “junk” is often today’s essential gear for someone else.
Even non-techies get in on the action. Stage electrician u/LupercaniusAB shared how, when a theater production folded, they scored a Craftsman tool chest and a desktop variable voltage power supply: “My whole home hobbyist electronic bench got an amazing upgrade!” The moral? No matter your industry, someone’s trash can be your treasure.
Hoarders vs. Tossers: The Eternal Tech Debate
But not everyone’s eager to toss. Some companies cling to every obsolete machine “just in case.” As u/uselessInformation89 described, one client’s office was “full of every computer and monitor and printer they ever used. Starting from DOS and Win95 machines to the ‘latest’ WinXP. Hundreds of devices. Because ‘maybe someday we'll need it.’” (They only retired their last CRT monitors two years ago, and even then, nobody’s betting against a comeback.)
Others see a missed opportunity for good. In a heartwarming twist, u/dog2k explained how their college IT team repurposed old computers for needy students: “We would give these to our student services department to give away to in-need students… I know it helped dozens of students every year.” Sometimes, the best “throw outs” are the ones that don’t go into staffers’ bags, but straight into the hands of those who need them most.
Still, the sheer scale of waste is mind-boggling. As u/DraconianFlame noted, “Every TV in my house is ‘garbage.’ Including my 4k 70in. Corporate waste is insane.” And it’s not just hardware: u/semboflorin reminisced about a tech lab where “the CEO and COO were complete tools… but they liked their shiny gadgets,” leading to a bonanza of desktops, monitors, and even a high-end Keurig for the lucky team.
The Lottery Ticket Under Your Desk
So what’s the takeaway? Sometimes, the best tech deals aren’t found in Black Friday ads—they’re sitting in a box labeled “old stuff,” waiting for a C-suite to declare it expendable. Whether you’re an IT pro, stagehand, or just someone with an eye for opportunity, never underestimate the power of corporate spring cleaning.
And if you’re a manager reading this, maybe pause before yelling “just throw it out!” You never know if you’re junking someone’s next prized possession—or giving your team a story they’ll be telling for years.
Have your own “trash to treasure” tale? Or maybe you’re still hunting for that fabled Google Glass in the supply closet? Drop your stories in the comments below—because in the world of tech, one person’s e-waste is another’s office legend.
Original Reddit Post: 'Just throw it out!'