How much should I pay my friend? (Dim E510)

[philologos]

My friend gave me his Dell desktop to borrow, and says he'd let me buy it at a good discount. I've held onto the system for so long, I really ought to accept and compensate him. I need to come up with an offer that would benefit each of us.

Here is a descriptive list of the system components:

Dell Dimension E510
Pentium D940 Dual-core 3.2GHz
2Gb DDR2 Ram
PNY GeForce 8500GT 512Mb
Samsung 250Gb HDD
Hitachi 160Gb HDD
DVD Writer 16x

I have my own mouse, keyboard, and monitor. I might be giving him back one of the hard drives.

I appreciate any help because I hate bartering. Thanks!

 

[aford10]

I would offer in the neighborhood of $200.

 

[rockyjohn]

aford's price is a fair one - on could easily argue a litte more for the "retail price" or a little less for the "wholesale" price - especially minus the hassle of trying to sell it on eBay or Craigslist or such.

But I am curious. Your name identifies you as a philosophy and or logic buff. Why then do you feel ethically that "I've held onto the system for so long, I really ought to accept and compensate him." Perhaps instead you should charge him storage for leaving it there for so long. If you had no agreement otherwise, I see nothing wrong in returning it if you don't want to keep it. On the other hand, if you know it works well you get a nice little computer at an inexpensive price. But don't do it out of guilt or obligation.

I am sure Socrates could find some exception to the idea that you owe an obligation.
And Nietzsche might pale at surrenduring so easily.
Are you sure the computer exists?

 

[aford10]

Are you sure the computer exists?

That sounds more like a Descartes philosophy.

 

[philologos]

He gave me the computer to use after I busted my laptop and had no resources to buy another computer. I planned on using it just until I could afford the components needed to build a desktop. Unfortunately, I've been out of a job for the majority of this year. I do have just about enough though to make him an offer for the Dell.

I probably emphasized "obligation" a bit too strongly, as if I really didn't want the thing. He said he would take it back, and even that he was in no hurry to do so. I just have an aversion to holding onto other people's things for very long. I felt I needed to explain the fact I was serious about purchasing the computer, in case people tried dissuading me. The Pentium D is not one of Intel's best chips, after all. However, I must say it is more capable than I had assumed. I've been running Windows 7 RC on it, and playing Oblivion with some settings lowered. All in all, I think we both benefit here.

We settled on two-hundred, and I might pay him as soon as tomorrow.

Yes, I was a philosophy major.

 

[aford10]

I think it's a good deal for both parties from the hardware listed.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

yeah a good deal!