Is That Really Necessary?

The CRT is history. Move on to LCDs as the opportunity presents itself. If you're buying new PCs, make sure they come with flat panels, or buy CPUs only and LCDs in the aftermarket. Since LCDs save significant amounts of power and space, it might even make sense to upgrade current desktops with budget-price, high-quality flat screens. For example, ViewSonic's 15- and 17-inch VE150m and VE170 ViewPanels sell for $399 and $749, respectively--about half the price they were a year ago. They'll outlive your CPUs and can be easily moved to new desktops later.

In any case, it's time to retire those good and faithful CRTs that have been heating up your office for the past several decades to the Salvation Army or wherever folks can still squeeze a little utility out of them. You can't just throw them away, because they're chock full of harmful chemicals. If you don't go the charitable route, IBM and Hewlett-Packard are fronting the CRT recycling effort.

This article was originally published in the April 2002 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Is That Really Necessary?.