Only reason we had computers was because my step father worked at the university. He took home items that were deemed broken by them. He would go to the computer graveyard for stuff, and legitimately was able to rebuilt a computer, in fact he did 3. One for each of us, and one for him.
Took a little while, but I fondly recall it. we lived out in the country, so we played out side A LOT, but sometimes it rained an we needed stuff to do. Erector sets, computers and about 2 tons worth of Legos ahhhhhh