Just my US$.02, because everyone's entitled to my opinion.
At the very least, I posted hard drives of various capacities here. All I asked was shipping. No bites. They were tested and formatted on an Amiga 4000, even. I expected a much bigger response than what I got considering the audience.
So they went to hazardous waste recycling.
I walk around the local flea market every so often. I find things like last week: a TI-99/4 RF modulator and CS2 cable. But I realize that the rest of the pile is stuff that should have been thrown out, probably these as well. But these people didn't throw them out because "someone could use it" or "all it needs is a couple of $components." I cannot afford unlimited storage space for old stuff just because someone MIGHT be able to use it in the next decade.
I have to agree that sometimes, one shot deals are all there are. People who have stuff should not be expected to hang onto it until people who do not have stuff decide they need it or finally have the money to buy it.
[EDIT:] Also from my perspective, there are a lot of people who are more apt to take an offer seriously if they know that the items will definitely be discarded if not taken. In any case, it will be "damned if you do, damned if you don't" -- I specifically state that items I am GIVING away will be thrown out if no one wants them, or I just do so quietly and reveal this fact months later when someone asks, I am just as much a jerk either way.
