A lot of these machines are from schools, doctors offices, hospitals, or libraries. Its more expensive to be set up to properly erase these disks with compliance to the law than it is to destroy and recycle them. Also (at the company I worked for) a lot of the value of the item being sold is tied up in the processor and not the storage.

Not the book im looking for, but this does seem entertaining in the same kinds of ways.

I read a book that a friend lent me in high school where orcs were the protagonists. They found a portal or time travel machine (can’t remember which) that let them travel to modern times and comandeer modern military equipment like assault rifles, tanks, and helicopters. I always wanted to finish reading it, but returned it before I could. I’ve tried searching for it but have come up empty handed.

Muppet Princess Bride

I’ve literally asked about it on rednote.