PDP-8/L value

Dave McGuire wrote: Well, look, I try not to take personal offense to any of it (sometimes I fail in this department, for example, today...). I try to have a fairly thick skin, as is required. But I no longer buy the argument that people are stupid for running a particular operating system, and if they _only knew better_ they'd all be running MacOS/Linux/Workbench 3.1/CPM 2.2/The Hurd/Toggle switches on an IMSAI. You can insult the OS (hey, I do...) but I think it's unfair to insult so many _people_ with such a wide brush. I find it untenable to judge someone based on the *operating system* they choose (or allow) to run on their computer. (I instead judge them by shoe size, it's much easier.) It sometimes bothers me that every other discussion here about old hardware eventually devolves into Microsoft bashing, as if there's some unwritten requirement to occasionally assure everyone that no, they're still not a Communi...er Windows-lover. Look, I used to wear my Operating System of Choice on my sleeve. I was 15. (The OS was Slackware Linux). I also used to write "M$" or "Windoze." I'm not 15 years old any more, name-calling has become rather passe. As far as my OS-alignment, I'm fairly neutral, which is to say I hate all Operating Systems equally. There are things about Windows that make me insane, there are things about Linux that make me want to pull my hair out. Sometimes I want to throw my Sparc IPC through the window. I try to not make my OS choice(s) into a religion. (If I did, I'd have a major spiritual crisis on my hands given the wide variety of machines in my collection.) To bring this back on topic, I guess what I'm trying to say is: This is a classic computing list, not Slashdot. Can we have religious arguments about VMS vs. UNIX instead? :) Also: I wish I had a fortune to spend on that 8/L. (Also the 8/I). And while I'm wishing, a nice climate-controlled barn for them would be nice too. And a pony. Josh