24 Nov
2004
24 Nov
'04
10:23 a.m.
In message <20041124154031.Q41898(a)shell.lmi.net>
Fred Cisin <cisin(a)xenosoft.com> wrote:
My neighbors often discard computers, although
admittedly rarely laptops.
I've had the same experience -
Them> "Would you like this computer?"
Me> "What is it?"
Them> "Um.. 386-25 with 1MB of RAM"
Me> "To tell the truth, I don't collect PCs, they're not that rare, or
even
particularly useful."
Them> "Oh, OK. I've got a ZX81 you can have for fifty quid. Or a C64 for
?95"
Them> "They're going in the bin tomorrow, so let me know before then,
ok?"
See my point?
Therefore, the computer is cheaper and easier to
obtain than components.
Agreed. I've got, what, three PC laptops and two Acorn A4s. The lowest-spec
PC laptop has been earmarked for testing various bits of hardware, the A4s
are used roughly once in a blue moon (one needs a new floppy drive, though).
So far the most I've hooked up to the high-spec (relatively speaking) PC
laptop is an Ethernet card and the EPROM programmer.
'Course I could get components by taking apart the
discarded computers,
but I seem to recall that you didn't approve of rendering working machines
inoperable to get parts.
I wouldn't object to ripping PCs apart - again, common as dirt. I would
cringe at the sight of someone ripping apart a perfectly good ZX81, and if
someone dared destroy an Acorn System-1 (or anything of a similar rarity or
vintage), I'd probably offer the owner a few quid and buy the machine before
they nuked it. They get beer money, I get some more historical computer gear
to preserve.
Current rarest machine: a Jupiter Ace that needs major motherboard repairs.
Assuming I can get the m/b back that is :)
If anyone's got a Jupiter Ace that they want rid of, I'm listening :). Same
applies to MOS KIMs, Synertek SYMs/SY-VIMs, Rockwell AIM65s, that sort of
thing.
Speaking of which, iirc someone offered me a SYM-1 a while back.. they
wanted somewhere in the region of $900 for it. Last I heard, it hit the
dumpster. Real shame - then again, their property, their choice :-/
Later.
--
Phil. | Acorn Risc PC600 Mk3, SA202, 64MB, 6GB,
philpem(a)philpem.me.uk | ViewFinder, 10BaseT Ethernet, 2-slice,
http://www.philpem.me.uk/ | 48xCD, ARCINv6c IDE, SCSI
... Smash forehead against keyboard to continue...