collectors vs. enthusiasts

WHat people pay for something important is their business and generally good as anything with cash value is less likely to fill dumpsters (trashbins). Yes, for the guy looking for the $10 item it may be more expensive but then again it may be for sale instead of long gone. To me a 8e case/fp for more than a few hundred is out of my "range", but if it were exceptional in condition of one of the oddball customer special color schemes there may be something to warrent it. They were not that cheap when new! It all according to what you want/need. Also consider the buyer may have a complete 8E and no box. There are people out there still using them for CNC and other uses where $1000 is cheap for spares when compared to trying to upgrade to a PC! <I am not sure that it is off-topic. After all, this list is supposed to <be about collecting classic computers. And as well as discussions on <repairing them, using them, etc, discussions on why we bother in the <first place should be OK here. there in lies the point. Most of are enthusiasts AND collectors. The distinction is the true collector who is speculating on the potential value and has little to no interest in how it works if it does. Not saying thats wrong but it's a more distinct line of demarcation. Me I accumulate. ;) Ebay, thats someone elses problem, I don't look or buy there. It's not on my horizon. I rather look elsewhere for more interesting and possibly complete systems that say ran a machine or plant. Allison