11 Oct
2000
11 Oct
'00
4:05 p.m.
On Thu, 12 Oct 2000, R. D. Davis wrote:
Having once met a donkey, I can say that I found it to
be a much more
affable, and well mannered, creature than you appear to be; hence, I
don't take that as an insult as you apparently intended it to be. To
answer your question, however, I don't have four feet, have no long
ears, and no tail, so, it's not at all difficult to deduce that the
answer to your question is no.
Then you must certainly be an asshole, because I've met plenty of them,
and you fit the mold quite aptly.
The VCF is also a place to draw the attention of
non-hackers to
computer collecting;
And this is a bad thing because.......?
while the prices of older equipment at VCF may
not be terribly high, in terms of e-bay pricing or affordability for
most of us here, I recon that they're still far higher than they were
at hamfests several years ago.
And you're obviously drawing this assumption on good information? Oh,
you're pulling it out of your ass? Sorry, the basis by which you are
drawing your assertions is generally consider to be without any merit
whatsoever.
treasures that were someone else's trash, you
might say. In years
past, before computer, and other vintage electronics, collecting
became fashionable, some of us were able to spend less than US$100 and
fill up a large station wagon with all sorts of computers, plus a few
bits of Heathkit equipment, various electronic components, some audio
stuff with tubes (valves), and then come home to find lots more
interesing old computer finds lurking for-sale on Usenet, often for
the cost of shipping.
And this is no longer possible because of the VCF? And of course you've
attended all five Vintage Computer Festival events, and you obviously know
from personal observation that the VCF is responsible
for your perceived
decline in the ability to obtain vintage computer hardware at
what you
would consider to be reasonable prices?
Excuse me, but if ever there was a moment when "foul" language was
acceptable, it has to be at this moment when I tell you that you are a
fucking moron.
We didn't collect just for the sake of collecting
or squirreling away
equipment, for future profit, to complete a "collection," etc. We
collected to have more fun toys to take apart, examine, repair,
restore and hack.
What in the VCF charter leads you to believe that it promotes the
"squirreling away" of computers for "future profit"? Where on the
VCF
website did you read this?
I sense that this group is composed of two different
groups of people,
who still have something in common - a desire to obtain and preserve
older equipment. We just have differnt ideas as to how we go about
it, the "serious collectors" and shelf-liners who are more interested
in history and unmodified equipment verses the hackers who preserve
equipment through curiosity, tinkering and reverse engineering and are
responsible for the actual preservation of working systems. The
former go around thinking "what's it worth" the later "neat, a new
toy
to hack!" I could expand upon this further, but I haven't the time
tonight, alas.
No, you obviously have plenty of time, since you manage to contribute your
obnoxious blather at a rather depressing rate. What you don't have is: a)
an argument, b) a clue, and c) any perceivable social graces.
Perhaps we can have a discussion here about this
without it turning
into a flamefest.
That would only be possible if you would refrain from contributing to such
a discussion.
All that said, I think that there's still probably
much more that we
agree about regarding older computers than we disagree about, and,
No, I think I pretty much disagree with everything you utter. I would not
ever want to be associated with you in any way whatsoever.
while I don't like some things about VCF, I think
that in some ways
it's been quite beneficial to computer preservation, particularly from
Oh, do you think?
a historical perspective, as it helps to draw people
together with a
common interest who can share their knowledge of various machines, so,
you see that I have mixed feelings about VCF, not all good, not all bad.
What you are interpreting as "mixed feelings" are in fact the multitude of
voices in your head that compel you to spew such annoying blather in such
a compellingly depressing manner.
I see and understand your perspective; can you see and
understand
mine?
I don't think that's possible.
Mr. Davis, I mean it with the utmost of compassion when I say to you, shut
the fuck up. You are an ass.
Sellam International Man of Intrigue and Danger
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Looking for a six in a pile of nines...
VCF 4.0 is September 30-October 1
San Jose Convention Center, San Jose, California
See http://www.vintage.org for details!