22 Oct
2010
22 Oct
'10
12:59 p.m.
In the case of
a classic computer, what would you label? The casing?
The
individual PCBs/modules? How would you handle the case of taking 2
effectively identical machines acquired at differnet times and using
parts from bvth to make one working example, or would a museum never do
that? (If the latter, then I consider the policy to be broken!).
=20
Yes. :-) =20
Seriously: we do encounter this situation. When a machine comes in, it is =
catalogued as an entity. If we find it necessary to remove a component fro=
m machine A to install in machine B, the component is separately catalogued=
with a note in the record stating that it was originally part of machine A= . =20
I did this recently with a machine that came as a system containing an RK05=
drive identified as non-functional. We used the RK8-E from that machine w=
ith another PDP-8/e that also had RK05 drives but no RK8-E. =20
Incidnetally, It will take some finding, but I might have a spare RK8E
board set. I certainly don't have a spare drive cable for it, though...
Abd hope you're planning on repairing that RK05 :-)
It's always a judgement call when one must balance
preservation and restora=
tion. -- Ian=20
True enough. For my own machines I always err on the side of restoration.
As I said the other day, the perpose of a computer is to 'compute', and I
have no interest in collecting non-working plastic and metal boxes full
of PCBs ;-).
-tony