13 Oct
1999
13 Oct
'99
5:59 p.m.
At 05:14 PM 99/10/13 -0600, you wrote:
I think we are seeing some of the same thing in
computers,
and eBay (and other auction sites) make it easy for them.
Hopefully this is just a passing fad. If enough of these
"investors" get burned they may not return.
For what it's worth, I'm also an enthusiast/collector of old radios from
the 1920s and 30s, and eBay has caused the same thing to happen with prices
in that realm. Old radios and speakers are changing hands at values far
above what they're actually "worth", based on the number still in
existence, the technologies used, etc.
This cost craziness has even spilled over into the local secondhand/antique
market, where radios that used to be fairly priced at say $100 are now
price tagged at say $400-$500.
I think that speculation on eBay has caused prices to rise artifically, to
the detriment of those who seek to acquire for love of the technology and
the fun of getting old radios (or old computers) working again. These
things are significant parts of history that will be lost unless some folks
care enough to preserve them.
Kevin
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Kevin McQuiggin VE7ZD
mcquiggi(a)sfu.ca