Doug wrote:
Forget the word "classic". A guide that gives production numbers,
variations, years, criteria to judge condition, price, etc. would be cool
That is for sure!!! We have production numbers from reliable sources for
several computers including the Sol-20 (10,000 w/ ~5000 kits, 5000 assm.),
Lobo Max-80 (5000), and several others that skip my mind. The variations
are a really important point to bring out, at least from the standpoint of
collectors as it helps to date the units. Another thing that would be VERY
useful is a *brief* setup guide to show how to test if the computer is
actually working.
I have a friend of mine who has been compiling over the last 10 years or so
a price guide to Amateur Radio Equipment (and I harass him regularly to
publish it.) He has some very specific criteria as to grading the condition
of equipment that helps to take out a lot of the subjective element. But
keeping up with the pricing can be a full time job, and a network of people
working together on a common database might be a good approach. BTW, that
is one reason I consider ebay and similar sites to be so important; they
provide some real life pricing of vintage equipment. Whether someone agrees
or not with that pricing is irrelevant.