11 Jun
1997
11 Jun
'97
5:27 a.m.
James Willing wrote:
Mayhaps, as a parallel to the 'Classic Computer Index", we need to develop
a 'Classic Computer Collectors Index' so that we know where others are
when things like this pop up so that we could have some local options.
Even if a person did not want the particular item, they might be able to
pick it up while arrangements were made to get it to someone who did want
it.
Or am I just dreaming out loud?
Hi Jim, I was reading these posts also and was also trying to think of a
way to handle these situations. I like your idea of an Index giving the
location of collectors. I, for one, really appreciated Sam posting the
stuff about available computers and can cover parts of central
California without too much effort (parts of Los Angeles to San Luis
Obispo or so.) I have also found places, primarily schools, that have a
bunch of interesting stuff that sometimes sits for years safely stored
away, and probably available for either taking it away (they need space)
or for scrap prices.
Another thought on a related subject is what to do with stuff all of us
might have but are only being held to save it from the dump. As one
example, I scrapped out a CADO CAT II computer a couple of months ago (I
still have one!) that I would have preferred another collector had
taken. Granted, I kept the boards and HD for spares but still. Another
example is a Hard Disk/Floppy peripheral to an Exxon Office Systems
model 500. The ONLY reason I have it is because I don't want it going to
the dump. BTW, this is another instance where "The Big List of Classic
Computers" has been a tremendous help in helping to identify
computers/equipment. It would also be helpful to know the emphasis on
everyones collections. For instance, mine is primarily early
microcomputers and their associated documentation. Is anyone collecting
the history of LAN's including early cards and software? Several months
ago, I scrapped out a number of early IBM LAN cards because the space
REALLY is getting to be a problem and I need to do something. I gave an
early Novell Lan setup with the Gateway cards to a friend of mine to
play around with. Some people might thing it is great to have the kind
of problem I have with all the stuff here, but then again, I think it is
better to have the problem of space needing computers :).
BTW, yours was one of the first Web pages I ran across when I started to
check out the Web for this type of activity ... very nice!