12 Nov
2010
12 Nov
'10
1:50 p.m.
On 12 Nov 2010 at 11:40, Ethan Dicks wrote:
I think i've mentioned this before, but you can still buy a new
single-board computer kit with a hex keypad and switch/light panel.
It's sold by Elenco (http://www.elenco.com/), and you can downlaod the
manual from their web site. From what I remember, it's an 8085 CPU + 8155
RAM/IO and 2816 E2PROM. Yes, you have to solder it together. You get to
toggle the monitor program into the E2PROM from the switches, at which
point you can use the hex keypad and display linked up to the 8155.
It's not that expensive (I think I've seen it on other web sites for
around $100).
The last cheap SBC I got was a Micro Designs Z-80
Starter Kit (c.
1976) for $10 at a surplus place in Los Angeles about ten years ago.
It's gotta be worth $20 by now. ;-)
It's not as if no one is making SBCs anymore. The number of various
eval and development kits and learning kits is amazing.
So I fail to see the intrinsic value of an old one with limited
capabilities.
Thake that to extremes, and you start thinking 'A modern PC can do
everything this old <foo> can do and more, so why bother with classic
computers at all' :-). Although actually in my case that's not true. The
classic cna do one thing that no modern PC can do. It can keep me
entertained for hours while I bring it back to life.
So I guess that if somebody gave me an Apple 1, I'd get it going. I'd
investigatge it. I might evne try to use it for something. But sure as
anything, I'd not keep it pristine as an investment.
Or am I not thinking as a collector would?
I know I am not a collector.
-tony