6 Mar
2001
6 Mar
'01
8:57 a.m.
How would you feel if the local art gallery displayed
copies of famous
paintings rather than the real thing. It's much the same -- you can buy
copies of the famous pictures to look at at home if you want to, but most
people go to the art gallery to see the original.
And for the same reason, people who go to a computer museum should see
the original computer, and not a fake.
The difference being at an art gallery the painting,
especially if done by one of the old masters, isn't interacted with
directly. About the only thing the gallery has to worry about, other
than possible theft, is the damage done by exposure to light and to
the corrosives in air. People don't actually handle it so there is
relatetively little upkeep involved. That is why there are paintings
in galleries throughout the world that are hundreds of years old. A
hands-on exhibit on the other hand doesn't stand a chance of lasting
long term like that due to the constant handling, spills and parts
wearing out.
Plus, if you reread what I wrote previously, you'll see that
I suggested that the actual machine be on display for the world to
see. I just suggested using emulators to provide the hands-on
experience for those that are interested in seeing what the operating
system and such actually looked like in use. This type of thing is
already done quite a bit, with artificts on display and then working
mockups or continuous video footage playing beside it.
Jeff
--
Collector of Classic Microcomputers and Video Game Systems:
Home of the TRS-80 Model 2000 FAQ File
http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/lakes/6757