On Tue, 31 May 2005, Tony Duell wrote:
A valid point.
However, as the archivist, should you be altering the
object's historical fabric? Again, I don't see a problem with this, as
This is exactly my point. You _don't_ make unnecessary modifications.
It's reversible, unlike a cut solder trace, which is "reversible" but
still causes permanent destruction of the artifact.
long as you
fully document what you've done (and perhaps why) and keep the
original screws with the unit (or at least properly stored and catalogued)
so that the machine can be returned to its "original" state if/when
needed.
Provided the screws have not been lost, the bit of paper is still
around/readable, etc. The 'safest' place for those screws is in the
original holes.
What about all the notes you've made of the modifications you've effected
on various machines you own? Are they with the machine? Are they secured
to it so that it won't get separated? Will the ink remain readable
forever? Will the paper remain intact forever? If not then wouldn't it
have been safer for you to have never made those modifications in the
first place?
--
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
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