Lack of 8-bit threads (was Re: Linux question)

On 20 Apr 2007 at 15:34, Zane H. Healy wrote: Consider, the length of the timeline for each of the various models. 8-bit systems essentially had their heyday between 1975 and 1984. While there were systems manufactured outside of this 9 year period, that was pretty much it as far as revolutionary new product introductions. Most of what occurred after 1985 was attrition in the 8 bit ranks. Now consider DEC systems that are collected by people on this list. The PDP-8 dates from 1965; the last VAX was sold by Compaq sometime after 2000, if memory serves. That's what, 35 years? Does HP/Compaq still have an active support program for VAXen? It seems to me that they'd committed through 2010. In contrast, the x86 PC has been around for more than 25 years and is still going strong. So its potential for being a candidate for future vintage discussions is strong. Hang on to those ISA cards! I suspect that in another 10 years. the emphasis will have shifted away from DEC equipment and strongly toward classic Macs and early PCs. Time marches on and people forget or die off or lose interest. Collections are frequently dispersed or scrapped wholesale. Cheers, Chuck