Eventual fate of our machines - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

7 Oct 1998

...
 >there is no one to carry on the tradition.  I
shudder to think about the
>eventual fate of all of our collections.  Do we need a national repository
>for all of this stuff? 
...
  How about a collector's organization which can act
as a willed
 beneficiary for collectors. A board of directors can act in the best
 interest of the collection should a member (or non-member?) die and
 bequeath(sp?) his/her computer collection to the organization. Some
 items can be kept for a museum piece while others can bid for a chance
 to purchase the remaining items. This could fund the organization. The
 organization can also conduct interviews with bidders to determine if
 they are serving the best interest of the computer collection if they
 get the desired item. A clause can be put in to require the item to be
 retired to the organization upon their death. 
Kind of a life time rental agreement ? 
Sounds interesting. This might be a good idea.
But won't the mony winn over the idea ?

Altrough I belive, that certain organisations, like government,
unions, etc. are neccersary, I dislike most organisations, since
every one of them tends soon to put the organisation itself on
top of the mission. The organisation becomes the mission instead
of serving it. This is especialy true for (so called) privat (NGO)
organisations without true public control. The process is called
professionalisation. Enthusiasm fades, and business is the rule.

Maybe I'm a bit negative, but I have no trust in any fixed
long time perspective organisation supposed to do 'fun' (non
comercila, ethusiast) things (So, Sam, if there is a planned
membership for VCF, I'm out :).

But, if we could keep it to a small and more individual to
individual base, I'm in.

...
  Some of the funding can also be used to provide
insurance coverage to
 members by people who know the value of what's being insured. 
Thats a very dangerous terrain.

Gruss
H.

--
Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
HRK