6 Jan
2016
6 Jan
'16
9:42 a.m.
So I have a question for people who are involved in museums, and similar
roles - how intense should I be about keeping things just as they were?
I have a DEC manual (actually a Products Guide) still in its original
shrink-wrap, and I'm interested in hearing opinions/rationales on whether or
not I should keep it like that, as opposed to (carefully) opening it to be
gain access to the content. Is there any value at all, historically, to
keeping the original packaging intact, or should I just go ahead and open it?
Thanks!
Noel
6 Jan
6 Jan
9:57 a.m.
On Wed, Jan 6, 2016 at 9:42 AM, Noel Chiappa <jnc at mercury.lcs.mit.edu>
wrote:
So I have a question for people who are involved in
museums, and similar
roles - how intense should I be about keeping things just as they were?
I have a DEC manual (actually a Products Guide) still in its original
shrink-wrap, and I'm interested in hearing opinions/rationales on whether
or
not I should keep it like that, as opposed to (carefully) opening it to be
gain access to the content. Is there any value at all, historically, to
keeping the original packaging intact, or should I just go ahead and open
it?
Thanks!
Noel
IMHO:
The 'original packaging' approach is more relevant for resale value of
collectables, e.g., toys. Technology artifacts convey information beyond
simple existence, and I would encourage anyone to explore that
information! Now if one is keeping a database of museum artifacts, I would
certainly note the original condition in that database, to serve as
evidence that the artifact is almost certainly complete (i.e. no pages were
removed or added). Then I'd open it up so it can be read!
But keep in mind that I am of the opinion that vintage systems should be,
to the extent possible, restored to running condition *and run*. :-)
--
Ian S. King, MSIS, MSCS, Ph.D. Candidate
The Information School <http://ischool.uw.edu>
Dissertation: "Why the Conversation Mattered: Constructing a Sociotechnical
Narrative Through a Design Lens
Archivist, Voices From the Rwanda Tribunal <http://tribunalvoices.org>
Value Sensitive Design Research Lab <http://vsdesign.org>
University of Washington
There is an old Vulcan saying: "Only Nixon could go to China."
10:09 a.m.
So I have a question for people who are involved in
museums, and similar
roles - how intense should I be about keeping things just as they were?
There are a few things to consider. For example:
1. How rare/valuable is the item?
2. What else might be inside the package?
3. Will opening it cause any damage?
4. Can you store it in a suitable way after opening?
A DEC product guide isn't very rare.
One time, my group had an unopened box from a famous computer company.
We decided to open it. It contained a far more precious artifact than we
expected. Had we not opened it, we wouldn't have known what we had!
You can always put the guide into a Zip-Lock bag or whatever.
So I'd say open it.
11:10 a.m.
On Wed, 6 Jan 2016, Evan Koblentz wrote:
You can always put the guide into a Zip-Lock bag or
whatever.
So I'd say open it.
OTOH, if you want to SELL it, "original shrink wrap" provides an assurance
to somebody who doesn't know you, that the contents are all there and
undamaged - no pages missing, etc.
11:03 a.m.
So I have a question for people who are involved in museums, and similar
roles - how intense should I be about keeping things just as they were?
Well, I don't fit into that category, but I'll give my tuppence-worth.
I have a DEC manual (actually a Products Guide) still
in its original
shrink-wrap, and I'm interested in hearing opinions/rationales on whether or
I know the feeling... About 25 years ago I managed to buy a shrink-rapped
rare HP manual at a user group sale (actually the HP71 service manual). I amazed
everyone there by immediately ripping off the shrink wrap. People told me that I
had lost significant value by so doing. My reply was simple : 'I bought this manual
to learn how to repair HP71 calculators. Not to look nice on the shelf. The value to me
is the information it contains.'
I guess if you have multiple copies of the same manual, or it's available on line and
you don't mind reading it that way (personally I much prefer a paper manual) then
there
is no reason to open it. Otherwise, I say that a manual is there to be read.
But then again I feel that old computers should run, even if it means putting replacement
parts in.
-tony
7 Jan
7 Jan
8:43 a.m.
On 1/6/16 9:42 AM, Noel Chiappa wrote:
I have a DEC manual (actually a Products Guide) still
in its original
shrink-wrap, and I'm interested in hearing opinions/rationales on whether or
not I should keep it like that
The CHM archivists tell me shrink wrap will continue to shrink, and it
should be removed. We also don't keep vinyl binders, because they outgas
and get sticky over time.
3272
days inactive
3273
days old
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aek＠bitsavers.org -
ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk -
cctalk＠snarc.net -
cisin＠xenosoft.com -
isking＠uw.edu -
jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu