Being the custodian of an Altair, an IMSAI system, a clutch of NorthStars, etc., etc.... I am of the opinion that any activity which tends to *preserve* the items of our interest is intrinsically a Good Thing. I am a user and a collector of old systems, and I empathasize strongly with the "Collect to Use" folks on this list. BUT: having spent many years in the electronic surplus business, I also know that side of things. Bob is making a good living in collectible computers just now... 16 hrs a day 7 days a week (my kind of hours!!).... he has discovered and turned over many classic systems... which would be *where* today if not for his efforts?? I understand the frustration when dilletantes invade and a collectible 'fad' develops... it does, unfortunately, prevent some of us from having the hardware we want. I wish that wasn't so, but it *is* the free market. There are, however, many aspects of this hobby... and there are some who collect to use, some who 'warehouse', some who collect to trade. To me, it all means that fewer Altairs will be lost forever.... My $.02, anyway. Cheers John PS: My Altair came from a big rack of 70's-era aerospace test systems... I first saw it in one of the buildings of the surplus company I worked for from 78 - 82. At that time, it was just one of those wierd old S-100 machines... and I couldn't afford the IMSAI I wanted... I ended up with a Cromemco Z2H. It was not until I joined this list that I remembered about the Altair.. so I went back to the old place, got the keys to the room.. and there it was, dusty and forgotten. I paid my ex-boss $50 for it, and the rescue was done. No, there aren't any more... trust me, I *looked* ;} J