Hi, yes classic computers are getting more popular over time. But I think this is only true for some very specific computers: Apple and PDP-Series receive lot of attention where many of the less known computers still remain cheap and unknown although they are equally or more advanced and desereve documentation, restoration etc. I am not sure what triggers e.g. that the PDP-8s and PDP-11s are so popular and many people interested in them (I guess 50% of all mails in this list are somehow related to these) where HPs, Novas, Rolms, Burroughs, Elliotts, ICTs etc. receive only very little attention. Maybe the reason is that the PDPs are easily available? In many other fields of collecting, the rare items are more expensive than the common ones ;-) I am curious whether some time in the future there will be a different (and even higher) price for working ones than just for the "dead" collectors objects... Happy vintage computing, Erik.

From: Erik Baigar Sent: Sunday, February 08, 2015 2:11 AM Since DEC/Digital was the second-largest computer manufacturer in the world in the heyday of minis and mainframes, it's not surprising that their products are still more readily available than others'. For the same reason, more people are familiar (to one extent or another) with them. The insanely high prices are because most people don't realize that they really are common, and pay accordingly. What's really interesting is that the products from the largest are so much more difficult to find, due to the business model of leasing with massive service attached vs. selling with massive documentation. Rich Rich Alderson Vintage Computing Sr. Systems Engineer Living Computer Museum 2245 1st Avenue S Seattle, WA 98134 mailto:RichA at LivingComputerMuseum.org http://www.LivingComputerMuseum.org/

On 02/08/2015 02:07 AM, N0body H0me wrote: To be honest, the arrival of Ebay (whatever year that was, a long time ago anyway) was where I saw the turning point being - prior to that it was great fun finding this stuff, chasing up possible leads, and having a good old chat with the owners. People were generally in it for the purposes of finding homes for items and saving them from landfill. These days people are more inclined to see what sort of prices *some* examples of what they have are fetching on ebay (with the inevitable auction feeding-frenzy driving the numbers up) and equate that with market value. I find that a bit frustrating - when it came to "common" systems, I always kept a few basket-case parts machines around for the purposes of not only keeping my own "good" machines going, but also to help out others, and I remember when plenty of other collectors were doing the same. I get the impression those days are gone though, and that sourcing small bits and pieces via the likes of ebay (where there's a chance that I'm dealing with someone who is destroying viable restoration machines) is the only way now. One of my issues is that this stuff isn't going to stay running forever - no matter how well it's looked after, ICs and storage media will fail. It's a shame that it can't be enjoyed simply and cheaply now, and only treated as some kind of expensive antique when it's no longer functional. cheers Jules

If you look at the related the BBC have reported on this topic two years ago when the Apple Is started fetching MegaBucks so it is really a rehash of an old story. However as supply dries up, and the number of machines in lofts can't go up , if there are the same number of buyers, and they have more money, prices will go up. Working BBC-B's seem rare. Spetrums less so but as both (Really)only interest UK collectors I can't seem them ever fetching mega mucks. The more valuable UK stuff seems to be things like a working NASCOM I , this nice example fetched ?255.00 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231462106201? I wonder what a working Newbear 7768 or 6809 board would fetch. Dave G4UGM