On Mon, 2 Jun 1997, Roger Merchberger wrote: Merch, I feel your pain. I too went through these same dilemmas. Fortunately my dry spell got rained upon and I am swimming in stuff, but that's besides the point. I guess my point is, move to a big city. That's right. Just pack all your belongings and move to a city with lots of thrift stores and swap meets and flea markets. Then you'll be guaranteed stuff almost every weekend. Do you live in a small town? Where's the next closest big city to you? Here's some suggestions: put an ad out in the local paper: "Wanted: your old useless computers. Will pay $$$" but of course only offer them $5-$10. Go to your local schools and ask them if they have any old junk useless computers they don't want. Contact local businesses and ask if they have any old computers they can't use anymore and offer them a few bucks. Get the word out among friends, associates and colleagues that you collect old computers. You may get some leads that way. Look at it this way, I was reading an old Creative Computing issue today, and it covered all the current systems of the time. It said there were about 3 million TI/99-4a's produced each year that it was in production. There were probably an equal number of VIC-20s, Atari x00's, etc. There were considerable amounts of other systems as well. Millions of Apples of all types, TRS-80s, you name it. These computers are tucked away in the basements, closets and attics of America. The trick is to come up with clever ways to search them out. By advertising or by word of mouth, you're sure to get at least a trickle of people who are willing to free up some space and make a 5 or 10 in the process. The reason we spoiled people get so much is because we live in hi-tech areas. Shit, I'm 40 minutes away from the silicon valley. There's probably a billion old computers tucked away in little nooks and cranny's all over this area. I just gotta find them. Usually when I end up going to someone's place to pick one system up, there's usually a few or 5 or 10 more that he was about to throw out anyway, and they end up becoming mine. One day, I kid you not, between a guy who gave me a bunch of stuff and a thrift store raid, I came home with about 630 pounds of computers. That's right, I weighed it all just to comprehend the magnitude of the feat I had accomplished of getting all that stuff home in one load. Anyway, I don't know how this is supposed to make you feel any better but I think the moral of the story is: PERSIST! Your mother lode will come. Sam ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Computer Historian, Programmer, Musician, Philosopher, Athlete, Writer, Jackass