7 Feb
2004
7 Feb
'04
9:07 p.m.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3583851295
should I tell the other bidder's it's on line at
www.bitsavers.org/pdf/harvard/MarkI_operMan_1946.pdf ?
curiously, the copy I scanned had a number (1703) on the title page
while his copy doesn't
7 Feb
7 Feb
9:12 p.m.
New subject: sigh - High Priced Manuals...
Al,
Sure is getting a bit pricey!
But there are advantages to having an original rather than an on-line copy,
as I am sure you would agree. If not, we would all be running just emulators
for our classic hardware rather than having the actual machines with all of
the maintenance that implies.
As many of you know I am in the process of getting a PDP-8 / ASR-33 project
off the ground. I have been discussing the "value" of various items with
different people, and the one thing we can all agree on is "How much are you
willing to pay, or are you willing to keep looking?" is the only accurate
answer.
So I guess even "smart" people will bid on items that have content which is
available for free...Or would you disagree, and say only fools would?
David.
-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk-bounces(a)classiccmp.org
[mailto:cctalk-bounces@classiccmp.org]On Behalf Of Al Kossow
Sent: Saturday, February 07, 2004 10:08 PM
To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org
Subject: sigh
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3583851295
should I tell the other bidder's it's on line at
www.bitsavers.org/pdf/harvard/MarkI_operMan_1946.pdf ?
curiously, the copy I scanned had a number (1703) on the title page
while his copy doesn't
9:59 p.m.
New subject: sigh - High Priced Manuals...
I guess when speaking of manuals there is kind of a cachet that they have,
similar to old automobile manuals. Prop the book up beside the computer or
study it over a cup of coffee and the world seems a bit more comfortable I
am not a PDP person but I do remember lusting after an Apple II repair
manual that my local library had in perfect condition. Even though it hadn't
been booked out in years, they wouldn't sell it to me. Luckily I came across
the same manual, well a SAMS repair manual but you get the point, a short
time later at a Value Village for 2 bucks.
As for overpriced manuals, I would say that what is overpriced now will be
REALLY overpriced in a while. The alternative would be for each of us to
copy or scan all of the manuals we have and develop some sort of central
library or website with PDF downloads of everything. The general feeling
that I have is that there is a vast amount of hardware out there but only a
small pile of manuals. When I look at my basement computer room which is
about half-full of hardware and half-full of manuals and documents, I
consider the latter far more valuable than the former. For instance, in CPM
how do I get WUMP to load on my Kaypro? Stuff like that!
----- Original Message -----
From: "David V. Corbin" <dvcorbin(a)optonline.net>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 07, 2004 10:12 PM
Subject: RE: sigh - High Priced Manuals...
Al,
Sure is getting a bit pricey!
But there are advantages to having an original rather than an on-line
copy,
as I am sure you would agree. If not, we would all be
running just
emulators
for our classic hardware rather than having the actual
machines with all
of
the maintenance that implies.
As many of you know I am in the process of getting a PDP-8 / ASR-33
project
off the ground. I have been discussing the
"value" of various items with
different people, and the one thing we can all agree on is "How much are
you
willing to pay, or are you willing to keep
looking?" is the only accurate
answer.
So I guess even "smart" people will bid on items that have content which
is
available for free...Or would you disagree, and say
only fools would?
David.
-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk-bounces(a)classiccmp.org
[mailto:cctalk-bounces@classiccmp.org]On Behalf Of Al Kossow
Sent: Saturday, February 07, 2004 10:08 PM
To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org
Subject: sigh
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3583851295
should I tell the other bidder's it's on line at
www.bitsavers.org/pdf/harvard/MarkI_operMan_1946.pdf ?
curiously, the copy I scanned had a number (1703) on the title page
while his copy doesn't
10:02 p.m.
New subject: sigh - High Priced Manuals...
----- Original Message -----
From: "David V. Corbin" <dvcorbin(a)optonline.net>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 07, 2004 10:12 PM
Subject: RE: sigh - High Priced Manuals...
Al,
Sure is getting a bit pricey!
But there are advantages to having an original rather than an on-line
copy,
as I am sure you would agree. If not, we would all be
running just
emulators
for our classic hardware rather than having the actual
machines with all
of
the maintenance that implies.
As many of you know I am in the process of getting a PDP-8 / ASR-33
project
off the ground. I have been discussing the
"value" of various items with
different people, and the one thing we can all agree on is "How much are
you
willing to pay, or are you willing to keep
looking?" is the only accurate
answer.
So I guess even "smart" people will bid on items that have content which
is
available for free...Or would you disagree, and say
only fools would?
David.
If you need a manual to work on your equipment its stupid to pay $1400 for
one when you can print it out for under $5
If you're just collecting it for reason other then pure functionality then
it all depends how deep your pockets are and how much you like it.
If an exact copy of the Mona Lisa was for sale at $5,000 and the original
was for sale at $50,000,000 there will always be a few people fighting to
pay for the original. Bill Gates would spend a smaller percentage of his net
worth buying a real Rolex then a poor person buying a fake Rolex, its all
relative.
All I can say is that if you cant make your rent or feed your kids and you
keep buying new additions to your collection you are an addict and need
help.
10:05 p.m.
New subject: sigh - High Priced Manuals...
> All I can say is that if you cant make your rent
or feed your kids and
you
> keep buying new additions to your collection you
are an addict and need
> help.
Complete agreement, with all you points, but especially that one. It is
definitely necessary to set a budget (which depends greatly on personal
circumstances) as to what is appropriate.
My point was somewhat different in this case. If the manual is available for
free as a PDF, then there is NO need to pay for a copy, even if the price is
reasonably low and the purpose is for functional access to the information.
If you are going to pay for it, then that puts you in the category of a
collector, and are getting the manual for the sake of having the manual.
IMHO, this is the same if you pay $20 for the manual or $2500.
10:31 p.m.
New subject: sigh - High Priced Manuals...
----- Original Message -----
From: "David V. Corbin" <dvcorbin(a)optonline.net>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 07, 2004 11:05 PM
Subject: RE: sigh - High Priced Manuals...
for
> All I can
say is that if you cant make your rent or feed your kids and
you
> keep buying new additions to your collection
you are an addict and need
> help.
Complete agreement, with all you points, but especially that one. It is
definitely necessary to set a budget (which depends greatly on personal
circumstances) as to what is appropriate.
My point was somewhat different in this case. If the manual is available free as a PDF, then there is NO need to pay for a
copy, even if the price
is
reasonably low and the purpose is for functional
access to the
information.
If you are going to pay for it, then that puts you in the category of a
collector, and are getting the manual for the sake of having the manual.
IMHO, this is the same if you pay $20 for the manual or $2500.
Even though I have many machines that are setup to display pdf's I prefer
printed manuals since I can drag them around when working on the machine in
question, or just take it out back in the shade for a casual read on a nice
sunny day. Whether you print the manual out of the laser or inkjet printer,
take the original and photocopy it, or send the pdf to an unethical
printhouse in NJ for a bound recreation it still costs you some money. A
book is usable as is, and comes in handy during a power outage.
7645
days inactive
7645
days old
5 comments
4 participants
participants (4)
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