Mike wrote: Ebay has been a good thing in the respect that it allows a value to be attached to these items. I still see the trading and giving away of things taking place. And like it or not, anything collectable that catches the public eye will go up in value.

After you do this sort of thing for a year or so, you tend to collect a LOT of the same "first round" stuff. It is not very likely for example that anyone on this list would be willing to trade one of those PC/370 card sets for a couple Laserwriter IInts. All the components of a potential trade are hard to assemble; Somebody who has what you want. Wants what you have. And is close enough so that freight doesn't kill the deal. What is the solution? MONEY. Yes money, our old friend from centuries ago, that basically enables trade between two people when a direct exchange of goods isn't practical. In the example above I sell the two IInt's on eBay for $50 each, and $100 buys me the card set. The Catch. We are all basically friends, share a general disdain for profiteering, and that makes it very difficult to come up with a "fair" price. Easier to give stuff away than twist over what to charge for many of us. Even easier to just sit on our booty. Shipping Snafu. This is NOT pointing any fingers, honest. Anybody ever get a batch of "free" old manuals, shipped fedex overnight freight collect? OK, I hope not, but Mail Boxes Etc often isn't that far from it. Many people don't realize what a vast range there can be in shipping costs. The solution in trades is to have each person pay for what they ship as part of the deal up front.