On 12/22/05, McFadden, Mike, A <mamcfadden at cmh.edu> wrote:
Actually I have found some of the best stuff when I
volunteer at the
local computer recycling events in Kansas City. I actually live 25
miles from Kansas City but I go to town occasionally to see the "big
city".
I acquired an HP86B that was dumped at the drop off 3 years ago and a
Victor 1400 calculator with dust cover that was dropped off this year.
We received and loaded 60000 pounds of computers, CRT's, printers and
TV's between 8 AM and 2 PM one Saturday.
Recently I found an Olivetti Programma 101 at the local computer
recycling charity. There is a not-for-profit in Kansas City called the
Surplus Exchange that collects computers from all of the local
businesses and recycles them. $20 and it was mine. That's where I
found the Cromemco Z-2 and dual 8" floppies I have.
The really old stuff normally is sent directly to the recycler since
they can only reuse some of the recent PC stuff. I am kind of the non
PC guy that sorts some stuff.
It's like looking for diamonds "lots of crud to sort through to find a
few jewels."
Mike McFadden
Hmm. Have you been to the Surplus Exchange recently? When I was at
KansasFest this past July, some of us piled into the car and headed
down there - they had just moved into their new location on Santa Fe.
(Finding the new place, I recall, became quite the adventure). All
they had were Pentiums, the odd Mac, and associated peripherals; we
were told that the "eclectic" stuff was gone and wouldn't be coming
back...
- Mike