10 Jan
2012
10 Jan
'12
3:48 p.m.
On a related note, what are people's feeling's about the following....
I've recently had some discussions with someone who collects a particular
brand of classic computer from the early 1980s. He has a few of these but
they are never, ever switched on or tested. He doesn't want to test them
as he feels doing so may damage the old electronics. Consequently they are
never plugged in.
This attitude is an anathema to me. I strive to maintain computers in my
collecton so they can be fired up and demonstrated to people working as
they were in the day. Otherwise they are inert "dead" collection of metal
and plastic (still of interest as regards case design maybe). I like to
know if a computer is working or not, and if not perhaps try to fix it. To
me, if you won't start up an old computer for fear that something will (or
has) failed then, for practical purposes, it's broken. The end result is
the same. It's inert.
Is this "scared to switch on" attitude common in the classic computer
community, or do most reflect the same feelings I have about it.
Terry (Tez)
10 Jan
10 Jan
4:41 p.m.
On 10/01/12 6:48 PM, Terry Stewart wrote:
On a related note, what are people's feeling's
about the following....
...
Is this "scared to switch on" attitude common in the classic computer
community, or do most reflect the same feelings I have about it.
I own many machines I've never fired up, but it's due to lack of TIME. :(
--Toby
Terry (Tez)
4:57 p.m.
Is this "scared to switch on" attitude
common in the classic computer
community, or do most reflect the same feelings I have about it.
Every man has the right to do whatever he wants with his stuff, as smart
or as dumb as it may be.
Mine are all plugged in to use imediatelly ;o)
BTW, I need to image that Unitron 512 ROMs... :oO
6:17 p.m.
On Wed, Jan 11, 2012 at 1:57 PM, Alexandre Souza - Listas <
pu1bzz.listas at gmail.com> wrote:
Is this "scared to switch on" attitude
common in the classic computer
Absolutley!
I wasn't questioning that right at all. I was just wondering how common
this "won't fire up" philosophy was amongst collectors.
Terry (Tez)
community, or do most reflect the same feelings I
have about it.
Every man has the right to do whatever he wants with his stuff, as smart
or as dumb as it may be.
7:09 p.m.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Terry Stewart" <terry at webweavers.co.nz>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2012 9:17 PM
Subject: Re: Fear of firing up (was Re: An unplugged computer is a sad thing
to see)
On Wed, Jan 11, 2012 at 1:57 PM, Alexandre Souza -
Listas <
pu1bzz.listas at gmail.com> wrote:
Absolutley!
I wasn't questioning that right at all. I was just wondering how common
this "won't fire up" philosophy was amongst collectors.
Terry (Tez)
I would think it all depends on how rich you are and how valuable the item
is. If something was worth over $100K because it is rare and all original in
working condition would you risk blowing up a chip that cannot be replaced
(correct date code etc)?
People go out and play using a $1M+ violin, but they don't have to worry
about something popping due to electricity (just not to forget it on a
train).
11 Jan
11 Jan
11:59 a.m.
New subject: Fear of firing up (was Re: An unplugged computer is a sad thing
On Wed, Jan
11, 2012 at 1:57 PM, Alexandre Souza - Listas <
pu1bzz.listas at gmail.com> wrote:
Absolutley!
I wasn't questioning that right at all. I was just wondering how common
this "won't fire up" philosophy was amongst collectors.
Terry (Tez)
I would think it all depends on how rich you are and how valuable the item
is. If something was worth over $100K because it is rare and all original in working condition would you risk blowing up a chip
that cannot be replaced
(correct date code etc)?
Part fail even just sitting o nthe shelf. A non-powered-up computer will
not last for ecer (ant it may not me easy-to-repalce parts, like
electrolytic capacitors, that fail either).
And how do you know it's perfectly working if you never power it up?
-tony
1:57 p.m.
New subject: Fear of firing up (was Re: An unplugged computer is a sad thing
On Wed, 11 Jan 2012, Tony Duell wrote:
And how do you know it's perfectly working if you
never power it up?
Is Schrodinger's cat alive?
(Loosely related to the Heinekin Uncertainty Principle: How many were
there last night?)
2:14 p.m.
New subject: Fear of firing up (was Re: An unplugged computer is a sad thing
On 11 Jan 2012 at 13:57, Fred Cisin wrote:
On Wed, 11 Jan 2012, Tony Duell wrote:
There are two types of collectors. Those who play with vintage
Barbie dolls and those who leave them in their original packaging.
I suppose it's fortunate that we don't do the same with pancakes...
--Chuck
And how do you know it's perfectly working if
you never power it up?
Is Schrodinger's cat alive? 
2:49 p.m.
New subject: Fear of firing up (was Re: An unplugged computer is a sad thing
On 1/11/2012 3:24 PM, Alexandre Souza - Listas wrote:
Only if you have plastic shrink wrap machine. :)
Ben.
PS: For the pancake collectors. I never could get pancakes back in the box
after I made them.
There are two
types of collectors. Those who play with vintage Barbie
dolls and those who leave them in their original packaging.
Can't I play with her and later store it on the original package? :oO
3:19 p.m.
New subject: Fear of firing up (was Re: An unplugged computer is a sad thing
On Wed, 11 Jan 2012, Chuck Guzis wrote:
There are two types of collectors. Those who play
with vintage
Barbie dolls and those who leave them in their original packaging.
I suppose it's fortunate that we don't do the same with pancakes...
One of my father's favorite jokes:
Guy: Doc, my wife keeps tellimg me that I'm crazy, just because I like
pancakes.
Dr: Nothing wrong with that; I happen to like pancakes.
Guy: GREAT! C'mon over to my house. I've got a whole trunkfull in the
attic.
12 Jan
12 Jan
5:48 a.m.
New subject: Fear of firing up (was Re: An unplugged computer is a sad thing
--- On Wed, 1/11/12, Fred Cisin <cisin at xenosoft.com> wrote:
No, of course not. Schrodinger had that cat in like 1935. Cats don't live anywhere
near that long.
But, seriously, back on topic... I never saw a whole lot of point in collecting computers
if you're not going to try to get them to work. Now, sure, some machines require
precautions to be taken before powering them up for the first time in years (check power
supplies first, etc), but nothing should prevent you from doing so. Now, I'll admit to
having machines that I have never turned on, but that's due to lack of other things
(three phase power, important peripherals, or time) - but not lack of willingness to do
so.
But, I'm afraid that some people that collect computers do so simply to say they have
them, or to have a pretty box that lights up, and have no knowledge or interest in doing
anything with them. I find that attitude rather boring. I collect *computers*. Their
function is to compute. Most of the fun of the hobby is getting them to do so. If I wanted
to collect things that don't do anything, I'd collect Hummels [1], they're
lighter, and take up less space.
-Ian
[1] Hummels are porcelain figurines, usually of children. They're the sort of thing
one collects, puts on the shelf, and then spends the next 20 years dusting.
And how do you
know it's perfectly working if you
never power it up?
Is Schrodinger's cat alive? 
10 Jan
10 Jan
4:57 p.m.
On Jan 10, 2012, at 6:48 PM, Terry Stewart wrote:
On a related note, what are people's feeling's
about the following....
I've recently had some discussions with someone who collects a particular
brand of classic computer from the early 1980s. He has a few of these but
they are never, ever switched on or tested. He doesn't want to test them
as he feels doing so may damage the old electronics. Consequently they are
never plugged in.
As I continuously clarify to my wife and other relatives, this is what distinguishes my
vintage computer *collection* from a *graveyard*. I have one bin for boards ready to be
stripped of parts (either ones that someone else has irrevocably broken or bits from old
stereos that were never that great but have lots of .1uf caps).
This attitude is an anathema to me. I strive to
maintain computers in my
collecton so they can be fired up and demonstrated to people working as
they were in the day. Otherwise they are inert "dead" collection of metal
and plastic (still of interest as regards case design maybe). I like to
know if a computer is working or not, and if not perhaps try to fix it. To
me, if you won't start up an old computer for fear that something will (or
has) failed then, for practical purposes, it's broken. The end result is
the same. It's inert.
Is this "scared to switch on" attitude common in the classic computer
community, or do most reflect the same feelings I have about it.
I think on this list, most of us will switch them on, but will also be careful about doing
so the first time (i.e. don't just plug it into the wall, flip the switch and hope for
the best). Anyone who wants to actually preserve the hardware will first make sure the
power supply is operating within range before running it on a live board.
- Dave
8:44 p.m.
From: terry at webweavers.co.nz
---snip---
Is this "scared to switch on" attitude common in the classic computer
community, or do most reflect the same feelings I have about it.
Terry (Tez)
Sometimes I'm a little careless turning them on but I still do.
I've so far not damaged anything beyond repair.
I always want to see the computer doing something.
Dwight
9:15 p.m.
New subject: Fear of firing up (was Re: An unplugged computer is a sad thing to see) - ot
On 1/10/2012 9:44 PM, dwight elvey wrote:
Now here, this pile of 386's the chickens can roost on.
From: terry at webweavers.co.nz
---snip---
Is this "scared to switch on" attitude common in the classic computer
community, or do most reflect the same feelings I have about it.
Terry (Tez)
Sometimes I'm a little careless turning them on but I still do.
I've so far not damaged anything beyond repair.
I always want to see the computer doing something. Dwight
Ben.
11 Jan
11 Jan
11:40 a.m.
New subject: Fear of firing up (was Re: An unplugged computer is a sad thing to
On a related note, what are people's feeling's about the following....
To avoid flamage, what I am goign to say below is _my_ personal view. It
is not preseneted as a fact. You are welcome to disagree with it.
I've recently had some discussions with someone who collects a particular
brand of classic computer from the early 1980s. He has a few of these but
they are never, ever switched on or tested. He doesn't want to test them
as he feels doing so may damage the old electronics. Consequently they are
never plugged in.
This attitude is an anathema to me. I strive to maintain computers in my
And to me. I guess I haev little interest in what are normally called
'The Arts' so things like the appearance of the case of a classic
computer are of little interest to me. What interests me is how it works,
what it could be used for. In otehr words things that depend on it being
a computer, rather than a plastic or metal case with some electronics inside.
collecton so they can be fired up and demonstrated to
people working as
they were in the day. Otherwise they are inert "dead" collection of metal
and plastic (still of interest as regards case design maybe). I like to
know if a computer is working or not, and if not perhaps try to fix it. To
My aim is to haev everything in my collection operational. I've not got
there yet, mostly due to lack of time, althoguh there are machiens that
I've put on one side awaiting parts or until I learn the skills to fix
them properly.
me, if you won't start up an old computer for fear
that something will (or
has) failed then, for practical purposes, it's broken. The end result is
the same. It's inert.
Preceisely. If you never power it up, it doesn't matter if it works or
not. If you p[ower it up and after a tiem something irrepairable fails
(like a custom IC), the machine still looks the saem. So you can still
keep it as a machine that's never powered up. You might as well enjoy it
while you can.
That said, I do think you should take some precaustions before powering
it up. I don't think it's a good idea to just apply mains and see what
happens.
-tony
4680
days inactive
4682
days old
15 comments
11 participants
participants (11)
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ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk -
bfranchuk＠jetnet.ab.ca -
cclist＠sydex.com -
cisin＠xenosoft.com -
dkelvey＠hotmail.com -
fraveydank＠gmail.com -
ian_primus＠yahoo.com -
pu1bzz.listas＠gmail.com -
teoz＠neo.rr.com -
terry＠webweavers.co.nz -
toby＠telegraphics.com.au