30 Jun
1999
30 Jun
'99
11:41 a.m.
The phrase "prices...out of reach of people who can handle these machines"
sounds like you don't consider anyone with money to be technically
competent. I'm sure that's not what you meant... right?
Kai
-----Original Message-----
From: Max Eskin [mailto:max82@surfree.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 1999 3:10 PM
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
Subject: Re: State of the Hobby
I agree that this is not a legitimate thing over which to become angry,
but there is an issue that this is driving the prices up, out of reach of
people who can handle these machines, and into the reach of people who
want to encase them in plastic and put them into their 500 sq.ft. living
room. This is causing some hostility.
--Max Eskin (max82(a)surfree.com)
http://scivault.hypermart.net: Ignorance is Impotence - Knowledge is Power
1 Jul
1 Jul
1:49 a.m.
On Wed, 30 Jun 1999, Kai Kaltenbach wrote:
The phrase "prices...out of reach of people who
can handle these machines"
sounds like you don't consider anyone with money to be technically
competent. I'm sure that's not what you meant... right?
The people who can pay these prices will now be able to get these
computers whether they are competent or not. Most of the people on this
list, however, will no longer be able to get these machines. That is why
the people on this list are becoming upset. A shorter way of putting it is
that the machine will be sold to the highest bidder, not to the person who
can preserve the machine best.
--Max Eskin (max82(a)surfree.com)
http://scivault.hypermart.net: Ignorance is Impotence - Knowledge is Power
3:18 a.m.
At 09:49 AM 7/1/99 -0400, you wrote:
The people who can pay these prices will now be able to get these
computers whether they are competent or not. Most of the people on this
list, however, will no longer be able to get these machines. That is why
the people on this list are becoming upset. A shorter way of putting it is
that the machine will be sold to the highest bidder, not to the person who
can preserve the machine best.
I disagree, and I'm sure many on the list would agree: you find the
best machines, most often, by searching for sources that aren't
advertising, and that probably aren't even selling. If you're
price sensitive, you'll be happier and wealthier by finding machines
that are ready to be given away.
- John
4:09 a.m.
Max Eskin wrote:
On Wed, 30 Jun 1999, Kai Kaltenbach wrote:
A rather biased and/or elitist way of looking at things. First, if someone
pays a small fortune for a machine (you define "small fortune"), it is VERY
unlikely they will not preserve it. Additionally, they will most likely be
able to afford to have someone who knows what they are doing go through the
machine. Second, if someone is *really* interested in lets say an Altair, it
is not difficult to build one especially since the schematics are readily
available. Granted, the minis would be more difficult to build, but most of
these prices we are seeing are for microcomuters.
Another thing that hasn't been brought up in this discussion yet is the
minor detail of museums. With the appropriate safeguards, people give and
loan collections to museums for display. Granted that is not the same as
using it, but people can still see them (Moffett Field for instance.)
The phrase "prices...out of reach of people
who can handle these machines"
sounds like you don't consider anyone with money to be technically
competent. I'm sure that's not what you meant... right?
The people who can pay these prices will now be able to get these
computers whether they are competent or not. Most of the people on this
list, however, will no longer be able to get these machines. That is why
the people on this list are becoming upset. A shorter way of putting it is
that the machine will be sold to the highest bidder, not to the person who
can preserve the machine best. 
11:11 a.m.
Another thing that hasn't been brought up in this
discussion yet is the
minor detail of museums. With the appropriate safeguards, people give and
loan collections to museums for display. Granted that is not the same as
using it, but people can still see them (Moffett Field for instance.)
Yes, there are actually museums that do allow donors to play with the
artifacts. One of them is RCS. Plug. A good number of our big peices are
privately owned, like two of the three PDP-12s, the Interdata 4, PDP-8/i,
VAX-11/750, and so on. Plug. Even though the working -12 is not mine, I
can go and play with it, as long as I respect it as not being mine. Plug.
William Donzelli
aw288(a)osfn.org
6:06 a.m.
On Wed, 30 Jun 1999, Kai Kaltenbach wrote:
Just an observation, but the people on this list seem to have a LOT more
trouble with storage than accquisition.
The phrase "prices...out of reach of people
who can handle these machines"
sounds like you don't consider anyone with money to be technically
competent. I'm sure that's not what you meant... right?
The people who can pay these prices will now be able to get these
computers whether they are competent or not. Most of the people on this
list, however, will no longer be able to get these machines. That is why
the people on this list are becoming upset. A shorter way of putting it is
that the machine will be sold to the highest bidder, not to the person who
can preserve the machine best.
9078
days inactive
9079
days old
5 comments
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participants (6)
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aw288＠osfn.org -
jfoust＠threedee.com -
kaikal＠MICROSOFT.com -
marvin＠rain.org -
max82＠surfree.com -
mikeford＠netwiz.net