LSSM is chasing this, was Re: General Data? Computer Equipment Auction - GSA

[Paul Koning]

> On Mar 17, 2022, at 9:30 AM, Tom Hunter via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
> 
> Dave,
> 
> Your following comment is offensive:
> 
> "I hope these systems go to a good home, and don't disappear into the black
> hole of a private collection."
> 
> You equate private collections with black holes. I think on the contrary
> many private collectors do a better job at preserving old systems than
> "museums".
> 
> I remember several "museums" which have failed in recent years.
> At least four of them have been much too greedy and took on way more than
> they could handle and in effect turned the collections into scrap.
> 
> And then there is of course the sorry saga of the Living Computer "Museum"
> in Seattle which has sucked up a lot of old systems from private collectors.

Perhaps better than taking offense is to work with those who do a good job in this area and help them do so.

Yes, some of us saw the warning signs about the LCM years ago.  And I know of various musea doing things contrary to the wishes of their donors, sometimes even with the aid and comfort of the courts.  But, with care, it's possible for both private collections and musea to do a good job.  The "with care" is the key point, and it applies to every collector.

	paul