Estimated Price Of A "Classic" PDP-8?

From: William Maddox <wmaddox_at_pacbell.net>
Date: Mon Jan 26 01:43:01 2004

I believe it was just a bare CPU. There was some discussion of a few months
ago.
I caught the tail-end of the discussion just as I joined the list. I
believe it was actually
someone on the list who bought it!

The 8/S is actually very rare machine. Although they had a good run
(comparable
to the Straight-8), the performance was very poor, unlike the Straight 8
that held up rather
well in performance (though not price) against its successors. There
weren't too many of
them saved. From some pictures I saw, it appeared to be an excellent
specimen, too.
Certainly if your interest is "DEC collectibles" rather than a nice running
setup, this machine
would be a valuable one to have. Why do people value the Straight-8 so much
when the
8/E was the pinnacle of the family in terms of the kind of system it would
support?
Certainly, if you just want to run an 8, you'd be best advised to avoid the
Straight 8.

--Bill

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Davis" <jimmydevice_at_hotmail.com>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk_at_classiccmp.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2004 8:58 PM
Subject: Re: Estimated Price Of A "Classic" PDP-8?


> William Maddox wrote:
>
> ><snip>
> >
> >Have any straight-8s changed hands on Ebay? I know an 8/S went
> >for $3000. I've often claimed that my straight-8 is worth that much
> >to those who are inclinced to think of it as "old junk", but that is
based
> >on not much more than the fact that I would personally pay that much
> >for the one I have if I didn't own it already and it were offered to me.
> >
> >--Bill
> >
> ><snip>
> >
> >
> >
> $3000 for an "8/S"?!?!, you have to be kidding? Did it include a lot of
> equipment?
>
> Jim Davis, I just about shot soda pop through my nose.
>
Received on Mon Jan 26 2004 - 01:43:01 GMT