Classic Computer Available

From: Brett <danjo_at_xnet.com>
Date: Tue Apr 8 21:36:59 1997

On Wed, 9 Apr 1997, Alexios Chouchoulas wrote:
> On Mon, 7 Apr 1997, Brett wrote:
> > Maybe <snif> we <snif> should<snif>n't <snif> allow <snif> posts like
> > this!!!! BAWWWWWWWWWW BAWWWWWWWW BAAWWWBAWWWWBAWWWWWW
> > I could NEVER afford the shipping. I could probably DRIVE there and
> > PICK IT UP but not until summer BAWWWBAWWWWW
>
> Argh. I know the feeling. There was this post in a.f.c. some time ago
> about this PDP-11 with peripherals sitting in the rain and snow, waiting to
> be dumped. I felt so bad, it's unbelievable. Now, I wouldn't be able to
> maintain a PDP-11. I don't even have the means to get it home -- and that's
> across the Atlantic. But it still felt extremely bad.

Actually I got all involved in this *hobby* when I started working for
Western Electric testing #3 ESS and #4 ESS in - oh 78?? - and had the
PRIVILEDGE of walking by the loading dock on the day the crushing - YES -
Crushing PDP-8's. There must have been 10 of them. It was the last load
of about 50 total. Complete units with tapereaders, neat analog cards and
all. It seems the government had just reversed the write-off laws that
year and I had to be a "Charity Organization" to get any. One guy was just
sitting there with pliers breaking off the card ID's and serial #'s as
proof (or I would have gotten a couple) Talk about Dazed and Confused!
I almost couldn't talk. Of course, they had just replaced all the PDP-8's
with 11's. I managed to squawk out that I WOULD PAY THE TAX DIFFERENCE.
but to no avail. *Red Tape* B.S. (I can't believe I still get so PI$$ED
OFF ABOUT IT!)
Well after that I have managed to save a few items. I still get a kick
out of going to larger building and looking thru the trash 8-) but now
it's all PeeCee stuff and it is garbage.

> > (Such is life - I think I will end mine!)
>
> Nah, just go on collecting. Get as many machines as you can, every
> machine acquired is a machine saved from a fate worse than death (i.e. the
> dump).

You OBVIOUSLY have NOT met my kids 8-)

BC
Received on Tue Apr 08 1997 - 21:36:59 BST