Osborne 1 prices (was: On Generations of People and Computers )

From: Sam Ismail <dastar_at_crl.com>
Date: Mon Apr 21 21:05:05 1997

On Mon, 21 Apr 1997, Bill Whitson wrote:

> Fun article ;)
>
> I'm just curious - have any of you (with the possible exception of the
> apple I) ever seen anyone selling these models at these prices much less
> purchased one for so much? Do any of these warrant such a price for
> you? $400 for an Apple II? $300 for an Osborne? I bought an Apple II+
> with 3 Disk IIs, color monitor, and box of accessories for $50 -
> in 1988!

Yeah, but that's the ][+, which are easier to find than the ][. I've
heard some people mention that the ][ is harder to find, and so far I
believe them because I've hardly ever seen one advertised. A guy at my
work is supposed to give me his, which he says is a ][, but he's not
always all there, so it could just be a ][+. But I would say a ][ is
probably worth about $100 with some accessories, like a disk drive and
monitor and the language card.

> I get nervous when journalists start quoting prices on old computers.
> There are still a number of machines I want in my collection - but
> only if I can continue to find them for $5. Maybe I'm just nuts ;).

I don't think you're nuts. I think the idiots who paid the prices that
the journalist quoted are nuts. Or perhaps the journalist himself is a
dope. You know how these stupid reporters always get their facts screwed
up. But I agree with you. Its great going out and picking up systems
for $5-$20 a pop. I would just give up if I had to pay $50, $100, $200
and up for what really does amount to "junk" (although wonderful,
beautiful, sometimes bring a tear to your eye junk).

I don't know if anyone else here uses auction web, but its both a blessing
and a curse. Its a blessing because a lot of people sell off their good
old computer stuff there, and it usually is working stuff. Its a curse
because then people who a lot of times don't realize what they're bidding
on (Sure *I* know a commodore 64 is practically worthless, but not other
morons) run the price up to ridiculous levels. I've seen commodore 64s go
for $20 and up with some accessories such as disk drives. I've seen atari
2600 carts go for $10 EACH for some "rarer" ones. In a lot of cases with
the carts, some dolt runs it up just because he never heard of it or had
it when he was a kid, so he thinks its rare and decides $10 is a good
price, whereas I would've had it for $2-$3 if it wasn't for him. BAH!

That's why I'd rather just spend a weekend at a flea market. Its funner
to come across stuff sitting in a pile of junk and then haggling the
seller down until he breaks. Then going home and finding out the stuff
works, and it was a good day.

Sam
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Computer Historian, Programmer, Musician, Philosopher, Athlete, Writer, Jackass
Received on Mon Apr 21 1997 - 21:05:05 BST