Sickness (was: A moment of silence, please)

From: Mark W Kuefel <kuefel_at_sky.net>
Date: Wed Aug 13 07:49:39 1997

James Willing wrote:
>
> (on a little lighter note...)
>
> On Tue, 12 Aug 1997, Carl R. Friend wrote:
>
> > ...the PDP-8/I I just acquired filled half of the rear of my
> > minivan (the other half had an Interdata Model 4 in it) - a bit
> > too large for the average yuppie. You've got to be pretty sick to
> > collect things the size of refrigerators (yes, I know, I fit the bill).
>
> Well, if size is any indication then I'm well into the 'sickness' too!
> (8/i, 8/e, 11/40, 11/70, 11/780, 11/750 among others) And quite happy to
> be there!
>
sick, sick, sick, sick, sick...
But wait!

> The problem I see with this view, is that it does not fully take into
> consideration the class/capabilities/intent of "people" who are throwing
> these outlandish amounts of money around!
>
even sicker...

> Are *you* prepared to pay $500US for an Osborne or a TI99-4a ???
>
Not quite THAT sick...

> I ALWAYS haggle a deal, no matter how mundane. In
> this way I serve two useful purposes: 1) I keep people from trying to
> command high prices for old computers, 2) I conserve my money so that I
> am able to buy up as many computers as possible. The other day I haggled
> over a quarter for god's sake! (Relative to the total cost of what I was
> buying it was 25%, but still, it was just a damn quarter! In the end
> somebody came along and gave the seller a quarter for me! Ok, call me
> cheap, but sometimes I just get caught up in the fever.)
>
> So anyway, ALWAYS negotiate with the seller. In the end, everyone wins,
> especially YOU!
>
> Sam
You're a tough negotiator, Sam. I can see there's nothing to be gained
butting heads with you except maybe a sore noggin. I'll go ahead and
eat 25% (I've had worse things in my mouth). The TI's yours for
$375.

> In time, if this hobby becomes another speculator's attraction, these
> boards will start to take on monetary value. As of now, the only real
> value would be to those who need these boards to make a working system.
> Other than that, most of us are just collecting them for the
> preservational value, ie. the value inherent in preserving any bit of
> history so that we may better understand our past when it is long forgotten.
>
> Sam
delusional...
No, I shouldn't say that as it would be unwise to spectulate on the
motivations of a man known to fight a crowd of panhandlers and street
drunks over a dropped quarter. Knowing how these things get exaggerated
over
the web, I discounted the rumors about you killing two of them in the
process. (You didn't really, did you?)

>James Willing observed:
> The 'speculators' who are out to try to make a quick buck on these
> machines while having no regard for their preservation or history will
> only make life much more difficult (and expensive) for those who would
> preserve both the machine and its history.
highly romanticized...

May I look through your rose colored glasses for a spell? (assuming you
have a sense of humor and lack a history of violence ;-)
Gee I thought I was clear on my motivations for "collecting" all these
______________ (fill in the blank, start with "computers"). An
obsessive/
compulsive hoarding neurosis with anal retentive overtones. "Can you
believe anyone would acutally throw one of these (display nonfuctional,
partially disassembled "treasure" to all) babies in the TRASH! Whoa!
This must be my LUCKY DAY!" I like to think I've expanded on the mere
"fixation" aspect with elaborate regressive fantasies to enhance my
little
trips down memory lane. "A Micro VAX? I "always" wanted a Micro VAX.
And it's FREE? I want one. I want two. I GOTTA have it!. <Tantrum>
And I really do want one. God only knows what I would do with it.
Must have read a few too many DEC sales promos on the overnights I spent
camping out in the machine room with Field Service while they sacrificed
chickens over the 2060. I knew I should have grabbed the 11/750 when my
old boss offered it. Would have had PLENTY of room if my (ex)wife
had the imaginination to see past "weird" and appreciate the bohemian
uniqness and "style" exhibited by sleeping on a matress atop the system
box and drive units!

Yes, it's definitely a "toy" thing with me. Will one of you historians
please note that in the record?


And now for the POINT. I'll bet you didn't think I had one, did you?

> Any such speculators are complete fools. Believe me, I've met
> many of them! Most of them don't know a serial console from a
> memory-mapped video display!
>
> Tim. (shoppa_at_triumf.ca)

I think we can all agree that lamers like these don't DESERVE fine
examples of classic computers as the historical value these units
is just wasted on such cretans. They probably don't know how to
play with the damn thing either. Though you may disagree with
the morality involved, I hope you can see why I'm drawn to give myself
up to a higher calling and become:

Mark W Kuefel
Classic Computer Thief for Hire
Discrection Assured
Discount Rates for Classic Computer List Members

Like Robin Hood, takes from the lame, gives to the insane.

> Of course, then there is Paul Pierce who can quite easily embarrass most
> of us with a single piece of his collection (based on mass/volume)
>
> -jim

Well, we'll see after I've had the chance to make a few midnight
"visits"
to a machine room or two ;-)

Mark W Kuefel
kuefel_at_sky.net
and THE COLISEUM SLAVE (Netwrecker II)

Anyone "ordering" minis or mainframes must select from a "display" site
that has a loading dock and forklift available. (I've never seen a
picture
of Robin Hood wearing a hernia belt, have you?)
Received on Wed Aug 13 1997 - 07:49:39 BST