Enrico,
You're absolutely, terribly correct. In our benighted shortsightedness
we have been ignoring the core, the soul, nay, the very existentialism
of the historical man-machine interface and the personal hygiene of Gary
Kildall. These bits of metal and plastic have become a zen-like cyborg
interface which has allowed us to ignore the realities of our Jungian
existance. Those among us who have perused and then obviously ignored
the message of the volume of our times, Gibson & Sterling's _The
Difference Engine_, and shall surely rotate on the firey rotissery of
Dante's twenty-ninth buglia of the pit, which of course is reserved for
those who have committed the terrible sin of coveting thy neighbor's
Imsai. How can we claim to discuss the so-called 'collecting' of
so-called 'classic' computers when our hypocritical censorious
self-righteousness has made us purblind to the fact that 'collect' also
purtains to a short prayer comprising an invocation, petition, and
conclusion! And 'classic' from the Roman 'classicus' identifies us as
citizens of the first rank, who should know better! What this obviously
boils down to is the age old conflict of materiality and the health of
the soul cleaved by the sword of societal amiguity. In an awful orgy of
idolitry we have in a very real and illusive sense integrated these
actual bits of, as you put it, metal and plastic into our flesh itself,
becoming no more than Waldos while Charles Babbage's heart is ripped
from his chest by ravens dark as toner, eight claws upon each talon.
Kai
> ----------
> From: e.tedeschi
> Reply To: classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu
> Sent: Thursday, July 10, 1997 1:07 AM
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
> Subject: Re: farewell
>
> Bill Whitson wrote:
> >
> > Hi Jim.
> >
> > > I agreed with the new rules until the bit where nobody can say
> they disagree.
> > > That, and I really don't have time to read the volume coming from
> this list.
> > > Farewell all, then. If you have questions about apple2 GSs or
> Tiger Learning
> > > Computers, please feel free to e-mail me personally
> >
> > Sorry you feel this way. The point wasn't really to prevent you
> from
> > disagreeing - it was to prevent a flood of responses which might
> have
> > bogged down the list for days. The whole idea of the new rules was
> to
> > curb the absolute flood of unsubs that have resulted for the most
> part
> > due to the constant bickering. We dropped from over 220 members to
> 160
> > over the last month. I'm sorry to see you go.
> >
> > > Bill, please unsubscribe me.
> >
> > OK.
> >
> > Bill
>
> On the contrary, I think that people are unsubscribing because in this
>
> mailing list about collecting Classic icons there is NOT ENOUGH
> discussion about the history of the computing boom and the hows and
> whys
> that led to it. To just limit the discussion to the mere hardware is
> narrow minded and shows the kind of attitude which leads to consider
> "the other" (the one which begs to differ) as an enemy or at least as
> an
> intruder. The "dont' bother us as we know what we should be talking
> about" attitude might be legal and understandable but is it wise?
>
> As already said here several times, computers are bits of metal and
> plastic. They are important for the sentiments and the feelings they
> managed to raise in each and everybody (and soul) of us. You keep your
>
> hardware (and I will keep mine so that I can leave it to future
> generations) but I will keep my principles and if this will mean I
> will
> have to do without you, then (I will be sorry but) be it.
>
> enrico
> --
> ================================================================
> Enrico Tedeschi, 54, Easthill Drive, BRIGHTON BN41 2FD, U.K.
> tel/fax +(0)1273 701650 (24 hours) or 0850 104725 mobile
> website <http://www.ndirect.co.uk/~e.tedeschi>
> ================================================================
> visit Brighton: <http://www.brighton.co.uk/tourist/welcome.htm>
>
>
Received on Thu Jul 10 1997 - 12:17:03 BST