PAM computer, Convergent?

From: Jeff Kaneko <jeff.kaneko_at_ifrsys.com>
Date: Mon Jul 14 17:31:43 1997

Frank McConnell Wrote:
>
> This has a side effect, too: some of the surplus dealers have a bad
> attitude toward walk-ins. They know you're not likely a moneymaker,
> so they are apt to blow off simple questions like "got any more of
> these?" I got this from the guys at Sharon Industries in San Jose one
> day a few months ago -- I had wandered in to pick up one or two dinky
> Unisys PCs that I had seen there and thought would make nice little
> routers if configured with a small hard disk. The place was messier
> than usual -- maybe they were reorganizing or maybe they were trying
> to look like Mike Quinn's, I dunno; they certainly hadn't bothered to
> close the door or hang a sign up ("closed for remodeling"?). The
> display was still out, though, so I inquired. First he was asking me
> if I wanted them today, and when I said "yeah, I could take one or two
> today" (thinking I should leave the door open for him to say "I can't
> get to them right now, how about tomorrow?") he changed his tune to
> "oh, I sold 'em all to Halted." The thought that crossed my mind was:
> except the one you keep on the shelf for people to look at, right? I
> haven't been back -- maybe I am a pain in the hindquarters but I
> really prefer dealing with folks I think are capable of being honest.
>

Awww, man. This reminds me of a electronic junk dealer I used to
go to in L.A.: Space Age Metals. Just the name makes me wanna
cringe: barrels and barrels of aluminum turnings, next to bits of
mini's, mainframes, and god-knows-what else. To show any interest at
all in something was sheer death: Before you showed up it was SCRAP
($.01 - .05 /lb, max) but if they think you want it because it is
some *really scarce* piece of hardware, allova sudden its "Well, that
system sold for 'that much' at <insert name of defunct company here>
auction".

Oy. I had a really hard time appearing to be *greatly* disinterested
in stuff (as a forklifts were spearing and hefting S-100 and multibus
cardcages in a rather unconcerned and offhanded way).


What a life. This hobby can give you a headache, soemtimes.

Jeff
Received on Mon Jul 14 1997 - 17:31:43 BST