Why?

From: Sam Ismail <dastar_at_crl.com>
Date: Sat Jun 21 00:59:12 1997

On Sat, 21 Jun 1997, e.tedeschi wrote:

> What's wrong with this (virtual) "group" ???

Uh, nothing.

> Of all the collecting groups I belong to, this is the only one where my
> (and I suppose other's) public (and private) requests for help have been
> ignored and (worse) I suspect even opposed.

Enrico, I sincerely think you concerns are self-conceived. In other
words, I don't think your requests have been ignored or opposed. If you
feel ignored, it is probably because nobody has an answer for your
question. I know how you feel. I get the same way sometimes and I know
how frustrating it can be. However, I think this is the only discussion
group I know of where I can ALWAYS get an answer for my questions
relating to classic computers. Hands down, there is no better resource.
As far as being opposed, any such messages you may have read opposing
your requests were probably taken the wrong way, and the author perhaps
intended it to be funny and not an insult to you.

> Is there something I don't know? If this the case I would like to know.
> Thank you.

We're all as lost as you are.

> Also your caper to insist on having ALL the items in the collection in
> working condition is, in my opinion, unique to this group. I can
> understand (and share) the motivation but surely we (I?) collect for the
> design point of view and for the historical importance. Don't we? Or am
> I in the wrong group anyway?

While it is definitely nicer to have a working system, I'll take the
broken ones too, but only if it is something truly rare. I have been
lucky in that about 96% of everything I have ever gotten has worked. The
fun in collecting is restoring the systems to working condition if they
are broken. Its always nicer to have a piece of history that still
operates the way it did 10 or 20 years ago. And it's always nicer to be
able to actually boot-up an old system and play with it, rather than look
at it.

> Sorry for the frankness but I thought I'd get this one out of my chest
> before it gets even worse (I am still owed at least 5 replies to my
> messages) in that I will be banned from this mailing list. Hope not.

No such thing, Enrico. We like you. Stick around. One of us ignorant
fools will have an answer to one of your questions one of these days. :)


Sam
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Computer Historian, Programmer, Musician, Philosopher, Athlete, Writer, Jackass
Received on Sat Jun 21 1997 - 00:59:12 BST