pieces of metal and plastic

From: PG Manney <manney_at_nwohio.nwohio.com>
Date: Tue Jun 24 22:03:23 1997

Why do I play with old computers?

I love collecting oddball stuff, just to consider what people could do...in
what directions the industry could have gone. I play with old software
(Visicalc, Concurrent DOS, and others) and trace their influences on
today's WINtel products...and you know? as clunky as those old programs
are, today's software is a direct descendant of many classic programs.

I'm a trivia freak, and computer trivia's fun. Old computers are great
trivia. (here's a good one for everyone...does anyone remember "synthetic
programming"? Explanation on request.)

I recondition old PC's, because -- then -- it puts an *affordable* PC into
someone's hands. Unused machinery distresses me. Good machinery trashed
makes me really ill. Why do we (USA) throw so much away?

I loved computers from my first programmable calculator (1978...a TI-58). I
lusted after many higher-priced units of the day. I can satisfy my ex-lusts
now for -- sometimes -- a few bucks.

I see the earlier stuff I have on the shelf increasing in value. Hey I'm
not in business for my health!

And...so you watch TV in the evening. Well, I hate TV and don't watch it.
Does that make it bad? I read old issues of Punch Magazine, sci-fi and play
with old machines. We all should have *something* different to do, or else
we'd be alike, and who would I talk to, to keep me interested?
Received on Tue Jun 24 1997 - 22:03:23 BST