Where does the software go?

From: Captain Napalm <spc_at_armigeron.com>
Date: Mon Mar 17 09:42:34 1997

It was thus said that the Great Larry Anderson & Diane Hare once stated:
>
> My wife another collector of things (other then computers) also is an
> advocate to act as ignorant as you can when buying a real find, If you
> see an MITS Altair, don't go and snatch it up and rush for the register,
> pick it up and look at it scratch your head, wander around a bit
> carrying it (check out the other computers or whatever against it), and
> don't act as if is the 'holy grail' of your collection that it really
> is. (this is VERYimportant at flea markets where prices aren't on the
> stuff.)
 
  I attended a very disapointed auction this Saturday. Disapointing not
because of the selection (hundreds of computers) but because of the way it
was held and because of Bidder #431 (and his partner, #51), who ended up
with the majority of the auction.

  The auction was held at FAU (Florida Atlantic University) in Boca Raton
(right across the street from IBM - lots of PCs available). Unfortunately,
you had computers in one section, monitors in another, and keyboards in a
third. There were complete systems, but they were in the minority than
majority.

  Dozens of Apple ][s, about four Apple ][c (only two ][c monitors, #431 got
ALL the Apples), possibly three or four dozen Macs (mostly SEs and Classics)
and almost 20 HP workstations (what I was after). Several large VAXen and
an IBM Series 1.

  Of course, I didn't get the HPs, as #431 (and his partner) got them. I
seriously doubt that he even knew (not that he cared really - he seems
overly bored by the whole auction) what he got - proprietary hardware that
really only runs Unix (not that they would even boot - the system disks were
wiped before the CSE [1] department had them carted off), their monitors,
which are large fixed frequency and only usable on the HPs, and their
keyboards. When asked about them, they both said not to talk to them that
day, but call them later, when they figure out what they have (and charge an
arm and a leg for them no doubt). Okay, so I'm bitter 8-/

  I may have also damaged my chances at buying the stuff from him cheaply as
I went as high as $200 for the HP units (the computers themselves, not
including the monitors (sold in a different lot) and keyboards (another lot,
mixed in with keyboards from PCs, Mac, terminals and whatnot). Sigh.

  Be wary of auctions.

> Another idea is to say something like 'what is it?' or 'can I hook
> this up to my 386?', 'can it run Lotus?' 'can this get me on the
> information-highway?' to prove that you know little about computers and
> also hopefully devalue it when he/she says 'no' or 'I don't know' (this
> may backfire if they think you are a real rube and try to play on your
> ignorance.) Make a real-low offer and say you'll take your chances. If
> they are somewhat sales-savvy you may have haggle up to a still low
> price. :-)

  I did get a Digital VT320 (or VT330) terminal from one guy (the keyboard
was in another lot - that guy gave me the keyboard!). I told him I was
interested in the terminal, I'll give you $15. He said $20. I told him
there wasn't a keyboard with it. He said pick a keyboard and take the
terminal for $20. So I got two VT320 keyboards (from the other guy) for
free, one IBM PC keyboard (the only maker of decent keyboards IMHO) and a
terminal for $20. I also bought another IBM PCAT keyboard for $5.

  From another guy I got (for $20):

        Wyse terminal (sans keyboard)
        IBM PC (original)
        IBM PCXT (original)
        2 286 clones (one with a general purpose I/O board!)
        386 clone (Zenith - with a strange controller card)
        IBM EGA monitor
        7 Mono/CGA monitors, some from IBM

  All seem in working order (haven't actually tested them yet, but the PCs
look fine). The keyboards, the terminals, the EGA monitor and the 386 I'm
keeping, but if anyone is interested in the other equipment, I'll be willing
to sell them (like I need another 8 monitors 8-)

  -spc (I'm calling #431 later today about the HPs ... )

[1] Computer Science and Engineering
Received on Mon Mar 17 1997 - 09:42:34 GMT