One from the 'believe it or not' file...
Tony Duell wrote:
> >I know what _I'd_ do. I'd power it up (after checking the PSU, etc),
> >install the software, and enjoy it. You see, I collect computers because I
> >enjoy using them, hacking them, figuring out how they work, programming
> >them, interfacing them, etc. A computer which doesn't work (or which for
> >whatever reason is never given the chance to work) is of no interest to
> >me. Of course repairing computers is a major interest of mine, so
> >non-working machines don't stay that way.
> I have a non-working machine.... I like repairing, too... but I don't have the
> parts to do so... can anyone ship an 8088 (For the ever-so-popular XT... my
> personal favorite, as it holds the charastics of a modern PC aimed at the
> average-Joe market)... processor only... I _might_ need a graphics board, I've
> heard from Riccardo (He told me about the list) that they're integrated with
> the parrall printer port... the CRT was also broken... having that sent in for
> repairs to a guy I trust (I don't trust myself w/monitors)... I'd thought about
> calling IBM tech support... giving them a BIG laugh... say that It's only
> 1986.. .them saying that it's late '97....
> >I'd probably also unpack the disks (although as others have said, getting
> >a copy from a friend with the same machine is also an option), read the
> >manuals, etc
> I would possibly make a photocopy of the manuals and read the copies, as you
> might be concerned enough (I wouldn't care) to keep them in good shape....
> >I remember that at the HP calculator conference 5 years ago I bought an
> >HP71 service manual. Now, this manual is not common, and it came in the
> >original shrink-wrap. Having got it, I ripped off said shrink-wrap, opened
> >the manual, and started reading. You see, I didn't buy the manual as an
> >example of HP shrink-wrap. I bought it to learn about the HP71. And that's
> >something you can only do when you've opened the manual.
> EXACTLY!!!! There are people who collect baseball cards (Somehthing which
> I DO NOT do) and leave them in the packaging.... they don't even know what
> cards are inside.... for all they know, the information could lead them to
> develop a new game.... or something... you neve know! I don't want crates of
> unused things.... they never get shown, used, I'm in it for the FUN of using
> computers... OSes, old drives, seeing old technologies... stuff like that...
Received on Mon Nov 17 1997 - 10:38:09 GMT
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: Fri Oct 10 2014 - 23:30:35 BST