At 07:05 26-01-98 -0600, Brett <danjo_at_xnet.com> wrote:
>
>On Mon, 26 Jan 1998, Wirehead Prime wrote:
>>
>> I think the following says all that need be said about this debate.
>> I received it from Mr. Ismail this evening.
>>
>> Anthony Clifton - Wirehead
>
>Let's get one thing clear here ... Sam is - well - Sam 8-)
>It's not the first time he has - er - bossed people around 8-)
>
>[MONSTER SNIPPAGE] (Been there - done that 8-)
Me too.
>I have always thought Sam's sig. was enough to tell you everything
>you needed to know about him - but let's break it down 8-)
>
>> Sam
>>
>> Computer Historian,
>
>Well - He certainly has quite a few - and seems to know his stuff - but
>a historian does it for the money. A collector does it for love.
Hi Brett,
An historian isn't always in it for the money IMHO. Often professional
historians who work at museums, schools, libraries, etc. get paid towards
the middle to low end of a typical salary range, depending upon the
geographic region (unless those institutions are very well endowed
financially). They are in it for the love of history: the challenge to
learn more, to preserve history (artifacts and lore) and the belief that
they help today's and future observers learn about and understand the past,
whatever that specific subject matter may be. They are enthusiastic about
their work. Then, on the other hand, some historians are known to be "paid
authorities" or whatever and consider it just a job they intend to get paid
for.
An amateur historian, of which most of us reading this probably could
consider themselves and if you may permit me to speak for you, is in it
also for love of history for much of the same reasons as the enthusiastic
paid historians I mentioned above.
A collector could be an historian too, but may be defined as a more
financially broke historian because of, simply, collecting artifacts! 8^)
I fall in the range of being an historian and collector, e.g., I have a
sometimes burning interest to learn more and document a thing or subject
matter if it really piques my interest plus I have a considerable
collection of equipment, mostly early radio receivers (broadcast, military,
commercial), test equipment, parts and documentation. I also have a modest
collection of classic computers with prime interest in the non-home type
machines (for example: DG Nova 1200, IBM 9370, Heath H8 and H11, HP 250/30,
HP 9000 stuff, Teletype equipment, etc., etc.) My paper library takes up a
whole extra bedroom, mostly radio related material.
And yes, Sam, this subject of discussing the term "computer historian" _is_
on topic ;-)
Regards, Chris
-- --
Christian Fandt, Electronic/Electrical Historian
Jamestown, NY USA
Member of Antique Wireless Association
URL:
http://www.ggw.org/freenet/a/awa/
Received on Thu Feb 12 1998 - 15:07:09 GMT