They sure store better in the house than classic cars <g>
Bruce Lane wrote:
> For my part, it's for multiple reasons.
>
> 1). I have a very healthy respect, and deep affection, for many of the
> early minicomputers because they're built so much better than almost
> anything the PC world has turned out. That, and most of them were designed
> to be field-repairable from the ground up. I grew up with many of the late
> 70's/early 80's DEC systems, and I very much enjoy working on them.
>
> 2). Since NetBSD is readily available, I also enjoy the opportunity to
> actually put some of these systems into actual production. Example: One of
> my DECServers is probably going to become our mail/web server once I get a
> permanent Internet connection established. There's something about being
> able to point to a running box, and being able to tell a visitor "No,
> that's not a PC and Billy-boy Gates had absolutely nothing to do with its
> operating system" that is most satisfying.
>
> 3). I hate waste. I'm a pack rat. If I do sell or trade any equipment, I
> will have taken darn good care of it and at least tried to make sure it
> works before it goes out the door. You want an example of companies that
> are far more wasteful of electronic and computer hardware than they want
> the world to think, have a look at both Boeing and Motorola's Comm Sector.
>
> In all fairness, Boeing, at least, maintains an active surplus store. Yes,
> 95% of the non-PC stuff gets lot-sold to wholesalers, as does most of the
> test gear, but at least it finds a home.
>
> Motorola is not so kind. Any surplus radio or test gear that comes in from
> the field is crushed and recycled for scrap, no matter if it's brand new or
> was fractured in an accident of some sort. No Motorola employee(s) that I
> know of were ever given the opportunity to give any of it a good home.
>
> For types of surplus that are not generally available in Washington state,
> I make an annual scrounging trip to the Bay Area (my former home). I've yet
> to be disappointed with such trips. Heck, the first one I did back in 1994
> netted me a Data I/O UniSite programming system.
>
> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
> Bruce Lane, Owner and head honcho, Blue Feather Technologies
> (Hamateur: WD6EOS) (E-mail: kyrrin_at_jps.net) (Web:
> http://table.jps.net/~kyrrin)
> SysOp: The Dragon's Cave (Fido 1:343/272, 253-639-9905)
> "Our science can only describe an object, event, or living thing in our own
> human terms. It cannot, in any way, define any of them..."
Received on Sat Oct 24 1998 - 12:09:29 BST