imsal 2

From: Richard Erlacher <edick_at_idcomm.com>
Date: Thu Aug 19 14:40:31 1999

What are the chances that a "collector," that being a personality type
rather than just a person who saves old stuff, would go for one of these
largely phony (except the front panel) IMSAI-2 as a collectible? I'd have
trouble swallowing that anyone could be taken in to that extent. You won't
have much trouble convincing me that there are lots of people out there
who'd pay $1k for what is essentially a reproduction, no matter how
authentic in places and inauthentic in others. The motto to which many
people live is "appearance over substance" and that would certainly apply
here.

OTOH, it's hard to be discriminating where ALTAIR and IMSAI are concerned.
I'm not even sure whether either of them produced a truly complete and
functional board set.

If a system is going to be viewed as authentic, then it has to be more than
just housed in an authentic box. If it has a Tarbell FDC, then it's not an
IMSAI in the true sense of the word. Now, if IMSAI didn't ever make an FDC,
then there's room for debate. It's the same way with ALTAIR. If you want
to claim you have an ALTAIR computer running in your basement then what's
down there had best be ALTAIR stuff, not just an ALTAIR CPU in a Morrow box
with a CCS FDC and a COMPUPRO serial board.

If you have an Integrand box, I guess you can call your computer an
Integrand no matter what's in it, since they only made the boxes, right?

I think that's the mentality that drives the eBay prices up. If you have a
VERY pretty Daimler Benz hood ornament, with Chevrolet wheels, a Ford
engine, a BMW emblem on the rear bonnet of a Corvair, with a Corvette
steering wheel, what do you call your car (not that those parts would play
together) ? For the collector, it's VERY important that all the parts fit,
not just essentially, but exactly. That means that if IMSAI made one
(whatever that might be), your system isn't complete without it.

If you restore your '57 Chevy with parts carefully sought out at the
junkyards within a 1000 mile radius of your home, and with "real" parts and
real lead in the body work, and original upholstery, etc, it's not the same
as the one built from whatever after-market parts you could find. It may
look good, but it isn't "real" is it?

Dick



-----Original Message-----
From: Sellam Ismail <dastar_at_ncal.verio.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu>
Date: Thursday, August 19, 1999 12:01 PM
Subject: Re: imsal 2


>On Thu, 19 Aug 1999, Jeffrey l Kaneko wrote:
>
>> Well, I've always thought that this guy who's building these has been
>> spending *way* too much time on e-bay. I think he's counting on selling
>> to the same idiots who pay $500 for a 'signature' Mac 128.
>
>And you know what? He probably will.
>
>> I dunno, your price breakdown sounds alright to me. Mebbe he figured
>> that these are 'hand crafted' hence have some kinda snob appeal.
>
>If I had $995 to blow (like I just robbed a bank) I'd get one.
>
>> Ah yes, as I suspected, you're way too smart to be drawn into this
>> 'Techno chic' marketing shtick. That's all it is: chic. This guy's
>> just trying to 'make hay while the sun shines'.
>
>Hey, that's c{r}apitalism.
>
>> I'm convinced that the IMSAI-2 is a product designed and marketed
>> expressly for the purpose of becomming a 'Hot Collectable'. I'm
>
>You got it.
>
>> confident in a couple of years you'll see E-Bay ads like this:
>>
>> RARE! IMSAI-2 Chassis, Complete! One of only 24 Made! L_at__at_K!
>
>And you know what? It will be the first "RARE" label on an e-bay ad that
>will be truthful.
>
>Sellam Alternate e-mail:
dastar_at_siconic.com
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
>Don't rub the lamp if you don't want the genie to come out.
>
>             Coming this October 2-3: Vintage Computer Festival 3.0!
>                   See http://www.vintage.org/vcf for details!
>                        [Last web site update: 08/17/99]
>
Received on Thu Aug 19 1999 - 14:40:31 BST

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