I practically grew up with the surplus market. I've been buying and
selling stuff related to it for nearly 20 years. I'd like to take a moment
and add my own thoughts to the thread.
Bear in mind that said thoughts are the product of late-night ramblings
after a long day. Take them however you please, or ignore them. I won't
mind either way.
I hate to say it, but these days it all comes down to money. Many of the
real 'tinkerers' of years past are gone, and some of those tinkerers, I'm
convinced, ran (or helped to run) surplus stores during earlier (and, IMO,
somewhat happier) times. Now, greed is running rampant, and its not limited
to the surplus field either.
Anyway... back in the 70's and early 80's, deals that most of us would
consider pretty darn good were relatively easy to come by in both computing
and military surplus hardware. It was not at all uncommon for dealers to
help out folks they knew were truly interested, even if it meant selling
something intact for a little less than they might have been able to get if
they scrapped it out.
During the late 80's to now, that mindset seemed to undergo a radical
change. Surplus stuff was, and is, still available, but prices have shot
through the roof in many cases, while the variety of stuff, and the quality
thereof, have declined significantly.
I blame this mainly on two things: The "PC Revolution" and the prevalent
attitudes in our public school system.
1). The "PC Revolution." The advent of PCs did a lot to bring cheap
computing power into the hands of home users. The problem here is that
consumer pressure pushed PCs from well-built reliable systems into cheesy
'commodity' electronics that could be quickly and easily mass-produced.
Such mass production and cheap availability removed much of the incentive
folks once had to learn about basic electronics, digital circuitry, etc.
This means demand for certain types of surplus, such as component parts and
some types of test gear, slacked off.
Why? Because those who might have gotten into the field as a hobby settled
for buying consumer-grade crap off-the-shelf, no matter how cheesily it
might have been built, instead of modifying existing equipment, or building
their own device.
In short: Somewhere along the line, quality, serviceability,
functionality, and longevity became less important than cosmetic appearance
and ease of operation. Surplus places are often choked with equipment that
was never designed to last more than a couple of years.
2). Schools: The labels of 'geek,' 'nerd,' and other such epithets have
been flying around our public school system for decades, along with a
social climate that, for reasons I've still not figured out, seems to
actively discourage curiousity, hands-on engineering skills, and pursuit of
interests in the physical sciences.
Fewer people in the sciences means fewer would-be engineers and
technicians. This also means fewer people who are likely to want to tinker
with anything other than "politically correct" technology (again, PCs,
because they're often plug-and-pray).
Where I'm going with this: Demand for 'commodity' surplus (PC parts)
shoots on past demand for equipment that may be more reliable, or more
rewarding as far as gaining a virtually free technical education goes, but
that actually requires some degree of technical skill to repair or use.
I believe these attitudes have spawned a new generation of surplus dealers
who, in many cases, know darn little about what they may have except how
much they can make off it if they scrap it, or sell the parts to another
reseller. Greed is, unfortunately, running rampant, and many good machines
have suffered, and likely will continue to suffer, as a result.
The best possible thing I think we can all do is keep rescuing what you
can. Keep educating those who are curious about what you do, why you do it,
and why those who are curious should be interested in tech history. If you
meet up with someone who shows interest in the field, point them in a good
direction to develop it!
The worst possible thing I think any of us can do is alienate the very
people who have access to "classic" equipment, and the power to decide
what's done with it. This includes spewing vitriol at dealers via E-mail or
in person, or treating what any of us might consider a "dumb" question from
a curious youngster or adult as just that. As has been said before, "The
only truly stupid question is the one that you keep to yourself."
There are, and will always be, exceptions. The fellow who brought out a
perfectly usable piece of gear, only to beat it to bits with a sledgehammer
in front of the buyer, should be shown no mercy whatsoever. There's just no
excuse for wanton destruction or waste in the name of spite. People who
show little interest in a system other than "Can it run Windows?" may be
beyond help.
HOWEVER... I would not be sitting here now and typing this had it not been
for several very wise and patient people who inspired me to pursue
electronics as both a hobby and career. If I can, within my lifetime,
inspire even one other person to follow a similar course, and to fight back
against peer pressure, I'll be a happy camper.
Keep the peace(es).
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Bruce Lane, Owner and head honcho, Blue Feather Technologies
http://www.bluefeathertech.com // E-mail: kyrrin_at_bluefeathertech.com
Amateur Radio: WD6EOS since Dec. '77
"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 Sun Aug 22 1999 - 02:55:27 BST