Legitimacy of the Ten Year Rule.

From: Buck Savage <hhacker_at_gte.net>
Date: Sun Jan 24 19:01:23 1999

Since the subject has gained so much discussion, I shall take the suggestion
and
produce the guide. Such an endeavor takes time, so don't expect a release
too
soon. Nevertheless, I am now open to taking first orders. :) :)
:)

As for the rule itself, I agree that ten years after last manufacture
implies classic
status - that is, the item is an antique. However, that requirement of time
is not
necessarily the most prudent for some items. In some cases, classic status
might
be applied to an item available only two or three years ago. Such cases
might be
rare but, justified by the circumstances.

I suggest also that classic status might be conferred upon a measure of the
relative
throughput of the computing instrument at hand. That is, when the device
performs
at a rate of two percent or less than the performance of minimal systems
sold in
the marketplace (at the time of the comparison), then such a system can be
termed
a classic.

William R. Buckley
Received on Sun Jan 24 1999 - 19:01:23 GMT