Legitimacy of the Ten Year Rule.

From: Bill Yakowenko <yakowenk_at_cs.unc.edu>
Date: Tue Jan 26 23:15:58 1999

On Sun, 24 Jan 1999, allisonp_at_world.std.com (Allison J Parent) wrote:

] <5. The ten year rule should apply to the date when a thing dropped off
] < in popularity; if it was still in common use eight years ago, it is
] < not yet classic. (Justification: if it is still in common use,
] < there will be other places to discuss it.)
]
] Humm. This one is tough. We talk about VAXen and the MicroVAX is only
] about 14-15 years old and some models do persist but they are uniquly
] new compared to others. Example, we wouldn't be talking about 6xxx series
] as the oldest ones are early 90s. However BA123 based Microvaxen
] introduced in the 80s were still made in the early 90s and are able to
] run current version of the OS. They are old enough to be of interest.

First, are you telling me that Vaxen haven't dropped off in popularity
yet? Sure, some are still in use. But then, so are some valve-radios
(by collectors). Being in use isn't a problem; being in *common* use,
still being at the peak of popularity; *that* is what I would like to
avoid on this list. This list is (for me) a refuge from the marketing
crap that I get every day about current products.

So, I agree that Vaxen are classic, because they are well past their
prime. If some model of that peaked within the last ten years though,
it isn't classic yet. (Not that I'd mind so much, either. I'm just
arguing that it would be mildly off topic.)



] Another example is the DECMATE-III sold up to the early 90s but they are
] related too. Why, they run OS/278 and WPS both legacy software.

Yeah, and my Pentium runs CoCo software (via an emulator). And Pentia
are related to the 8080, so they have exactly the same two claims to
classichood. So lets talk about Pentia!

Not.

If they peaked in the early 90's, they are not yet classic. We can
argue about how far off-topic they are, but it is more than zero.
(x86 lose big here because they have not yet passed their peak.)


] The keys are OLDness, UNIQUEness and desireability. I'm sure there are
] technical aspects that would qualify like machines with unusual word
] length or the like but, they should be 80s or earlier in introduction
] or common use.
]
] So long as it's related to the collecting, preserving and discussion
] centered around older machines there is little conflict.

Agreed. Little off-topic == little conflict.


] Just my small cash investment in opinion.

Thanks for voting. "Vote early, vote often."

        Cheers,
        Bill.
Received on Tue Jan 26 1999 - 23:15:58 GMT