collectors vs. enthusiasts

From: Eric Smith <eric_at_brouhaha.com>
Date: Wed Oct 13 11:10:49 1999

> It's crazy. I can't believe what they are paying on EBay for less than
> *incomplete* systems. I could see $1400 with drives, running, tested,
> manuals, etc... but a shell??????

<rant>
That's because eBay is where "collectors" hang out. Not people like us,
for whom collector is an insufficient/inaccurate term.

It's like the difference between coin or stamp collectors and classic
car enthusiasts. A coin or stamp collector gets the coin or stamp he's
been drooling over, puts it in a book or in a display on his wall,
checks it off a list, and he's done. Since coins and stamps don't "do"
anything, that's fine.

But a classic car enthusiast maintains classic cars in working order (or
at least attempts to do so), and drives them now and then. They're not
just a checklist item.

A seemingly large percentage of the computer "collectors" on eBay are
just people who see collecting computers exactly like collecting coins.
They don't give a shit whether the thing works, as long as it looks cool
and will impress their friends. Hell, if they got a PDP-8 that did
work, they wouldn't know what to do with it aside from destroying the
core planes to make wall hangings.

That's why I personally will try never to sell any truly rare items on
eBay. I'd rather make sure that they go to a good home, rather than be
obligated to sell to one of these collector" assholes, just because he
had deep pockets.
</rant>

Eric
Received on Wed Oct 13 1999 - 11:10:49 BST