How to reach more classic computer users?

From: Aaron Christopher Finney <af-list_at_wfi-inc.com>
Date: Sat Oct 16 11:22:48 1999

Speaking for myself only, of course...

I generally identify the source of my major obstacles in the classic
computer enthusiast world as being my age. I enjoy reading the harrowing
tales of field service techs here (in fact I've archived them...), the
little anecdotes from people involved in os/system design on the PDP's,
etc. But it's hard for me to fully relate, since my first "real" computer
was an Atari, and I was 11 years old. To be honest, the "old salty" group
that has been the friendliest and most willing to share their wealth of
knowledge has been the HP3000 crowd...which is nice because information
on the classic 3K systems is almost *nonexistant* on the web.

Which brings me on to the subject at hand. I'm sure there are others like
me, who have almost no word-of-mouth contact with systems. I'm pretty much
on my own, relying on the few books I can afford (_at_%#! speculators...) and
the willingness of the experienced members of online groups, like this
list, to put up with my inexperience and my ignorant questions to help out
where I'd otherwise not know where to start.

Here's how I find anything for classic computers:
------------------------------------------------
Look on 5 or 6 different search engines.

Search Dejanews.

Post questions to this list and/or appropriate mailing lists/newsgroups.

Look on eBay/Haggle/etc for possible books.

Besides the web, mailing lists and newsgroups, events like the VCF are
great. And perhaps people on this list who frequent swapmeets which are
frequented by other classic computer enthusiasts would be willing to have
a little stack of flyers sitting on a corner of their table. I keep every
scrap of info that passes over my gills archived and indexed, since I view
whatever I manage to extract as invaluable, and I constantly surprise
people I meet who are using classic systems by telling them that there is
free software/os/pc utilities/etc available on the internet for their
systems.

Early morning rambling, still jittery after my bookshelves fell down from
the earthquake last night...


Aaron
Received on Sat Oct 16 1999 - 11:22:48 BST