Announcing... Rent a wreck

From: Chuck McManis <cmcmanis_at_mcmanis.com>
Date: Wed Jul 26 14:43:48 2000

> > *There*'s one I'd consider renting. The shipping would be a killer.


Of course what we've missed is that the cost of shipping of _us_ is
relatively constant.

Further, even if I was in a position to have a really interesting computer
shipped to me as the next "hop", that wouldn't guarantee that I would get
any time at all to use it since about a million projects call out to me
from my garage every day. Finally, shipping it again and again will
continually put it at risk of damage or loss.

The answer then suggests itself, what we need is "Classic Computer Camp."

We find some very cheap land somewhere that has relatively easy air access
(somewhere in New Mexico perhaps) and we build a camp. At the camp we have
a bunch of buildings with computers in them and a dorm. Enthusiasts from
all over the world can fly to the camp, and for a modest fee, spend as much
time as they can afford tinkering with all kinds of classic computers. If
it was a self sustaining operation I'd suggest we convince Tony to relocate
to be in charge of the camp, that way he could be employed at a job where
all day all he had to do was tinker with and fix old computers and talk to
people about how they worked while they tinkered with them and fixed them.

This solves a number of problems:
         1) Cost effective storage (since you can get 50 acres in New
Mexico for $25,000 easy)
         2) People get to play with the computers, they don't have to deal
with the outside world.
         3) The assortment could be much larger (even "big" iron!)
         4) We enough lead time it would be cost effective to travel there.

I suspect several people would be more than happy to contribute large
numbers of computers to this effort.

It has the flavor of what Sellam envisions for the VTC/RC but on cheap land
and with a 'destination' aspect to it.

--Chuck
Received on Wed Jul 26 2000 - 14:43:48 BST

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