Is it time for an International Vintage Computer Association? Was: Yo

From: CLASSICCMP_at_trailing-edge.com <(CLASSICCMP_at_trailing-edge.com)>
Date: Tue Jun 27 14:32:30 2000

> And I'm saying, all you will be doing is raising the cost of
> admission. There's nothing anyone can do to stop you, of course.
> If Classic Computing becomes a 'legitimate' hobby with a 'legitimate'
> organization, then I guess there won't be room for amateurs
> like myself. You professional 'true historical preservationists'
> can have it.

Do we need 'true historical preservationists'? Maybe. Does that mean
that the priorities of the 'true preservationists' will be the same as
those who actually worked with the systems or still use the systems?
Of course not. In fact, the priorities will probably be vastly different
between the two groups, and this is all the better reason for both groups
to co-exist, probably with at least a bit of animosity towards each other.

How do priorities differ, even among "hobby" preservationists?
Several ways:

1. Some insist on a pristine as-shipped-from-the-manufacturer system,
        with no third-party peripherals or software, and others realize
        that in real life there were very few such configurations
        and instead preserve the systems as they were actually installed,
        with third-party peripherals and software abounding.

2. Some only care about CPU's, and will travel hundreds or thousands
        of miles to pick up the CPU box, and leave the peripherals
        (necessary to boot the OS!) behind. Others put more emphasis
        on getting a few complete working systems rather than a bunch
        of CPU boxes that can't ever be booted.

3. Some haul away hardware, and leave a mountain of magtapes
        behind with the operating system, etc. Others haul away hardware
        and tapes and disks but leave the books behind. Others just
        want the books, others just want the tapes.

I've seen every single one of the above characteristics exhibited by
"amateur" collectors, and every single one of the above possibilities
exhibited by "professional" collectors.

Personally, I fall into the "put any old hardware together that makes
a system work, don't care whether it's original or third party, get
complete systems with peripherals, and spend lots of time archiving
the software" category. Every person on this list probably falls
into a different category. I may not agree with everyone's priorities,
but in some sense a wide range of priorities from a wide range of people
is a *probably* a good thing.

Tim.
Received on Tue Jun 27 2000 - 14:32:30 BST