Ebay Altair

From: Richard Erlacher <richard_at_idcomm.com>
Date: Wed May 10 09:21:23 2000

This whole issue is subject to the old military saying, "Where you sit
determines what you see." You see, eBay doesn't do anything at all to the
prices. They don't care what the buy and sell prices are, except to the
extent that it impacts their "cut" and that's quite small.

If you want to sell your old micro/mini computer, eBay's a boon, because it
puts your hardware in front of lots of people who actually want it, i.e. you
don't have to beg, "Gee, can't you take this off my hands? I hate to toss
it out." What's more, it benefits the hobby because the people who pay
those higher prices are likely to keep them "alive" rather than tossing
them. Additonally, the increased interest/activity promotes
interest/activity in the classic computer arena. The higher prices motivate
people to clean up and check out their antique computers from that dank
corner in the basement and make them available to those who actually want
them.

I don't see where this activity hurts anyone except the cheapo who wants
everything for free. Now, I'll admit that I'm inclined to be one of those
guys who want things for free, but I realize that can't be the case all the
time, simply based on how large the effort to rescue my own antique
hardware, etc, from oblivion in the "pit" in the basement.

The eBay phenomenon is not just a testament to the inane and impulsive
nature of humankind, but also a testament to the benefit of greater
communication as brought about by the exploitation of the technology that
certainly is an outgrowth of the very computers we're trying to buy or sell.

Dick

----- Original Message -----
From: Jim Battle <frustum_at_pacbell.net>
To: <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 09, 2000 10:12 PM
Subject: Re: Ebay Altair


> At 06:04 PM 5/9/00 -0700, Sellam wrote:
> >...
> >As I have always maintained in the past, eBay has done nothing but
> >artifically inflate the prices for old computers to the detriment of this
> >hobby (and others as well).
> >
> >Sellam
>
> I think it can be argued differently, especially the "nothing but" part.
>
> Think of how many people are now digging out old computers, or
> getting them back into circulation instead of just scrapping them. The
> prices might be up, but so is the supply. And, in time, some of the
> people who bought some computer in a fit of nostalgia for too much
> on ebay will get tired of their machine and probably put it back into
> the market, especially if the paid real $$ for it.
>
> It is somewhat contradictory to have the position of wanting to preserve
> old computers but at the same time wanting to return to the old days,
> days when old machines were cheap but where most were trashed.
> What better way to guarantee something will be preserved than to put
> a value on it?
>
> So, what do you want? To preserve these wonder old machines,
> or just have a lot of free/cheap playthings?
>
> And sorry, not just to pick on you Sellam, it is a question I have
> thought about a lot myself. Whenever I get the itch to pick up
> something on ebay or a swap meet, I try to really think if it is
> something I can actually spend time with, or is it just another
> butterfly in the butterfly collection.
>
> I like ebay.
>
> -----
> Jim Battle == frustum_at_pacbell.net
>
Received on Wed May 10 2000 - 09:21:23 BST