Finding Vintage Computers - A Primer

From: Vintage Computer GAWD! <foo_at_siconic.com>
Date: Tue May 16 09:19:24 2000

On Tue, 16 May 2000, Olminkhof wrote:

> I think you under emphasise the garbage system. I have a PDP8L that came
> from a dumpster at a university.

Those can be good sources, sure, but the problem is the sporadic nature of
trash. Unless you want to make a practice of checking the dumpsters at
businesses and colleges regularly. I wouldn't want to do that, but I
guess it wouldn't hurt mentioning it.

> Here in Australia we also have "Council Cleanups" where periodically the
> local municipal councils pick up assorted larger rubbish if it is left by
> the side of the road on a predetermined Monday a few times a year. The
> result is lots of pickings during the preceding weekend. Unfortunately one
> needs to cruise around all day as the good looking stuff goes very quickly.

Depending on the area they have those in the States as well. Worth
mentioning.

> In some places there are also "tip shops" where authorised scroungers (often
> charities) sell goods collected from a garbage tip (or "dump" in American).
> Around here we have establishments with names like Junktastic Park and
> Reverse Garbage.

Weird. Do any computers ever come out of shops like these?

> Do we want to mention the term Dumpster Diving in a primer?

Why not? I'll add a new section just on Dumpster Diving :)
Received on Tue May 16 2000 - 09:19:24 BST