Who collects (reads the mailing list...?) vintage computers in Quebec, Canada?

From: Mark Green <mark_at_cs.ualberta.ca>
Date: Sun Oct 15 11:46:27 2000

> Hi
>
> Sometimes I think I may be the only vintage computer collector in
> Quebec, Canada.
>
> I would like to hear if anybody else does any collecting around here
> (Montreal area)

I know the feeling, there are only a few other collectors here
in Edmonton, and not many common interests. Gets kind of
lonely at times, but then again you get the pick of what's
around.

>
> When I mention I collect vintage computers, people look at me like I am
> due for a trip in the "wacko wagon"...

I'm moving to Hong Kong at the end of the year, they view anything
over 18 months as vintage :-). I'm not planning on adding too
much to my collection while there.

>
> Computers are tough to find here (not like california...) I have managed
> to accumulate/fix/restore approx 50 micros (all working) from the
> 197x-198x early 1990's...lotta books, software and peripherals...
>

Here's a trick, or technique, that I've used for locating old
workstations. Make friends with the local computer sales
people (this works particularly well if you are a potential
customer), they know where a lot of the old workstations are.
When they sell a replacement for an old workstation, they will
sometimes give credit for the old workstation, if it is traded
in. The trade ins are quite often trashed, particularly if they
can't be used as spare parts for another workstation that's
still under maintenance. Its often cheaper for them to put the
workstation someplace where you can retrieve it, then to actually
pay the costs of trashing it. I've managed to acquire a number
of SGI workstations in this way.

-- 
Dr. Mark Green                                 mark_at_cs.ualberta.ca
McCalla Professor                              (780) 492-4584
Department of Computing Science                (780) 492-1071 (FAX)
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2H1, Canada
Received on Sun Oct 15 2000 - 11:46:27 BST

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