From: Tony Duell <ard_at_p850ug1.demon.co.uk>
>Perhaps somebody could expain the aims of this hobby of ours. Is it to :
>
>Obtain as many machines as possible without caring what they are
>
>Obtain as many of particular types of 'interesting' (to you) machines
>
>Getting (again) the machine that you 'used as a kid' and enjoying those
>ancinet games again (say)
>
>Getting machines that you dreamed of owning many years ago and could
>never aford back then
>
>Getting machines that have particular hardware (or software) features
>that you find interesting, whether or not you've ever heard of the
>machine before
>
>Preserving a piece of computer history
>
>Programming a machine that is really simple enough to fully understand
>
>Repairing a machine that's built from parts you can get and understand
>
>Learning about the operation of a computer by understanding a processor
>at gate level
>
>
>I guess for me it's many of the above and more besides.
Amen..
... and not every machine I have is for the same set or subset of
reasons.
Some I hack for the hardware, some represent MY history, other computing
history and the handfull that were out of my reach when new.
>But most of those 'reasons for the hobby' don't depend on getting a
>bargain, and thus it's not unsporting/against the aims of the hobby to
>pay for a machine.
Generally, though dropping a bomb for a given machine like a ceratin rare
painting or other object is as much personal as business.
>OK, I know most of us (myself included) can't afford to spend as much
>money as we'd like on this hobby, and we'd love it if the machines were
>free... However, it wouldn't bother me to spend say \pounds 100.00 on a
>machine of particular interest to me, knowing that I would get at least
>that much enjoyment/education from programming it, repairing it,
learning
>about it, etc. And I don't thing that's against the aims of the hobby.
That is the clearest explanation I've read.
Allison
Received on Sat Jan 27 2001 - 13:52:47 GMT