Yeah, that's a tough one ... you part with something you've hoarded for years on
the off-chance you'd get around to using it, but, you didn't. Now you've got to
decide who gets the stuff ... the guy who'll give you a few pennies on the
dollar, or the guy with the checkbook in his hand, but who won't do what you
would have done. It's like finding a home for a puppy.
Dick
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tony Duell" <ard_at_p850ug1.demon.co.uk>
To: <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2001 3:04 PM
Subject: Re: Ebay horror ...
> >
> > On Mon, 11 Jun 2001, Tony Duell wrote:
> >
> > > I think what it comes down to is 'are you in this for the money, or
> > > because you enjoy repairing/using old computers'.
> >
> > I'm in for the fun of using old computers... but as some others have said
> > here before. I'm not against the idea of people selling some equipment
> > fund their hobbys. If someone sells some classic Z-80 system to fund
> > their PDP-8 habit, I think that's okay.
>
> No, that's not what I meant at all...
>
> It's obviously OK (and, indeed, good) to sell machines to fellow
> collectors. And I have no problem with somebody making a profit when so
> doing (especially as they've probably put some time in to be able to
> accurately describe what they are selling, to check that it's working,
> and so on). These people, though generally sell complete. working
> machines, or at least complete, working subsections (say a DEC disk drive
> and its controller card for a PDP11). Parts that will be used again.
>
> Nor, FWIW, do I have any problem with a collector offering a service (say
> to realign some kind of disk drive) and charging for doing it. After all
> that person has had to buy the tools and test gear to be able to offer
> the service, and it's going to take him some time.
>
> However, some people (not the regulars on this list AFAIK) seem to have
> no interest in classic computers other than how much they can get for
> them on E-bay. If a machine is worth more as parts, then they will sell
> it as parts (and parts that aren't worth shipping will be scrapped, so
> there's little chance of the machine ever working again). These are the
> people who do the (IMHO) distasteful trick of cutting up core planes,
> framing sections and selling them to hang on the wall (whereas I'd want a
> complete core plane to stick in whatever machine I have that uses core
> memory).
>
> It is the last group, and the last group only, that I am commenting on.
>
> > I don't see it as quite a black and white situation where selling things
> > automatically makes someone an evil opportunist. There's a whole spectrum
> > of grays in there.
>
> Agreed....
>
> -tony
>
>
Received on Tue Jun 12 2001 - 04:19:45 BST