value of classic DEC machines?

From: One Without Reason <vance_at_ikickass.org>
Date: Sat Oct 27 02:15:29 2001

On Sat, 27 Oct 2001, Heinz Wolter wrote:

> For every dog, there is a flea...
> I'll send the scrap truck over to your huge warehouse next time;)
> I've already turned down 2 complete 11/70s due to size-
> you'll find most 11/70 configs too physically large for
> most home or basement collections (3 racks?). They're also
> hungry on the power side, so I don't run my Datasystem 570-
> a repackaged 11/70 in a vax780-like "wide bay" - even if it
> lives in a warehouse...

When I was born (indeed, before I was born, when the machine was new), up
to a point in the late 80's, my father had an 11/70 in the house. He was
a FORTRAN programmer, being a chemist by training. It's on what I learned
to program. I can find homes for 11/70s, even if I can't keep them. And
if I *really* want to keep one, I will take out a storage locker for one.
I also have machines that use more power than an 11/70.

> At least two commercial DEC restorers I know basically scrap
> the 70's (since "no one wants them" - which I read "no one wants
> to pay for them" ) or are forced to remove them along with more
> interesting stuff as part of the deal (and scrap them later;)
> Should someone start an 11/70 orphanage for all those
> unwanted machines?

This breaks my heart. I love these machines. They're fast. It sucks
that these people would rather scrap out a machine than let a collector
have it for free.

Peace... Sridhar

> Cheers,
> Heinz
>
Received on Sat Oct 27 2001 - 02:15:29 BST