Hi
I also have accumulated many machines, but I have the following rules to
keep control of the space it uses:
-Only 1 copy of a machine. Keep the best & cleanest. Trash, sell or giveaway
duplicates. I was keeping extra for trades but find they take up too much
space.
-No matching printers for each system. I abandonned printers long time ago
or it just takes up too much space.
-No books. Only one or 2 max complete reference per system. Or then it gets
outta control.
-No magazines.
-Only 1 or 2 peripherals like floppy drives and such....I dont try to get
every peripheral for each system...
-Only 1 "branded monitor" model per system. Monitors use a lotta space.
-If its a vintage system your not going to "use/play with" : then keep very
little software for each system, only maybe an OS and a few utils, games
etc...just to "show it off"
-Get many shelves, nice ones.
-Frequent cleanings....I do major ones at least 5 times a year a throw out a
bunch of stuff....you have to stop saying "yes but I might use it someday"
at one point and go more like "Whats the chance I am realling gonna use this
again or is this really worth keeping"?
But thats just me...I cant stand a mess - at all...all my collection is in
matching sturdy "ABS" plasctic shelves that I bought brand new a few years
ago...this helps a lot!
Some people I find "accumulate in piles" more then "collect". IMO...But I
think this was already the subject of much discussion and a very lenghty
thread...
Later
Claude
http://computer_collector.tripod.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lawrence Walker" <lgwalker_at_mts.net>
To: <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2002 1:00 AM
Subject: Taking control of your collection
> I have a connundrum. I want to thin out my collection of computer
artifacts
> and I'm having problems on what to part with. I also could use the money.
>
> Instead, even in the middle of nowhere, far from Toronto where I
accumulated
> all this stuff, I find it growing. The problem isn't lack of space as it
once was,
> but simply to have a manageable hobby.
>
> I admit, I'm a packrat, and I transported most of my treasures 2000 mi.
> shedding replaceable things like couches, beds and appliances justifying
> that in my waning years I could dribble-sell them off to supplement my
> pension. (even that huge Dumont tube scope that had been refused as
> a gift by a list member, shipping would be ridiculous.)
>
> Plus the idea of a small computer museum (a Toronto one had once been
> a justification) in the center of the continent in a totally unexpected
> environment had some appeal.
>
> I don't want to go the route of a massive sell-off like several
list-members
> did, but clearly I have to take control of this addiction. My first fix
was
> only to have a couple of Ataris to supplement what was already becoming
> a fixation. Then home computers, then CP/M, and you all know the downward
> spiral. Thenks got, I never got hooked on minis.
>
> I just went thru my collection and each time I contemplated selling
> something off I came up with a valid(?) reason not to. My SCO manuals
> because they give a good exposition of UNIX and I MIGHT want to
> install it on one of my boxes, an old 83 business computing text
> cause it had a pic of my prized Micom system, another text from 73
> that had pictures of card processing equipment that I once worked on.
> Numerous programming how-to's cause I really have to get beyond hardware
> hacking, and then things like do I really need 2 Kaypros or the H89 I'm
going
> to repair some day. And why in-hell do I have "Lex and YACC", Odysys
> Development", Computes 1984 "Guide to Adventure Games". Do I really
> need most of the PS/2s as well as several PS/1s for my IBM collection ?
>
> You get the picture.
>
> Sure I have things like my Apple IIc LCD display and DRI GEM volume
> I could sell off for wanted cash, but I WANT to keep them.
>
> How do YOU limit your collection when you aren't a Sellam, John Keys
> and others with warehouse space. Seriously. It must be a problem that
> many of you have made a decision on, even when it wasn't your S.O.
> giving an ultimatum. Any guidelines ? Be stern.
>
> Lawrence
>
>
>
>
>
> Reply to:
> lgwalker_at_mts.net
Received on Tue Feb 05 2002 - 01:07:54 GMT