Taking control of your collection

From: Chad Fernandez <fernande_at_internet1.net>
Date: Tue Feb 5 01:37:49 2002

Lawrence Walker wrote:
>
> 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.

That's a beginning.

>
> I admit, I'm a packrat,

That's a thing that one must admit to oneself :-)

> I have to take control of this addiction.

Good decision :-)

> I just went thru my collection and each time I contemplated selling
> something off I came up with a valid(?) reason not to.

I've done this many times. I find that it is a progression. One week,
you pull out all the things that you don't really need, and sell them,
give them away, or whatever. The next time you sort the collection,
amazingly you find that a few more things can be let go of, even though,
they were there the first time you sorted.

> 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 ?

This is an opinion obviously, but remember I'm speaking from
experience..... these sound more like excuses than valid reasons :-)

> 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.

Sure, I understand. I have no intentions of getting rid of my Apple //e
system. I wanted an Apple //e when I was a kid, and had some of my
first computer experiences with them at school. I hardly use it, but
I'm keeping it :-)
 
>
> 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.

Well each person will have different factors motivating them. Here are
a few of mine:

-I want a wife, and while I'd like one that is tolerant of my computers,
I really want to be practical about it, and not push the limits.
Finding a wife is much more important to me than having an awesome
computer collection.

-I can't own everything, I can't have two spares of all the parts.

-I can only practically manage so much (maybe I can hire a curator :-)

-I can't store/display/set up everything..... I don't have the room

-I don't want to horde something that I only 'might' use when it might
be exactly what someone else needs, or wants very much. I'd rather
someone else use something, rather than myself just storing it.

-I want to have room/time/money/etc for vintage hi-fi audio gear. My
systems are 60's and 70's Solid-state, hopefully I'll get some tube
stuff eventually. I haven't spent a ton of money as most of it is from
Goodwill, but it's still money, takes up space, and requires fiddle
time.

Something else that I try to do, is to focus my collections on certain
brands, models, busses, or whatever. Rather than trying to own
everything. I think this works because if you own a broad cross section
of things, you end up trying to expand each part of that cross section
to 3D, which can be a lot of stuff!! If you have fairly targeted
collections, then as you deepen and complete those collections you end
up with a more manageable lot.

That being said, I have one Microvax and stick to Qbus..... no Unibus,
and I am letting the MicroPDP11 go. I have one Apple //e all decked
out.... I gave the others away. I've sorted through my box of spare
boards and drives time and time again, and have sold off or given away
things that I don't use. I was able to sell one of my IDE TEAC cd-rom
drives..... why keep it.... I use only SCSI! I have quite a few
Microchannel boards, but I do own a Model 80 and an RS6000, and will be
reworking them a bit. I owned an IBM PC, but got bored of it, sold it,
missed it, bought an XT, got bored of it, and sold it, and have very
little 8-bit PC hardware now. The 8-bit ISA stuff I do have I keep
because I don't think I could easily replace it, such as an 8-bit ISA
SCSI card. Several times I have been tempted by Commodore hardware, yet
decided against it..... I had a Vic-20 as a kid, wanted a 64 or a
Apple//e. Well I used a //e is school own a //e now, but never did
anything with a 64, so why add one now, when I can put my energy into
current into established interests?

This whole topic comes at an interesting time, since I need to sort
through things again :-)

Chad Fernandez
Michigan, USA
Received on Tue Feb 05 2002 - 01:37:49 GMT