Promoting Classic Computers [was Re: Chip with holes in it]

From: Brian Chase <vaxzilla_at_jarai.org>
Date: Wed Nov 13 15:12:00 2002

On Wed, 13 Nov 2002, Will Jennings wrote:

> I find that sellers auctions disturbing, since at least one the boards
> has a comment of "just removed from the rack" : (

I find the whole practice of "chip collecting" a bit disturbing. Mainly
because it means functioning, useful, components are becoming scarcer
for those people who could actually put them to use. And then
secondarily, it creates a market for the willful destruction of what
might be otherwise working systems or subsystems.

There's difficulty in attempting to educate people that working systems
are more interesting, and valuable, than disassembled bits of them. It
/is/ solely a matter of viewpoint, and not everyone has the skills or
resources to collect like most people here do, but getting even a few of
them to see things our way is progress.

Evangelizing on the behalf of classic computing is something we all
should be doing. I tend to do a lot of that when it comes to my VAXen.
And where permitted, I always have a classic computer or two on the
network at my workplace. The NeXT that's beside my new iMac at work
always raises eyebrows and generates a lot of questions.

Other things that help are contributing to the various computer museums
(money, unique equipment, your time, etc.) Providing information to
people on this list is useful. The documentation scanning projects are
wonderful resources. The publicity generated by things like the VCF is
good; Sellam getting visibity in Wired and on Tech TV raises awareness
in a broader audience than could be otherwise achieved. And I think
books like _Collectible Microcomputers_ and Christian Wurster's
_Computers: An Illustrated History_ are useful to have lying around as
coffee table material.

-brian.
Received on Wed Nov 13 2002 - 15:12:00 GMT