Getting out of the hobby

[Philipp Hachtmann]

On 10/11/2016 10:07 PM, Seth Morabito wrote:

> I've ever collected classic computers is because I've loved
> playing with them. That's really all there is to it. I enjoy the sights,
> sounds, and smells of firing up vintage computers and seeing them work.
Oh, I agree so strongly!

> On the money front, as I said I've never been in this for the money.
> There was a time when most of this stuff could just be had for free, and
> that was fun! Going on rescue trips was a blast.
> I'll never regret
> driving down to LA from the Bay Area to rescue a PDP-11/34, or the time
> that a bunch of us got togethr and picked up an 11/45 and an Imlac PDS-1
> from Bill Gosper's house. What a time that was -- I didn't even keep any
> of it, I was just there for the rescue and the camaraderie.
Oh, this part of your posting remembers me to interesting times that 
have passed without me realizing the point when that happened.
I also remember the feeling when you find some stash full of interesting 
things. The dirt, cleaning, trucks and trailers full of gear. I liked 
it. But in the last years those opportunities are getting rare. My last 
real haul was in 2013 when I picked up some pdp8/e systems.
But who knows what will be...

> And secondly, lately there's been a lot less of "firing up vintage
> computers and seeing them work", and a whole lot more "carefully
> replacing capacitors and praying that the vintage computer will still
> fire up".  We've reached the point where the hardware I love is dying.
Hm, don't fully agree. Yes, capacitors can be nasty. But repair is a big 
part of the hobby.
When I fire up a machine, I always expect that it needs some repair.

Sometimes I thought of getting out of the hobby as well. It comsumes so 
much (partially rented!) space full of strange "scrap". And during the 
last years my life has moved on a bit, there's less time left.
On the other hand I always regretted badly when I let go something.
In the 1990s, I was about 17 and not yet in vintage computers, I put a 
fully working mint condition and complete Tandy 200, including power 
supply, manuals, original bag - to the trash can. I regretted that...

And the stuff you let go today, might never come back. Ok, QBus and 
newer stuff might have a higher availability.


Kind regards

Philipp




-- 

Dipl.-Inf. (FH) Philipp Hachtmann
Buchdruck, Bleisatz, Spezialitäten

Alemannstr. 21, D-30165 Hannover
Tel. 0511/3522222, Mobil 0171/2632239
Fax. 0511/3500439
philipp at hachtmann.com
www.tiegeldruck.de

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