PDP-11/70 in Yates Center, KS

[Tony Duell]

> Sure sounds like a collector to me, just a collector with different
> goals.

In the UK, the somewhat perjorative term 'stamp collector' is used to 
describe somebody who just wants to amass a certain type of object (such 
as HP calculators) without ever using them, or understanding them, or...

A story might illustrate the point. A few years ago I meat an enthuiast 
from Germany who was visiting England. He had a stamp collector' friend 
who owned an HP9100, but never turned it on, and would not let anyone 
touch it in case it lowered the value. The chap who visitied England 
mentiond this to me. My reaction was simple. I got one one of my 9100s, 
powered it up and let him play. I then took it apart and showed him how 
it worked. Maybe I lowered the value, but I don't buy these machines as 
an investment.

So yes, I certainly have different goals to 'stamp collectors'. Whether I 
should be called a 'collector' is simply a matter of how you want to 
define the word and such arguments get boring fast!

> 
> > No, I am not intersted in having machines on the shelf in original 
> > condition. I want to be able to sue them, investigate them, and so on.
>                                   ^^^
>                                   |||
> I didn't know you'd become litigious, I'll have to watch my step!

Notice I said 'sur them' -- the machines. You have nothing to fear :-)

Alternatively, just assume I made a typo...

-tony