With great sorrow

[Doc]

Zane H. Healy wrote:
> At 8:09 PM +0100 5/20/09, Tony Duell wrote:
>>  > >    Well, not really.  I'm giving up most of my electronics and
>>>  >computer stuff, but while it's all been great fun, I'm nor all that
>>>  >sad about it.
>>>  >   As elegant as this stuff can be, I finally get to start riding
>>>  >again, and I need the space (and cash of course!).
>>>
>>>  Congratulations!  The best of luck on your road to recovery!
>>
>> Are you seriously suggesting it would be a Good Thing if we all gave up
>> playing with our (classic computer) toys?
> 
> Maybe...  I've said in the past that I view this as an unhealthy hobby.
> 
> We're moving into our new house this week, and once we get moved in 
> we'll be emptying the 10x25' storage unit that houses the bulk of my 
> remaining "computer junk".  It will be interesting to see in the long 
> run how much of it I get rid of.  I definitely want to trim down the 
> collection, the problem being that some of the stuff is spares for 
> systems that I want to keep.  I honestly have no clue as to how much 
> stuff falls into the "no interest/use" category, and how much into the 
> keep category.  In any case a lot of what I get rid of will be going to 
> the library for the one project I have for them.

    I'm finding it to be a pyramidal progression.  I have All This Stuff, 
and when I look at, say, an ISA FDC/MFM controller I think "I can't toss 
this, it supports SSSD floppies!"  And then I think "But wait, I'm 
ditching all the Z80/8088/6502/whatever gear!  I don't NEED SSSD 
support!  BuhBye!"  Then I find the 80286 motherboard and I think "I 
need this to run that MFM controll... Wait!"

    And on and on.

    This hobby has been not at all healthy for me.  Fully 80% of my 
*running* systems, let alone the projects, fail the 2-year rule**.  At 
some point I went from "inquisitive" to "acquisitive", and all the fun 
went out.


 	Doc

** "If it hasn't been powered on in 2 years..."