"You collect what?! Why would you want to?! Don't they take a lot of space? My friend's brother has an old 286 he wants to sell. I think he only wants about $500 dollars for it!" Uggghhhh...
Have you worked up the nerve lately to tell someone about your interest in computer history? Do you dare to mention that you "kinda" have a small collection of old computers? What kind of response do you get? I've almost sworn off the activity! Most people don't get it. They see no reason why anyone would be interested in outdated electronics. It used to bother me, but not so much now that I know so many other people who share in my hobby!
What does still bother me a little though is: we've been mentioned in the press some lately and I am constantly getting calls and letters from people who want to know if their old Apple ][ or IBM word processor or whatever is worth anything! All I can keep saying is. "Well. to a collector like myself. it does have value. it is almost priceless, but in the "real" market . . maybe . . $50?" How long will it real take before older machines are true collectors items? Who knows, but there are a lot of reasons to collect things and that isn't why I collect computers. It isn't about making a smart investment. it's about celebrating creative vision and design (good or bad).
There was an article article about me and HCS in Texas Monthly magazine. It is written by a graduate student from U of T named Michael-Jean Erard. He visited with me from Austin for a full day and made many interesting observations in his article (perhaps he should have been a psychologist?!) I like his story very much. See if you can find a copy in your state.
I think Michael captured on paper perfectly the reasons why I enjoy computer history and why I started collecting old machines. I think it is true for a lot of us - "When he talks about his 25 microcomputers- what are now generally called personal computers-he stumbles occasionally over their technical intricacies. But he grows eloquent when he speaks about the people who developed them. Greelish's stories are rich with the details of who built the machines, why these pieces of equipment were unique, why they succeeded or failed. Computer technology changed so quickly and radically in the seventies and eighties, he thinks, that we did not have time to explore its possibilities. There are lessons to be learned from the machines themselves and the stories about them, and neither should be discarded or forgotten." "Listening to him, one comes to understand that computers have filled some void in his life, perhaps much the same as they did for the people he admires so much"
What can I say? I think he's right. HCS has filled some part of me that was empty before. I have found my niche! Lets hear from you now: why do you like computer history? Why do you collect old hardware? Please write me a letter and tell me something about yourself and what "old stuff" you have collected or would like to collect.
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