On 10/01/2016 06:06 PM, Fred Cisin wrote:
> Looks like it's time to get out of this racket.
On Sat, 1 Oct 2016, tony duell wrote:
Want to take me with you?
I'd ask if there's room, but I'm afraid that I'm not worthy. Besides, I
still have too much crap that I'd want to bring along.
Yes, it is easy to remember times when IBM 5150, '57 Chevy, Altair, Isetta,
functioning TTYs, could be had for the effort of carrying them home.
Will old computers hold value, though? I expect that nostalgia plays a big
part, and the majority of buyers with deep pockets today do so because they
remember using the machines in their younger years. At some point, I expect
that won't be the case - the people with the money couldn't tell an Apple
from an IBM.
Perhaps what it comes down to is how much the working state of the machine
matters. If that plays a big part... well, I expect it will be a lot harder
to restore a vintage computer to original state compared to say a painting
or a piece of furniture. At that point, well it's just a lump of metal and
plastic and silicon.
I don't know, I wonder if in 5-10 years the bottom might not drop out of
the market, except for a few niche items (Apple 1's, Altairs and the like).
If John Titor ever answers my standing offer, one of the first things that
I should do in the 1960s is get a warehouse.
... and the money for the taxes, upkeep, security etc. I expect that
storing a significant amount of stuff - particularly in conditions
favorable to the contents - costs a significant amount of money, even if
you have the building.
cheers
Jules
