Everything Else

So $150 bought me this lot...


The majority of it is nothing special or of value (well, save for the 20 NeXT MO disks which amounted for $100 of the total) except that Compaq Portable III.
To most, it's a nicely specced (i387, maxed ram, hard disk, ISA expansion and great cosmetic shape) luggable however for those who know what thet red sheet of paper says, it drops the bomb.

http://starringthecomputer.com/computer.php?c=183


THAT IS IT!
That Compaq is the one I now own. It cost me a whole $20.
It feels kinda weird that I own something that was once used as a prop in a Sci-Fi TV show.
Yeah, I'm not even one week into living in my own in Vancouver and I already got a story to tell my friends.

Also, Nekonoko, to tease you, my friend managed ot snag himself a ZIP Chip 8000 for less than $10. Nope. He didn't get the box for it though.

i can't believe you passed up the 'detective lab kit'!

Check out the sets of "The IT Crowd" in every single episode. A gamer/computer geeks dream.

Ah yes, I remmeber when they were complaining about Jen not seeing a ZX81 on the shelf.

Bah, those Detective Lab Kits are only good for making crystal meth in your bedroom.

at least at the end of the day you would have something to show for your investment. *snark*

I was gonna say ... pentium, have you thought about making the transition from quantity to quality ?

I think he likes the idea of hoarding...

o' the seductive hunt for ever more precious preciousness!

nothing good comes from hoarding.

It's called collecting if you can show it off.
It' called hoarding if you get stuff and it all ends up in boxes or packed away for all its life (space limitations due to moving are an exclusion if it is for less than 24 months).
I agree though, Quality IS a lot better than quantity.

It's like shoes: you buy a new pair and you have to throw away an old pair, otherwise you'll end up like my sister. Something similar could be said about cats or purses.

Although, it is hard to argue against the value of a good foot / ground interface

bwahaha, story of my life divorce

-honey, we need a new wardrobe
-we?
-wellll my latest pairs of shoes won't fit nicely anymore *meow*

just someone else's photo from flickr but if it looks familiar… one day you find shoes all over your bed…

I recently had to help someone else clean up their collection.
It turns out the Compaq has a bad screen. No worries, there is yet another portable 386 that had been uncovered at the place I work. It would be nice if I could swap out the displays and then possibly sell whatever remains for parts.

Man, that's pretty bad. Reminds me of a friend I had whose studio apartment was packed from floor to ceiling with stuff he had hoarded. It was a really sad situation :[



Anyway, I have one of those lunchbox Compaqs too -- the orange plasma display is really the coolest thing and takes me back to the Kaypro II and WYSE terminals I sat in front of as a kid. I don't know what to do with mine though -- serial terminal? -- so I've been thinking of selling or giving it away.

Interesting presentation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTC_RxWN_xo&feature=related

I can't see youtube from here ... but I remember before Silicon Valley existed. That was the most productive orchard land in the United States and they ruined it. After decades of patting themselves on the back for their independence and "entrepreneurial spirit" (and the H1B visas) about six months ago a Silicon Valley Economic Task Force admitted that the major reason that SV had been such a success was federal funding of all the feeder facilities and they were whining for the feds to hand out the cash again. And I see where Andy Grove is now bemoaning the loss of jobs and facilities to Asia. Way to go, Grove. Horse, barn door ? Convenient that you only bothered to consider this after you personally made many millions of dollars disemboweling the United States ?

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/co ... 358596.htm

You could make a pretty good case that where Silicon Valley has gone demonstrates a lot of what is wrong with the US.

More like foot, gun, bang.

Yeah. His gun, our foot.

Tell us, how is silicon valley shooting China in the foot? all those SV software companies need Chinese tech equipment or they aren't going to go anywhere...

i haven't finished the video yet because of my 4th of july party, but the first have about the WWII radar was very interesting. i haven't heard the 'whole thing' before. i didn't know how pervasive, and strategic radar technology was. i had the impression it was a novelty that was just starting to get deployed. to see the level of implementation was personally astounding.

I have not watched any part of the video yet (except for the running time) but I can say that my grandfather worked on the early warning system throughout canada and also the US from the 50s to the 70s. Of course, some of these systems are still in use; IDK what he would be able to tell you.