Don't Laugh at That Old Computer
By Teresa Ambord
When you see an outdated computer, you may laugh. After all, nothing appears old faster than a computer, given today’s speed of technology development. But some people look at old computers and instead of seeing junk, they see jewels.
For many small collectors, the attraction isn’t monetary value. They like to take old machines and tinker with them till they get them up and running. They may also collect the brochures and manuals that originally came with the machines. Collectors will tell you that the machines themselves are not good for much since they are so much less powerful than even the cheapest modern computer on the market. The attraction is more the construction than the function. Early computers were made with boards, rather than chips. For true techies, it’s a journey of discovery to take the machines apart and see how they worked.
Collectors with more resources might troll Christie’s auction, monitoring the online catalog looking for computer memorabilia that sells for many thousands of dollars. In recent years, the prices of 1970s microcomputers are soaring. For example, Apple I, the company’s first minicomputer sold originally for $666. Now an Apple I in good condition can bring as much as $16,000-$20,000.
If starting a technology collection appeals to you, getting started can be fairly inexpensive. You can begin by perusing thrift stores, and flea markets or computer recycling centers. Or, check out e-bay. E-bay is a great place to search for vintage computers. One determined shopper, a systems administrator at Purdue University, paid $1,300 to buy and ship an IBM mainframe that cost $1 million when new. Obviously, for people who collect such machines, the biggest problem is where to put them. The collector from Purdue purchased a warehouse for his treasures.
There are also two annual events that are considered gold mines of early technology. One is a ham radio flea market held in Dayton each year in late May. You can find out more by logging onto:
Another event is the Vintage Computer Festival swapfest, held every November in Mountain View, California:
Since the inception of the Vintage Computer Festivals, spin-off festivals have sprung up in the Midwest, on the East Coast, and in Europe.
Visit the Vintagetech archives by clicking here:
If computer history interests you, click on this link to visit the Computer History Museum, located in Mountain View, California:
You can also see some interesting examples of early computers by visiting this Web site:
For a timeline of computer history, check out this site and key in the year you want to see:
