Posted on 04/27/2010 8:09:47 PM PDT by mamelukesabre
Can anyone tell me if market prices of old vintage home computers have started going up yet? I'm talking about things like the Apple II and the commodore 64 and other pre-windows using home computers. I heard a rumor the original game consoles(atari and such) have started being collected and prices are going nuts.
“What about a PDP-11? HAHAHA!!! That’s what I first learned on.”
Depending on the model and configuration, they are still worth a lot, particularly large ones with front panel switches.
Generally, mass produced machines of the 80’s aren’t worth much, with a few exceptions. Machines of the 70’s, particularly of the early to mid 70’s, are worth a lot.
Worth Major Money:
Kenbak (Extremely rare)
Apple I (Extremely rare)
Lisa
Scelbi 8H (Extremely rare)
Altair 8800, particularly early models
Imsai
Processor Technology SOL
Polymorphic 88
Mark8 very rare(but has been cloned!)
Any Early Intel “blue box” machines
IBM 5100/5110 (pre-PC)(Extremely rare)
Micral (Extremely rare)
An unmolested, stock, IBM PC w/64K main board (surprisingly rare)
SWTPC 6800
1970’s single board “Demo” computers (Motorola, KIM-1, etc)
Minis:
Nova’s (any w/front panel is worth more)
Xerox Alto’s (Extremely rare)
Any 60’s/70’s mini with a front panel, Processor Automation, etc
Wang
PDP-8 (any with a front panel is worth more)
PDP-11 (any with a front panel is worth more)
Processor Chips (no, seriously - collectors might pay >$1000 for a clean early date C4004 in gold and ceramic)
4004 (any)
4040 (not quite as rare)
Early 6502’s in ceramic with “bugs”
8080 in ceramic and gold
8008 in ceramic and gold or just ceramic
Just like anything else, physical condition is important, but ironically, the electronics of early computers were and are much easier to repair and it is still possible to locate almost any kind of chip. Most computers were built with mass-produced standard TTL chips. I’d say that a physically complete and clean early PDP-8 not working might be worth more than a beat one with broken front panel switches (made of unobtanium) showing signs of life. I recently restored an early 1970’s TTL-based scientific calculator, with failed 35+ year old IC’s, with never used, working, 35+ year old IC’s!
Yep! I’m a hardware guy now and its all I can do to keep up. I am in manufacturing and 5 years is the maximum before the world changes. (and I better know what that is!)
Linux is the success story on that PC.
Not a Unix clone, but similar and much better.
Have been using Linux over 10 years. Stable, efficient and there are an incredible number of apps.
My first Linux distribution was a UMSDOS version of Slackware.
This is an old Redhat box that I am using tonight. Using XFCE as the GUI, it also has Gnome but it is too bloated for this hardware.
Have a better Linux box, but pulled the hard drive out of it for a friend. Will soon replace that and get back up to speed.
Good Thread. Provided an outlet for the old-timers that had C-64’s or Apples or TI-80’s.
“I have a Sinclair. Dose that count?”
Some models are collectible, as I recall, particularly very early ones. I built one from a kit. The hardware and software design was really ingenious in it’s economy.
105 year old company, like loosing an old friend. Started with them in Jan. 1972 and left them in 1988 (after they sold to new owners) Was away 15 years, came back about 5-1/2 years ago. It is closing. 10 of the 15 salesmen and 2 execs left for a competitor which I worked for before. The owner had stripped the capital to buy other companies (in CA) that failed. Sales dropped and the cash flow issue ate them.
But I am working on my side of that problem. Not good time at 62.
It never is a good time to work for a company that goes belly up, especially one that you committed so much of your life towards.
Actually, a wholesale fiber optic network called LightNet - bought out by Williams Telecom (WillTel). Then, I worked for MCI (now Verizon) ...
Original family owners of the company were very fine people.
CEO was one of the most honest, ethical people I have ever known. I have told people who asked about him, but did not know him, that he was an “Eagle Scout” as a young man and never recovered. Very accurate description.
The company and the vendors they represented also reflected that. I stayed 1-1/2 years after he sold out. He was forced to sell because of capital gains change. His family was not interested in the business. He wanted to sell to his employees, but the potential libility for him kept that from happening. It is best that it did not happen, the management in place below him was very weak. The second owner had the company from 1986. It was an LBO. They promoted me to a VP, but I became very disenchanted with a 20% partner and his actions. Left and swore I would not be back in the business. Was out 3 months and went to work for a competitor. Worked for them for the next 15 years, got caught when they closed a DC in Lubbock. Could have gone to Kansas City, but my wife did not want to go. So tried to run a consulting business and repair computers with my son. Did not work out. Came back to the first company I worked for to run their catalog department. Had always been in sales, sales management and sales support. Gave me a perspective on the catalog (3.000 pages) and the promotions the predecessors could not have.
But it is start over time again.
The Telcom industry is every bit as interesting as the PC industry, perhaps because its roots go back about 100 years ago, and of course, because of the Telcom Act of 1997.
I like to tell people that IT&T was once a communication company and I get laughed at.
I’ve got one of those in the back of the closet. Precursor to the laptop, because it was portable.
I have worked for good/ethical folks and they are wonderful. I have also worked for "bottom line" folks who know the business but don't know how to treat employees, and sometimes even customers. I have been fortunate to never work for someone who was either a dolt or a cheat. In that way I have been fortunate.
Again, good luck.
LightNet was a subsidiary of Southern New England Telephone [SNET] and CSX Railroad. CSX provided the rights-of-way and SNET provided the telecom expertise. In fact, my paychecks were from SNET.
50 transmission sites in the 50 major cities east of the Mississippi. Willtel was doing the same thing west of the Mississippi, using the Williams Companies unused gas transmission pipes as conduit.
When Willtel wanted to expand east of the Mississippi, it was cheaper to buy LightNet since Willtel did not have any pipelines in those areas ...
Wiltel was a great company that was destroyed by the arrogant, overpaid morons at Level3.
I’ve got an original Osborne and an original Compaq “luggable”. Oh, and my original TRS-80 that was a bit “cusomized” to add a hard drive and dual external floppyies. And if I look really hard, I could probably find one of the Apple ][ clones.
Yep, as soon as the martket for those things take off, I’m gonna be rich, I tell ya, Rich!!
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