Historical Value vs. Using the Computer

[Keatah]

1 hour ago, Newsdee said:

It's important to interface your old computers with modern hardware and e.g. know how to transfer files back and forth a modern PC.

If there were ever a course in classic computing, this would have its own chapter for each different machine. This is a very valuable skill or procedure.

 

What with floppy disks not being the most reliable.. And the vast amount of stuff that's been archived already.. AND you may have personal stuff, logs, diaries, programs, text files, and more; that you want to preserve and enjoy on emulation even.

 

 

[Retro Nerd]

I have a confession. I have a brand new 300 baud modem for the Macintosh. While it is not practical for use today, to me it’s just cool to have something brand new from that era. I also have a modem and three games for the Aquarius still in the wrapper, never opened. I can play the games using the aquacart. Too me, it’s just cool to have something brand new like that. I also have a bunch of advertisements for internet services from the early 80’s, along with warranty cards from retro computers. Again, nostalgia.

Edited March 27, 2020 by Retro Nerd
Better sentence structure.

[bluejay]

Here's a solution I came up with. Get both the PET and the C64. Get both the Apple ][ and //e. Get both the Macintosh 128k AND the SE/30.

[christo930]

On 2/24/2020 at 2:47 AM, carlsson said:

Old electronics will die no matter if you use them or not. Perhaps the more interesting question is whether you would keep servicing old collectable computers (i.e. no longer in factory original condition) or let them detoriate under the assumption the market is more interested in untouched electronics than working electronics. I've understood that some collectors on purpose don't replace leaking caps or batteries because it would make the system no longer in original condition, and rather have the motherboards permanently destroyed.

What I tend to see is people "re-capping" computers for no particular reason.  Comically, IMHO, I watched a YT video about a year ago of a guy "fixing" a C128 that wasn't broken and worked perfectly fine put a cap in backwards (something that is very easy to do) and blew the machine up.  Unless it is broken there is zero reason to recap a C128 or 64 or pretty much any other 8 bit with external power supplies.  These are not 60s radios and they don't have a lot of voltage on them and  there is no reason to replace a cap that isn't already leaking or at least distorted unless it is something known to be a common failure point.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

Refusing to repair a broken computer because the parts would no longer be original is kind of stupid.