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Hello

PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 1:07 am
by VIC
I've come across a few fellow collectors on trademe no doubt but I i'm really glad to have found this forum and will continue to use it as a valuable resource.

I think my obsession with 80's computers came as a result of my dad owning a couple of computer stores in Wellington at the time. Unfortunately they didn't make it past the early 90's but that was kind of cool because it means that my memories of the stores aren’t sullied by all of that ATX nonsense. My fondest memories are instead confined to the green and amber screen worlds of Bondwells, IBM XTs, Amstrads and Acorns.

After moving around a little bit over the last ten years we have finally got a place big enough to start getting another collection going. My biggest regret is selling my dad’s IBM 5155 a few years ago before moving. It would be good to get one of these back into the collection. And when I say collection I mean that in the loosest possible sense of the word. At the moment I have a number of Vic 20s, C64s, Amiga 500s, 2 x StarMax 3000/160 Desktops (okay maybe not vintage yet but still kind of interesting), an Atari 2600, an Atari 1040ST, a VZ-200, a TI-99 4A and a Sinclair ZX81 for good measure. I’m also interested in laptops and have been collecting Toshibas and Compaq’s for a while.

I’ve also got a Sanyo MBC 550 and a Sanyo MBC 555 on the way. Plus a Exidy Sorcerer model 1 which I am quite excited about. I know the model II fixed a few problems but well see how this one goes. Apart from that I’m keen to expand out into Amstrads, BBCs and XTs.. actually pretty much anything else. I feel really strongly about preserving as much as possible the technology from such a defining period. I have a feeling that this will be a process of trial and error and expansion followed by a short, sharp clip from my wife and then a period of consolidation.

In the meantime though if anyone knows of an IBM 5155 up for grabs I would be very keen!!!

Re: Hello

PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 7:08 am
by tezza
Welcome to the forums!

I was interested to hear about the Sorcerer. I'd been looking for one of those for a few years only to find one right here in Palmerston North!

Room (lack of thereof) and the sentiments of the significant other are always factors in this hobby. :) For my own collection, I made up a list and despite many tempting goodies on Trade Me have pretty much stuck to it apart from donated units. Of the ones still outstanding (Epson QX, Compucolor II, Jupiter Ace, original Mac 128k) some may never appear or be so expensive when they do I wouldn't be able to justify buying them. I haven't bothered to add things like the Altair or similar as I know they will simply be beyond reach!

Anyway, good luck with the collection. Any photos anywhere?

Re: Hello

PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 7:13 am
by SpidersWeb
IBM's, Amstrads and Acorn <--- that's how I was raised too haha (no Bondwell tho :( )
Welcome aboard :) Nice collection of machines there, larger than mine at present (trying to fix that)
My goal is IBM 5150 (check), 5160 (check) and 5170 (where for out thou?) but seem to be getting attracted to others lately - Amstrad CPC6128 and an Acorn A4000 certainly wouldn't go amiss.

Are you still in Wellington?

Re: Hello

PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 12:09 pm
by WelshWizard
welcome aboard at least I now know the C= are going to a good home and not being bought to resell :D

Re: Hello

PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 9:41 pm
by VIC
tezza wrote:
Room (lack of thereof) and the sentiments of the significant other are always factors in this hobby. :) For my own collection, I made up a list and despite many tempting goodies on Trade Me have pretty much stuck to it apart from donated units. O?


Thanks Tezza, can I ask how you defined your list?

We're living in Auckland now and half my collection is in Wellington. Heading down in a couple of weeks to grab it to bring up to the new place so will slowly grab some pics.

Re: Hello

PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:51 pm
by tezza
VIC wrote:Thanks Tezza, can I ask how you defined your list?

Sure. It's really a combination of three things. First, I wanted "classic" models. This is a subjective term but for me these are models or "lines of models" that were "significant" historically. People know about them, they were either popular, innovative, trend setters (or perhaps notrious failures). Consequently there was software and support for most of them. Second, there were a few models I just wanted purely for nostalgic reasons because I used to drool over the ads and could never afford them. Third, they fitted into a rough timeline from the time of the "trinity" (1977) to about 1990.

I've also been given a few machines I wouldn't have otherwise sought out and they also grace the collection.

The original "classics" list was...

Apple II or II+
Commodore PET
TRS-80 Model 1
Edixy Sorcerer
Sinclair ZX81
Atari 400 or 800
Osborne 1
System 80 (which I already had. A classic for Australia and NZ)
IBM PC (5150)
Vic 20
TRS-80 Colour Computer
Kaypro II
Epson HX-20
BBC microcomputer
Apple IIe
Jupiter Ace
Atari 800XL (mainly because I couldn't get a straight 800)
ZX-Spectrum
TRS-80 Model 100
Apple Lisa
Commodore 64
Commodore SX-64 (first colour luggable)
IBM XT (5160)
Apple Macintosh (preferably a 128 but it had to be a "baby" mac)
Mattel Aquarius (as an example of an abject failure)
Sinclair QL
An Amiga of some sort
A 16 bit Atari of some sort
IBM AT (5170)
An IBM PS/2 with MDA slots
An early PC-compatible Laptop
A Mac Powerbook
A machine typical of a Windows 3.1 unit

You'll see from my collection that I have more with than this. Others were not necessarily what I would call "classics" but were either early enough (e.g. the Challenger), interesting in other ways (e.g. Spectravideo with it's MSX leanings) or I'd seen them in ads at the time and always wanted one (Colour Genie, TRS-80 Model 4), or I'd actually owned them in the past (e.g. the NEC 8201a). Some computers in my collection were donated.

I'd love to collect more oddball machines such the Computerphone, which was donated. I find these weird and wacky ones really interesting from a design perspective but I just don't have the room. They often go cheaply because no one knows anything about them.