Matt Smith

Introduce yourself. Tell people why you are interested in vintage computers and what (if anything) you've got.

Matt Smith

Postby Matt on Sat Dec 28, 2013 1:26 pm

Hi,

I'm Matt. I live in Seacliff just north of Dunedin.

I used to have an Apple //e when I was at intermediate school and I loved it. Sadly as the years rolled by it somehow got given away or lost or something.

For all the power my modern machine just isn't the same somehow.

Programming is my hobby these days. Seized by a wave of nostalgia I've started writing prodos .SYS programs using the Aztec C65 cross compiler (http://www.aztecmuseum.ca/).

I also lurk on usenet:
comp.lang.c
comp.sys.apple2.programmer

Running my code in an emulator is ok but one of these days I'd love to see it on a real //e. If there's anyone in the otago area who might be willing to help here that'd be fantastic. Also if anyone has the gear to get .dsk emulator images onto real floppies.

I've started following the market for //e's as well but realistically owning one again might not be an option for me because I can't really justify spending much money. Still I'd like to know what they have sold for recently
if anyone knows. I guess it's one of those "worth what someone will pay" scenarios.

If anyone is curious the code at http://code.mattsmith.org.nz/mastermind/aztecc65/ implements the 5 guess algorithm for solving codes in the mastermind board game. If I can address speed issues a playable puzzle type game is possible. Right now it's just prrof of concept. Programming the ][ is way different to programming for modern hardware with high level libraries etc:-)

Matt.
Matt
 
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Location: Seacliff, East Otago (Greater Dunedin)

Re: Matt Smith

Postby RonTurner on Sat Dec 28, 2013 2:02 pm

Matt wrote:Hi,
I've started following the market for //e's as well but realistically owning one again might not be an option for me because I can't really justify spending much money. Still I'd like to know what they have sold for recently
if anyone knows. I guess it's one of those "worth what someone will pay" scenarios.


I tried to sniper one in the "Apple Desktop" section of Trade-Me a couple of months back
several others tried to sniper it also, I pulled out at around $175

I've seen one sell a few months before that at around $300 "buy now"

The world record for NZ was set by Andreas Berendsen at $1309 for an enhanced Apple IIe, but I wouldn't
think it would be easy to ever see a good return on that one :wink:

I bought one for $256 back in September, with a colour composite monitor and a disk drive.

So basically I have seen them sell for a range of $200 - $300 (and you will have to factor in shipping costs)

If you go through Trade-me you will definitely have to be prepared to outbid the regulars at
around $250 - $300 + shipping, so my guess is you will need a good $350 in the bank to get one.

Check out this page for transferring your .dsk image to a real disk http://adtpro.sourceforge.net/
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Re: Matt Smith

Postby Matt on Sun Dec 29, 2013 11:59 am

Thanks Gavin. Going by the photo in your intro post if anyone knows the market it would be you:-)

Seems like even people who are active on this forum still use trademe for selling. Most of the stuff in
the collector listings and vintage items available seems to be from a couple of years ago at least.
Matt
 
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Location: Seacliff, East Otago (Greater Dunedin)

Re: Matt Smith

Postby Gibsaw on Sun Dec 29, 2013 2:02 pm

A IIe usually sat at around $150 with a disk drive but usually no monitor for quite some time, but recently even this base price has begun to creep up a bit. Generally speaking once I start climbing over $200 the IIe would need something special about it.

What's pushing it up recently has been a few collectors (most of which are on here.) who seem to have good jobs and/or understanding wives :D ... are starting to bid higher just to get the job done. Also, people seem to have started collecting "spares".

Consequently people, like Ron Turner (who has just joined) and Berendsen (who has not yet joined to my knowledge) were bidding quite high amounts... and before that, it would be myself and Matt Dawson slugging it out and pushing prices up if there was something we both wanted. :)

It tends to drop back down when people start to reach the limits of what they're willing to spend overall, or they get the few key pieces they want. I've slowed right down and both are true for me.

I said something similar to this when "Ron vs Berendsen" first started to become a common scenario... Perhaps Ron might even wish to comment on where he feels he is in this cycle?

Matt wrote:Seems like even people who are active on this forum still use trademe for selling. Most of the stuff in
the collector listings and vintage items available seems to be from a couple of years ago at least.


What happens varies. Stuff does appear in "available" quite often, but have a look in the "trademe" section. Not too long ago, big pieces of people's whole collections were "cast-offs" acquired for next to nothing. It still happens, but it's not usually the case anymore. People usually have to buy their collections these days.

Even those who were lucky enough to build a collection from cast offs can't necessarily give them away for free if they're intending to replace the piece with something else... so whenever someone moves on a significant piece, they still want (and probably need) to realise a fair price for it, so it goes on trademe, but everyone here gets a heads-up.

People still do try and find a buyer here, but overall, the "available" section often has more esoteric things that don't necessarily have a "buyer", but shouldn't go to scrap.
Last edited by Gibsaw on Sun Dec 29, 2013 2:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"dsakey" on trademe. Apple II's are my thing.
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Re: Matt Smith

Postby RonTurner on Sun Dec 29, 2013 2:08 pm

Yes seeing a particular computer sell (for example) the Apple GS recently for $316 doesn't necessarily mean that Apple GS's are worth $316 . Three weeks later the same computer could have sold for $200, auctions go for a wide range. I would have considered it very good luck to get an Apple IIe for $150 during 2013 but not impossible :)

When I first collected a few computers here and there back in 2004 I would have been gob-smacked to see a good boxed setup go for over the $100 mark.

Im guilty of spending up large on some particular items but when I average out over all (the number of computers I have vs total cost) im comfortable with it, I have no regrets :D

Im still looking for more computers of certain types (and spare parts), after all the extra computers I obtained during 2012-13 im not so keen to pay as much, since its easy to go big and win an auction, its a whole new ball game when it comes to re-selling that item and getting your money back should you lose interest in that type of computer at a later date :wink: having said that there are certain thing's i'm looking for that if I see them I will be "like a dog at a bone" and will go way over market value without any hesitation to obtain it. :P
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Re: Matt Smith

Postby Gibsaw on Sun Dec 29, 2013 2:49 pm

RonTurner wrote:Yes seeing a particular computer sell (for example) the Apple GS recently for $316 doesn't necessarily mean that Apple GS's are worth $316...<snip>...Im guilty of spending up large on some particular items but when I average out over all (the number of computers I have vs total cost) im comfortable with it, I have no regrets :D

Yeah, me too.. However, I am still smarting from a IIgs from a couple of years back. There was a period where you would see plenty of IIe's but no IIgs's... I thought I'd never get one. It was an immaculate ROM03 with RGB monitor and drives, but by the time I got it, it cost more than a grand.... since then there's been plenty of them. :oops:

Yet, contrast that with some of my other machines, where they cost even more, but they're reasonably secure in their value. I'm reasonably sure I could offload the 1978 'II for it's NZ$3k landed cost on ebay.
RonTurner wrote:...having said that there are certain thing's i'm looking for that if I see them I will be "like a dog at a bone" and will go way over market value without any hesitation to obtain it. :P

Yeah, You and me both... Contracting has been a bit lean the last year. When I find another stable (IT) contract, I'll be after a Bell and Howell (black) II+ ... and carrying a big hammer. :D
"dsakey" on trademe. Apple II's are my thing.
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Re: Matt Smith

Postby mrad01 on Sun Dec 29, 2013 4:54 pm

I think I bought the IIGS for $316 - can't remember. That machine is a ROM03 and is like brand new.

You do win some and lose some. I bought a Apple IIe platinum from Timaru for $80 a year ago - and ended up with 5 of them by the time the seller cleaned out the rest of the room. $80+freight for 5x Apple IIe platinums, screens and disk drives.(They needed a lot of TLC - but they all go now). I also scored a 1984 Apple Mac 128k with keyboard, mouse and manuals for $151 - the guy listed it "outside" the vintage section. Keep looking around.

Patience is key.
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Re: Matt Smith

Postby tezza on Mon Dec 30, 2013 4:20 pm

Welcome the forums Matt.

Yes. auction values can be all over the place sometimes. It's just takes two determined people to really WANT the item and it can go for an usually high price. I'm lucky in that I've virtually got everything I want now. I do like to pick up a spare now and again but only it I can get it at a giveaway price.
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