Interesting Apple IIe near Timaru.

[Gibsaw]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/vint ... 462536.htm

Looks like something wrong with it, but is probably fixable.

[machinecoder]

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[manuka]

It'll stuffed now if he's let the magic smoke out.

[matsondawson]

I highly recommend no one bids on this

[acsi]

Hmmm if you turn it on and the smoke comes out then turn it on again??????

[matsondawson]

Depends, if it came out of the computer, I've got spares, usually it's just a filter cap that needs replacing.
If it were the monitor it may be a different story

[Gibsaw]

Auction says he turned it on and smoke came out of it !!!

Cripes, looks they dug it up from the back garden

It's probably fixable and it's definitely cleanable... What's not so easily fixed is that I see some mensa candidate has knocked a hole in the ventilation grille for the disk cable.

[matsondawson]

I'm really in it for the monitor, I would finally have a Fraggle Rock machine.

[Gibsaw]

I'm moderately interested in it (for the same reason - The Monitor III) but I have no means of getting it from Timaru. It would be somewhat silly to drive all that way for a broken IIe.

[mrad01]

I'm moderately interested in it (for the same reason - The Monitor III) but I have no means of getting it from Timaru. It would be somewhat silly to drive all that way for a broken IIe.

It is hit and miss really. I bid on an auction for apple computers from Timaru, won (for $100), and ended up with 5x Platinum Apple //es, monitors, disk drives, manuals and software. Good score.

[machinecoder]

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[machinecoder]

I highly recommend no one bids on this

I'm really in it for the monitor, I would finally have a Fraggle Rock machine.

[tezza]

It's probably fixable and it's definitely cleanable... What's not so easily fixed is that I see some mensa candidate has knocked a hole in the ventilation grille for the disk cable.

Yes, it's amazing how a good clean can make what appears to be a basket case look smart. I noticed that hole knocked in the case. That would devalue it for me. Given it's state of neglect there are likely to be several issues but machines like this are good for parts or a project.

[tezza]

This trader is being real nasty...
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Typical Vintage Computer seller tactic's
Needs tlc = its screwed, then be as vague as possible and then turn dog when asked for further information

I'm not so sure. I think this just might be a case of a misunderstanding that's escalated. This can happen with text. I've seen this so many times...

[Gibsaw]

This trader is being real nasty

Over the past 3 or 4 years, I've had to learn a thing or two about dealing with people like this, and accusing them of (or even hinting at) dishonesty doesn't end well. Tezza's even-tempered diplomacy has made me sound like an angry conspiracy-theorist a few times.

43 Negs out of 10,000'ish trades is not bad. Look at the volume and type of trading. His primary interest seems to be cars and general second hand trading. Those "negs" won't be one sided either. Secondhand trading is a minefield of dealing with people who want diamond service for copper prices. You'd get a short fuse quite quickly.

EDIT: and it looks like the argument has settled down.

It sounds to me like he's answered the question as clearly as he knows how. He'll be used to testing TV's and VCR's but possibly not 1980's computers, beyond being able to plug one in. This (dirty) machine will be in his garage and he won't want to drag it inside and do further testing on. It's just a piece of stock he wants sold.

It does sound like the monitor is going and the machine probably is a case of another dead IOU chip... (probably some power supply caps as well, as Matt has suggested.)