New Zealand Vintage Computer Forums

I figure if I throw up any old-school computing gear that may be of interest to anybody, I'll start this thread and post to it. At this stage, I've slapped up just a few old books/mags on trademe that could be considered "classic era" - They all close Sat 29 2012...

ZX Spectrum wargaming (programming book - Just one of the many that came out during the 80's)
Gravis Ultrasound User Manual (not immensely "vintage", but a classic PC sound card manual)
Inside Mac, Volume 1 (1985 technical book for anybody owning a classic Mac and wants to know more)
Computer Input Magazine, May/June 1984

I doubt I'll update this thread often (as much as I'm sure the wife would like me to clear out the boxes under the house, I'm trying to NOT sell off all the history I have here), but if it means I can let people know if there's any of my older computing gear going. You'll be first to know, since if I sell anything, I'd like to know it'll go to a good home.

A good use of this part of the forums. Thanks. I probably would have been interested in the Mac manual but I now have the Dead Mac Scrolls, which is probably enough for some repair guidance.

lol! No worries - the "Inside Mac" book is actually a developer manual (ie. a system guide to ROM calls, etc) which I had to buy for Comp. Sci at Uni back in 1988, rather then a hardware related text.

Its been in storage for a very long time, and I couldn't see why I'm even holding on to it (other then hoarding). Would suit someone who's a keen coder of old classic Mac software.

FYI - I ended up only selling the Speccy Book, but happily to someone who appears to be a passionate collector called Clinton Rowe - I guess he's known by some people here (or he's actually a user here, in which case - hello) no doubt - given his impressive collection of stuff (https://sites.google.com/site/retrowemuseum).

You'll know Clinton here as YetiSeti

Clinton is an excellent chap who managed to wangle me some hot deals on a couple of A500s and a couple of tidy STs. One of these days I have to stop slacking off and actually go visit the guy and see his collection!

Carcenomy wrote:Clinton is an excellent chap who managed to wangle me some hot deals on a couple of A500s and a couple of tidy STs. One of these days I have to stop slacking off and actually go visit the guy and see his collection!

I have visited Clinton and seen his collection. Be prepared to be gobsmacked by the sheer size, width and bredth of it.

I just slapped up some thin black plastic ZX keyboard overlays (ie. the ones that you'd write your keyboard shortcuts for games on and then sit over the keys (ie. not repair parts, so whether anybody needs such things here I don't know)).

I found 9 that I'd bought from someone here in NZ a looooong time ago and never used - but since some people may only want one or two, I've split them into 3 separate trademe items (3 sets of 3) rather then one chunk.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/vintage/auction-523236047.htm

kevman3d wrote:FYI - I ended up only selling the Speccy Book, but happily to someone who appears to be a passionate collector called Clinton Rowe

Yeah, that's me And I probably shouldn't have used the same username/password combo on the 'here today gone tomorrow' wheedle.

A great book thanks, and goes well with my interactive fiction and simulation collection of books. I probably should have checked first, but I actually have the Spectrum Wargaming book, but for the BBC (BBC Micro Wargaming). The different cover ppictures threw me, but the TOCs are the same. These a few of those authors in the 80s that produced the same book for every computer.

One one hand it was good at 20cents at the local Bargain Barn, but I'm always disappointed at the couple of shops I look in to find the odd book here and there to know that somewhere out there the person had more but the actual computers are no more.

The nuget of my BBC book however, is the stamps on the inside indicating it is a library book from the "42 Command Library Hong Kong H.Q. British Forces". First issued Oct 1985, and five more times up to and including July 1991. I think that speaks volumes of computer history.

YetiSeti wrote:One one hand it was good at 20cents at the local Bargain Barn, but I'm always disappointed at the couple of shops I look in to find the odd book here and there to know that somewhere out there the person had more but the actual computers are no more.

As you probably noticed, that one got, eh, very little use (I kinda wonder if I had ever opened it - probably not - most likely I bought it cause "its another book of programs for me to type in")

Actually, I have a few books lying around. I think I probably still have a handful of ZX81 1k gaming books (maybe, maybe not - still plenty of old boxes laying about/under the house) - However as you can probably relate, I'm trying to not sell stuff if I can help it. That book just didn't have much "emotional baggage" associated with it, so it wasn't too hard to make that decision.

Glad to help add to your immense collection.

The nuget of my BBC book however, is the stamps on the inside indicating it is a library book from the "42 Command Library Hong Kong H.Q. British Forces". First issued Oct 1985, and five more times up to and including July 1991. I think that speaks volumes of computer history.

lol! Very cool - lets just hope someone wasn't supposed to return in back to the library, or you could be in for one excessive "late return" fine!

kevman3d wrote:I just slapped up some thin black plastic ZX keyboard overlays (ie. the ones that you'd write your keyboard shortcuts for games on and then sit over the keys (ie. not repair parts, so whether anybody needs such things here I don't know)).

Surprisingly, it seems that these have a lot of interest with 50+ views on one, and a pile of views and watchers on the other 2... I didn't realise thin plastic sheets with holes could be so popular.

I've just slapped up my old copy of Windows 95 from, well, 1995 when I upgraded from 3.11...

If anybodies after a copy on FDD (No idea if the floppies even work, but that's the nature of the beast with that kind of media) with all the box, books and authenticity cert, its here:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=585156813&ed=true

kevman3d wrote:I've just slapped up my old copy of Windows 95 from, well, 1995 when I upgraded from 3.11...

If anybodies after a copy on FDD (No idea if the floppies even work, but that's the nature of the beast with that kind of media) with all the box, books and authenticity cert, its here:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=585156813&ed=true

Saw that and thought hmmmm. You tease you.