FYI: Computer Reset liquidation (Dallas, TX)

[falter]

I figure it'll always be possible to fabricate parts for old cars, whereas unless they invent a really amazing 3d process that lets you print off new ICs.. it might be cost prohibitive to create replacements long term. One fellow I was talking to suggested the future of vintage PCs is really in emulation.

[Eudimorphodon]

3d-printing PCB substrates is already a thing, so I wouldn't rule out the possibility that you could combine that with some kind of automated pick robot that could place tiny bare silicon building blocks directly inside a custom package and print the interconnects; that would facilitate things like per-pin voltage shifters fronting FPGAs at greater densities. But a machine like this definitely wouldn't cost $399 or be available to rent at your local library. In theory it *might* be something a service could offer.

[geoffm3]

As an example of what I said earlier - take my 1988 Thunderbird Turbocoupe. When it came out, it was a marvel of modern tech (at least, for a North American car), one of the first with ABS braking and a whole host of computerized functions.

Today, if the ABS breaks, it's gone. There is no replacement, there's no way to replace or repair the computer that runs that. The ICs it uses are mostly unobtanium. The market is too small to make it worthwhile for an effort to reproduce or create an alternative. I wonder if that isn't the case too with vintage machines. Sure, the really popular ones might generate enough aggregate demand to make reproduction or such feasible, but when you get into the less popular machines.. like the Intertec Superbrains of the world, or even the Lisa... in 30 years are there going to be enough demand to make fabricating solutions worthwhile for individual machines? And at the end of the day, if you've changed the guts over to new programmable logic, say, is it even the same machine anymore?

Hey, I had one of those too! (and an '85). The '88 was definitely ahead of its time.

[channelmaniac]

Now that the heat of the summer is over, the volunteers have been busy...

Two more dumpsters have been filled (bringing the total to 4 x 40 yard dumpsters), the back lot almost cleared, and the interior cleaned and partly reorganized. More work will go into cleaning and organizing by content type - laptops, drives, docking stations, printers, bare boards/cards, etc., and cleaning / organizing the warehouse. We're trying to get it sorted/stacked and situated to help minimize damage as folks pick through items.

Some items have fared better than others over the years, greatly depending on the types of plastic and other materials used when they were built, so we're trying to keep physical damage at a minimum.

Folks are still brainstorming on how to get people in without having a Black Friday Wal Mart situation. It's above my pay grade as a volunteer.

[Redmaus]

Gotta be “keyboard kid,” the only person who has been banned as far as I’m aware.

A good decision by the owners after what I learned.

Separating and buying proprietary keyboards from computers or terminals, rendering them useless. He was warned many times before he was not allowed to come back. A few of the others had bad run-ins with him while at CR. It was the right decision.

And you might ask “well why were they sold?”

Because he would bury the rare or proprietary keyboards under worthless rubber-domed PS/2 keyboards, then brag about it later. As dishonest as the day is long. Good riddance.

Are you mad because I have the keyboard needed for whatever you wanted it for?

[Caleb Hansberry]

That's not the right question to ask in my opinion.

[Exceter]

Are you mad because I have the keyboard needed for whatever you wanted it for?

If you are the infamous "keyboard kid" then you deserved to be banned. Good riddance.

[Redmaus]

That's not the right question to ask in my opinion.

Is there really anything else to say in my defense that I haven't said already? What question would you ask?

If you are the infamous "keyboard kid" then you deserved to be banned. Good riddance.

That's nice, didn't know I was infamous!

[legalize]

If you are the infamous "keyboard kid" then you deserved to be banned. Good riddance.

Easy to say when you weren't there or only heard one side of the story.

[maxtherabbit]

Easy to say when you weren't there or only heard one side of the story.

well when the "other side of the story" is the dude coming in here and just saying "u mad bro?" it's easy to make a conclusion...