What's your vintage computer wishlist like?

[TomFCS]

Hi Tom,

An Apple /// was your first computer! Did you have any of the notorious issue with it like overheating etc.? Or was it the re-issued version?

Tez

Hi Tezza,

I honestly can't tell you which one it was. I knew nothing about computers at the time and wouldn't have known the difference between overheating and proper operating temperature anyway. It certainly wasn't the most stable computer I've ever used, but that could have just been from dumb operator mistakes on my part. Abrupt keyboard failure was what put an end to its life. I do think it would be a really fun machine for me to re-learn all over again.

Tom

[Erik]

wait, you got an APPLE I? you must be busy not to update your main site!

No, my wishlist has an Apple I on it. . .

[JDT]

#1 IBM 5162
#2 C64 or C128
#3 IBM 5140
#4 IBM 5161 setup
#5 PCjr

[Anonymous Freak]

Well, I like 'first of' systems.

The ultra-rare ones are unlikely to happen, but you never know, first the Apples:

Apple I. (I'd like to make a chassis for it that looks like a modern Apple chassis; single-piece Aluminum, Apple II-style, with keyboard derived from Apple's current desktop keyboard, slightly tinted glass top so you can see the motherboard inside.)

Apple III, preferably the 'pre-fixes' model.

Original dual-5.25" "Twiggy" Lisa with external hard drive.

Original Macintosh (before it was named "Macintosh 128k", but was just plain "Macintosh".)

I already have the first Apple Portable, first 68020, first 68030, first 68040, first PowerBook, first PowerPC, first PowerPC PowerBook, first Intel Mac, etc; plus an Apple IIc, IIc+, IIgs (waiting for confirmation of shipping costs, it's even an original motherboard model, complete with Woz signature.)

Next come the IBMs:

An original stock PC 5150, PC/XT, and PC/XT-286 and PC Convertible. I have all the later IBMs that are of significance to me. To me, 'stock' video cards for the desktops would be an MDA for the 5150, CGA for the XT, and EGA (or possibly PGC,) for the XT-286.

Finally, the 'alternate architecture' systems:

I have an Indy and an HP PA-RISC Apollo system; but it would be nice to have a few of the other architectures, like a variety of SPARCs. (I just missed out on a collection of them a couple months ago!) I have a modern Itanium server, but I would like an original Itanium workstation. A few of the other late '80s/early '90s RISC workstations would be nice, too. (I do have a NeXT.)

[pitlog]

I'm interested in early UNIX systems, and I have some pretty old ones running on older x86 systems and in the Simh emulator, but to get back to the older stuff on real hardware, I need something from DEC. So:

• DEC MicroVax
• DEC VaxStation
• DEC MicroPDP-11

So I can run early BSDish systems like Ultrix or 2/3BSD, and Sixth/Seventh Edition UNIX.

I think it's really fascinating to watch the evolution of the UNIX system over 20 or 25 years. I really like looking at userland and API level improvements and reading the online documentation from one early system to the next.

These are the operating systems that provided the basics for virtually all modern OSs, save maybe VMS and the IBM mainframe OSs like MVS, VM and the like.

Is anybody else around here interested in this stuff? I'd enjoy talking to others interested in UNIX history and bringing it back alive.

-Tom

[NeXT]

I own most of the systems I have ever wanted (the cube being one of them) but Other than wanting to find both an Apricot Portable (there was a complete one on ebay years ago I regret not buying for $120), Apricot Xen and a 68k IRIS, the computer that tops my list is a PDP-8. I dream of a nice rack filled with a PDP-8/e and wonderful bits of I/O like tape drives, disk drives and a paper tape reader. Topping something like this would be a PDP-12. *drool* Something like a 12 I would honestly sell my soul for, if not all my SGI gear (or just the Tezro ;D )

[Anonymous Freak]

An original stock PC 5150...

And, speak of the devil... A 5150 with 5153 display just appeared on eBay, in my own city! It does get a "PARITY CHECK 1" on boot, but I can much around with the RAM. I placed the minimum bid (it's the seller's only no-reserve auction,) so let's see what happens. (The shipping is more than the bid, so I hope he lets me pick up locally.)

He also has a few other items, like a clear-case Macintosh Portable prototype, and a rare AppleColor 100 with motorized tilt - $295 to ship; and a Lisa 2/5 ( it had been a Lisa 1 that was converted!) complete with original packaging, documentation, etc.

So, is the seller on here, Jim Abeles of Portland, OR? (If so, he doesn't use his real name, or the same username as on eBay.)

[nige the hippy]

Apricot portables seem to go for under £30 over here, we had a sudden rush recently They are superbly '80s. Actually I like most of the Apricot machines just because they're so unusual.

My personal wish list got shortened recently with my oddball asr-33 and the HP2100 (finally found the lost camera so pictures to follow) So what's left is a Newbury terminal, a decent SMD winchester disk drive (fujitsu eagle or similar), and a 7906 (or similar) disk drive for the HP.
(and some more space!!!)