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"Vintage" computers on eBay!

TH2002

TH2002

Experienced Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2020
Messages
386
Location
California, United States
 
Can you explain where the humor is? These are vintage from a technological standpoint, so..?
 
Timo W. said:
Can you explain where the humor is? These are vintage from a technological standpoint, so..?
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I get that the definition of vintage is subjective, but by the forum's own definition they are certainly not.

If you want to try to convince me that mere decade old netbooks are "vintage", go ahead and make your day. I guess I could see the argument for the ThinkPad and XPS 140, but I really don't consider any system running Windows 7 or newer as "vintage".

But with that said, your guess is as good as mine as to why people consider me funny in real life. I always fail online.
 
Though, given the history of the platform, I can see that there might be some interest in the OLPC, but not from a vintage standpoint.

I recall on VCF a time when 80486-based systems were considered to be too new to be "vintage".
 
So whats going to happen one day when the folks who want to fix old 8 bit systems start getting pushed out by the intel p4 or newer crowd and that becomes the main focus of this forum?
 
Same thing that's happening now. You'll note that it's been suggested that P4 systems be included as "vintage".

Adjectives can be a problem when there's no precise definition. "Vintage" in the strictest sense has nothing to do with age; it's the year of a wine's pressing (hence the stem "vin", as in "In vino veritas"). "Classic" means even less-- "judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind." That alone would let out much of the paraphernalia discussed here.

"Antique" is perhaps closer to the target: "a collectible object such as a piece of furniture or work of art that has a high value because of its considerable age."

The gotcha is "considerable". I have socks older than much of the gear described here, yet no one describes them as "antique".
 
Chuck(G) said:
Same thing that's happening now. You'll note that it's been suggested that P4 systems be included as "vintage".

Adjectives can be a problem when there's no precise definition. "Vintage" in the strictest sense has nothing to do with age; it's the year of a wine's pressing (hence the stem "vin", as in "In vino veritas"). "Classic" means even less-- "judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind." That alone would let out much of the paraphernalia discussed here.

"Antique" is perhaps closer to the target: "a collectible object such as a piece of furniture or work of art that has a high value because of its considerable age."

The gotcha is "considerable". I have socks older than much of the gear described here, yet no one describes them as "antique".
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Yep I know. I made a similar comment earlier this year : https://www.vcfed.org/forum/forum/c...ions/80577-the-singulariy?p=979278#post979278
 
We were discussing this more than 10 years ago on this list. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. Maybe it's like "pornography"--I can't define it precisely, but I know it when I see it.
 
I can remember when "software" meant clothes and undergarments. I used to have to preface it with "computer". Now, the old meaning is completely lost.
 
VERAULT said:
So whats going to happen one day when the folks who want to fix old 8 bit systems start getting pushed out by the intel p4 or newer crowd and that becomes the main focus of this forum?
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I remember using Amiga 2000(yes with Motorola 68000 on board) as my main computer in 1999, and even at beginning of XXI century. Most of people that I known considered it vintage then. This Forum if I understand well is not only about repairing 8 bits but other "vintage systems" as well. Despite I am Linux user, who will run Win 11 on 32 bit Pentium 4? Okay You can install Linux, but there is also a Linux or even as far as I remember quite modern some BSD for Amiga 68k. If there will be a section for modern Pentiums , You can just don't use it and focus on 8 bits.
 
Relax. You misread me. I was talking about contrast. One side of the spectrum vs the other. I could have gone even earlier but the reference would not have made sense to some. I love Linux and running it on older stuff but I dont necessarily consider that vintage computing in my mind.

Again.. Contrast 8 bit vs crappy garbage machines someone feels nostalgic over... (didnt mean I forgot everything in the middle).
 
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I consider something “vintage” by how old it actually is, not on my opinion or how I “feel” about that particular item. I’m confident there will still be people a decade from now arguing Pentium 4s “aren’t vintage” or “not that old.” Just because you don’t like something or think it’s crap has nothing to do with it being vintage or not.

For me, 15-years or older is vintage for a PC. I was calling my Pentium 1s vintage when they were 15, same as I do my Pentium 4s now. My 2003 Dell Inspiron 8200 is a Pentium 4M and it’s 18-years-old, it’s certainly a vintage laptop at this point, regardless how you feel about that particular laptop (I think it’s great). As I said, I consider it vintage based on actual age, not sentiment or personal feelings.
 
compaqportableplus said:
I consider something “vintage” by how old it actually is, not on my opinion or how I “feel” about that particular item. I’m confident there will still be people a decade from now arguing Pentium 4s “aren’t vintage” or “not that old.” Just because you don’t like something or think it’s crap has nothing to do with it being vintage or not.

For me, 15-years or older is vintage for a PC. I was calling my Pentium 1s vintage when they were 15, same as I do my Pentium 4s now. My 2003 Dell Inspiron 8200 is a Pentium 4M and it’s 18-years-old, it’s certainly a vintage laptop at this point, regardless how you feel about that particular laptop (I think it’s great). As I said, I consider it vintage based on actual age, not sentiment or personal feelings.
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I never said I don't like them or I think they are just crap because I don't feel that way at all. I just don't feel they are "vintage" yet. I think Pentium II and III systems are borderline and what I would refer to as "tweener" systems because it is hard to draw a clear line between what is vintage and not vintage.

Pentium 4+, unless it is a really early P4 I don't consider them vintage. Maybe that is because I still use a P4 desktop for normal use pretty much daily, but for other people I guess I could see them considering such computers vintage, if they are old enough.
 
TH2002 said:
I never said I don't like them or I think they are just crap because I don't feel that way at all. I just don't feel they are "vintage" yet. I think Pentium II and III systems are borderline and what I would refer to as "tweener" systems because it is hard to draw a clear line between what is vintage and not vintage.

Pentium 4+, unless it is a really early P4 I don't consider them vintage. Maybe that is because I still use a P4 desktop for normal use pretty much daily, but for other people I guess I could see them considering such computers vintage, if they are old enough.
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I totally agree about the systems in your original post, I don’t consider those vintage quite yet. I should’ve clarified that. I’ve just seen some people (not you) talk about how certain machines are “garbage” or “no good,” when in reality an opinion like that has nothing to do with how old they are.


I could see the “vintage” cutoff being pre DDR2 and SATA (like some of the last P4s had). Anything with no onboard SATA is pretty much vintage at this point I think.
 
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