Finding a Tech Museum For Your Beloved Retired Computer(s)

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Finding a Tech Museum For Your Beloved Retired Computer (s)

Posted by timothy on Thursday October 3, 2013 @03:35AM from the do-you-need-a-receipt? dept.

First time accepted submitter Daniel Dern writes "There may be a better home than your basement or recycling for those beloved computers you once built and/or used — like one of the many tech-collecting/displaying museums. My ComputerWorld article, '9 museums that want your legacy tech,' looks at nine institutions that might — be sure to ask, don't just drop on their doorsteps after hours — want some of them. (Probably not everything you've got, alack.)" Look soon for a Slashdot video visit to the Goodwill Computer Museum, one of the collections mentioned.

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Hmmm ... by gstoddart · 2013-10-03 03:42 · Score: 4, Informative

Unless you have something singularly unique, like a Cray or something, I very much doubt your old computer gear is of value to anybody.
I don't imagine a lot of these places want to be contacted to dump off your old PC, no matter how cool you think it is.

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1. Re:Hmmm ... by bill_mcgonigle · 2013-10-03 04:10 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  I did do the search when I finally decided to part with my old stack of 8-bit magazines, and lo and behold, there was a guy digitizing most of them, and he had holes in his collection which I had in a box in the shed! I mailed the missing magazines to him (BTW, F.U. USPS, 30 year old magazines do not contain 'advertising') and he sent me back a set of CD's with /all/ of the issues on them. He was even willing to return the magazines, but I didn't need them. Win-win - I have a 5x5x2" backup archive of my collection which was previously measured in cubic yards.
  
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2. Re:Hmmm ... by zergl · 2013-10-03 05:10 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Keep in mind that inflation adjusted this huge unwieldy brick cost ~14k USD in today's currency according to a quick lookup on an inflation calculator.
  You can get netbooks/ultrabooks with good battery life for "pocket change" in comparison today or still more portable mobile workstations with additional high capacity battery packs for less than what the first mac portable cost back then.
3. Re:Hmmm ... by linebackn · 2013-10-03 05:31 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  486 and Pentium 1 based systems frequently sell as retro gaming machines. There were a large number of games made for machines of this class that will not run or run acceptably on newer computers or emulators.
  They also make good "tweener" systems for moving data in between newer and even older systems. They often have networking, CD drives, and USB but can handle 360k drives and ISA devices.
Re:The problem here... by Alioth · 2013-10-03 04:01 · Score: 4, Interesting

But best selling means really not many numbers. The ZX Spectrum for instance was probably the best selling home computer in Europe (certainly in the UK and Spain, and all the clones in Eastern Europe and Russia). A few million sold, including clones behind the former iron curtain, over the production run of a little under 10 years.
Today just a single model of Dell PC will sell that many in under 6 months.
Museums will often still want working examples of the CPC, the Spectrum and the C64 etc. because they can use them in "hands on" exhibits, and will gladly want spares so they can swap them out when the exhibit inevitably dies and the computer needs to be repaired. Since they aren't awfully rare they don't have to be locked away in a glass box and visitors can get to play on them.

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Control Data Cyber 180 by Redfrost · 2013-10-03 04:24 · Score: 4, Interesting

My in-laws have a Control Data Cyber 180 system that has been sitting in a barn for probably almost 10 years. They would really love to get rid of it but we have no idea where to send it. It includes a bunch of other heavy manufacturing equipment. Also what appears to be a CO2 laser head by GTE Sylvania. Klischograph K181. Magnetic tape stuff. I can't remember what else.
It has been in a barn so at least kept out of rain and snow but not so much the -40C weather and the few pigeons that like to sit in the rafters above it.
It is located in western Canada. Does anybody know of a place that would want something like this or should we just sell it for metal recycling?
1. Re:Control Data Cyber 180 by Al+Kossow · 2013-10-03 04:46 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  There are people that want this. Check on the 'controlfreaks' mailing list
  controlfreaks@lists.controlfreaks.org
  Don't scrap it.
Printers and Scanners by ArcadeMan · 2013-10-03 04:31 · Score: 3, Interesting

Printers and scanners are good sources of free precision chromed rod, stepper motors with pulleys, belts and idler wheels. The older they are, the better.
As an example, the Apple ImageWriter II has a 10mm chromed rod and a NEMA23 stepper motor. It's completely overkill for a printer but it's a good source of parts for a small CNC machine or 3D printer.

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Heathkits wanted... by A+Commentor · 2013-10-03 04:39 · Score: 3, Interesting

If anyone has any old non-PC compatible Heathkit / Zenith Data Systems computers, software, manuals, etc.. Things like the H8, H11, H89.... HDOS & CP/M operating systems and related software... H10 Paper Tape... etc... I'm always looking for more. You can find more info on my site: http://heathkit.garlanger.com/

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They left out Bletchley Park! by chalsall · 2013-10-03 04:43 · Score: 3, Informative

The National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park (England) might be interested as well -- they have a section for personal computers.
Also, if you ever get a chance to visit, plan for at least half a day -- it's fascinating!
Re:not getting mine by ColdWetDog · 2013-10-03 05:05 · Score: 4, Interesting

I just gave my old K&E aluminum slide rule to my 18 year old nephew. It was my father's who used it on the Apollo 10 and 11 shots. It's turned into an instant family heirloom - his engineering friends are incredibly jealous and he is sinfully proud of it. Turns out they've been playing with iPhone slide rule apps and only a few had actually seen a real, engineering quality slide rule before.
Funny creatures, humans.

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Rhode Island Computer Museum by Andrew+Lindh · 2013-10-03 11:52 · Score: 3, Informative

If you're in the North East here is another good one http://www.ricomputermuseum.org/
They have a lot of minicomputer systems like DEC, IBM, Wang, Data General...and the usual collection of micro computers.