What else do you hoard?

[Hak Foo]

I know many of us have a huge stack of spares of our favourite types of keyboards or pointing devices, but what else?

I think for me, it's becoming printers.  I used to have one of those little Samsung $150 lasers, but it died after being used for less than 2,000 pages over three years (rubber bits failed so it wouldn't feed).

So I bought a second-hand LaserJet 5.  For $9, I got a printer that you could drop on the Samsung and it would continue to print.

Today, I found myself getting a 4 Plus (ostensibly to get a spare cartridge for the 5, but the 4 Plus may well stick around as a spare in case the 5 ever fails)

[Manyak]

With me its PCs and parts. No matter what it is I'll find a good use for it.

I've got:
1 Laptop (P4 3ghz northwood)
1 Server (E8400)
2 HTPCs (AMD BE-2400, P4 630)
1 Torrent Box (Epia PX Pico ITX)
1 Hackintosh (Atom 230)
1 'Old Gaming' PC (Dual-CPU Pentium III w/ DOS and Win98)

And in a few months I'll be building a Core i7 rig with TEC cooling and the whole 9 yards.

[cmr]

ens1371 and emu10k1 sound cards

[Manyak]

ens1371 and emu10k1 sound cards

emu10k1 was awesome! I've got two of them, been meaning to switch out the opamps and caps on one to make it sound perfect

[ozar]

For me, it's various PC parts, drums, American Indian flutes, violins, and chess sets.

[xsphat]

Not keyboards anymore, but I'm about to start hoarding typewriters (might have just picked up my third). Aside from that I really don't hoard anything except bad sexual experiences.

[keyb_gr]

For me that would probably be radios (usually stuff with shortwave coverage)... though I also have a couple more PCs than I can really use, plus a bunch of old harddrives and expansion cards.

[ozar]

Given the current state of the economy, I really need to concentrate more on hoarding cash and worry less about hording other things.

[itlnstln]

Disc golf discs.

[wheel83]

i like ibm model m space savers.    i bought a bunch for $75-150.  a  couple NIB ;p  

i noticed the prices were starting to rise, so i bought a few extras.  no regrets though as i really like them.

[IBI]

Not much actually, assuming we're ignoring the usual geek collections of hundreds of internet bookmarks and a quotes file.

[xsphat]

the usual geek collections of hundreds of internet bookmarks

No kidding. I delete my entire FF install every six months to get rid of the extra add-ons and links I never use.

[lowpoly]

Cars with transmission problems.

[bhtooefr]

I'm beginning to think that it might become weird old British computers.

(Must stop looking at eBay UK...)

[Hak Foo]

pr0n. oh wait..what did I say? stamps! stamps.

But nothing really. Old British computers would be a good one. I have a NIB ZX-81 for starters

I've always wanted a RISC OS machine, but I have to think

"Machine:  GBP 7.50.
Postage to US:  USD 75.
Repairs after trying unsuccessfully to run it on 110v:  USD 150."

I did get a Timex-Sinclair 2068 with the original box (the closest us Americans got to a Spectrum, somewhat incompatible, with a very noxious keyboard)

I have this strange "I wish I had gotten into computers 20 years earlier" feeling-- I feel like the machines should either be hopelessly anemic  ("Wow!  128k of memory!") or take up entire rackmount cabinets.  I wonder what that means from a psychological perspective.

[Manyak]

I have this strange "I wish I had gotten into computers 20 years earlier" feeling-- I feel like the machines should either be hopelessly anemic  ("Wow!  128k of memory!") or take up entire rackmount cabinets.  I wonder what that means from a psychological perspective.

You might like something like this: http://helmer.sfe.se/

[bhtooefr]

120V Conversion steps for various RISC OS machines:

A3xx/4xx/R140: Open the PSU, there's supposedly a jumper to select 120 V, and the fuse will need to be double the amperage rating
A540/R2xx: Not sure, suspect it's the same as the A3xx/4xx/R140
A3010/A3020: Not gonna happen without either replacing the transformer on the motherboard with a 120 V to 23 V transformer and replacing the fuse, or using a 120 V to 220-240 V step-up transformer
A4000: I think this one might be either switchable or auto-ranging
A5000: I think similar to the A4000
A4 (laptop): Auto-ranging 100-240 V, IIRC (it's at least 110-240 V)
RiscPC: Stock, a RiscPC will most likely have a switchable power supply. Worst case, you'll need to replace with a switchable one
A7000/A7000+: Auto-ranging (my RiscPC is in an A7000 case, using the A7000 power supply. The sticker on the back says 220-240 V, but the datasheet 110-240 V, and the datasheet is right)
Iyonix: Most likely switchable, and even if it's not, it's a standard Micro-ATX power supply, so hit up Newegg
A9home: Most likely auto-ranging, and even if it's not, it's a 5 VDC 4 A power supply, so hit up RadioShack or Digikey or something

Edit: The bigger thing that I'd worry about, honestly, is the OS. You want 3.11 on an old (pre-RiscPC/A7000) machine, and at least 4.02 on a RiscPC or A7000. (The Iyonix and A9home have flash ROM, and can be updated to the latest versions easily.)

[xsphat]

Genius' don't all have to be crazy, webwit, and everyone's process is different.

[keyb_gr]

So today's thesis is: everybody who hangs here is no genius programmer/writer/whatever by default. You wouldn't be bothered.

Don't underestimate the power of networking though. A bunch of decently smart people can get quite a bit done as well these days. Actually I think knowledge distribution still is kind of a bottleneck.

[bhtooefr]

And, pray tell, how has Sinclair's stuff influenced today's computer market?

I can almost guarantee that Steve Wozniak didn't ignore other things so as to not blur the mind, and his stuff was rather influential.

Or, to keep it on the topic of British computers, something tells me Roger/Sophie Wilson (who designed the original ARM) didn't ignore other things, and his/her stuff is now in damn near every cell phone out there.

So, great inventors may insulate themselves from the world, but those that DON'T insulate themselves from the world have potential to be even greater, IMO, as long as they can focus on their project.

[keyb_gr]

Linus Torvalds hates Slashdot. Might as well waste time discussing important topics with molluscs.

Somehow I had to think of the Heise forums when I read this... *)

More specialized forums such is this one tend to be a better bet when it comes to exchanging knowledge.

*) My German readers will know why. Almost every time I take a look in there, I end up running as fast as I can soon after...

[DesktopJinx]

I don't know that I'm hoarding anything, yet. I haven't reached that level of organization. I'm still stuck in the general-packrat stage.

But I have been burned many times by the "works perfectly and yet they don't make it anymore" problem -- having to buy a used M15 for $590 comes to mind -- so I'm starting to think like a hoarder.

I have a case of dnL soda tucked away in the cabinet. I still have one can of DrPepper Berries & Cream that I'm saving for a special occasion too.

I now have two bottles of my favorite scotch whisky hiding in the back of the cabinet, in addition to the one on the bar...

I have a spare hard disk cartridge for my car stereo, and I bought a spare PATA drive on top of that for when one of them dies...

I gave my brother an Audiotron which he doesn't really use, and I know if one of mine dies he'd give it back to me...

The quirky old car I just bought came with an extra set of model-correct wheels...

I have an extra Tivo...

I have extra packages of my favorite socks tucked away...

Oh crap. I think I'm just two cats away from crazy.

[IBI]

Oh crap. I think I'm just two cats away from crazy.

Nah, you're just being pessimistic. Crazy would be if you had a dozen spares for everything.

[bhtooefr]

You have no idea. Really. He's the grand father of a whole generation of some of the most influential hackers in the world. These were the days that companies like EA were born, from just a few persons. Sinclair and Commodore are why Europe has an enormous amount of incredible computer people - it all started there. The PC didn't bring computers to the masses, nor did Apple.

OK, I won't deny that his computers are responsible for a lot of computer users, who went on to do influential things. (And I never did deny that.)

But, other than that, what did his stuff inspire? Is there any element of any Sinclair machine, in even the most distorted form, that lived on past the discontinuation of the last ZX Spectrum variant in December 1990?

[Manyak]

The z80 lives on in your fridge and many other electronics and appliciances, and the crappy keyboard style is making a comeback in recent Apple manifestations

But your demand is flawed anyway, in the field of computer technology. Where do vacuum tubes live on today? Nowhere, but we wouldn't have gotten were we are now without them. The destiny of new computer tech is that it is bound to become outdated.

Actually, vacuum tubes are still used in some specialty audio equipment because the sound they produce is a lot different than solid-state devices. And if you really want to get technical, CRTs are also a type of vacuum tube.

[bhtooefr]

Gah, I should've said something like "is there any element popularized by or developed for any Sinclair machine," or something like that.

The Z80 is very common, but no Sinclair machine is responsible for that.

Most likely ditto for the Apple Aluminum keyboard.

But, I was thinking more along the lines of concepts, in addition to specific parts. The idea of putting video terminal hardware on the motherboard was popularized by the Apple-1, and is still in use (in a way) today. (Although, we could debate all day as to whether it'd be around today without the Apple-1 - it probably would have, though.)

[IBI]

But, other than that, what did his stuff inspire? Is there any element of any Sinclair machine, in even the most distorted form, that lived on past the discontinuation of the last ZX Spectrum variant in December 1990?

The netbook? Sell a computer with less power than it's comtemporaries but at a low price and small size? The ZX design is practically a netbook itself, all that's missing is the screen.

[bhtooefr]

Well, if it weren't for tubes, we probably wouldn't have gone to transistors, so...

[Hak Foo]

The ZX Spectrum 16K (soon expanded to 48K) was my first computer I had many versions of it till I switched to the Amiga. Both have defined me in various way . Sinclair is a true genius. Maybe I should bid for that C5 I saw posted locally.

Coming from a country where Sinclair's products had no traction makes it difficult to truly understand it, but it seemed like their primary flair was "how can we make it phenominally cheap" as the breakthrough rather than "this does something nobody else does at any price."

I also never quite understood Amstrad gear-- it seemed to be "how can we make equipment that isn't compatible with anything else".

[Des]

Boring Apple. Amiga forever, baby!

:peace:  
This just needed a response.

Click for friendlier logo
..One of theese days I´ll be buying the new 2009 Amiga hardware and OS 4.1 ...

[FKSSR]

The only things I really "collect" are CDs and DVDs, probably.  I will end up getting 6-7 keyboards eventually, but I will probably stick to that number, since that's about all I can use for different computers/purposes.

I have spent a lot of money on bass equipment, computers, and games.  However, I wouldn't say I collect any of that stuff.  I do like to always buy "bigger and better" stuff in that area, but I don't pile it up.

[nowsharing]

I seem to be hoarding cast iron cookware and yerba mate equipment; bombillas and gourds, or bombas and cuilas as they're known here, simply because they're cheap here.

I too used to have an obsession with valve electronics, but when my space started to run out I had to sell most of it. I had purchased the inventory of an old tv repair shop, which included about 7,000 tubes, testers, and lots of etc. It all went to ebay, selling for much less than I had envisioned. My '78 ampeg svt was a different story however, it netted a huge profit. I'm down to one tube amp now, a '68 traynor bass amp that has deep sentimental value to me.

I can see the attraction that tube amp users have to Model Ms: they're both hand assembled, methodically over-built (built like a tank would describe them equally well), relatively cheap (compared to the cost of hand building them today), feature stripped and industrial in nature.

Just like painters obsess over their brushes, writers and musicians obsess over their equipment. Someone here said to give the sword to a swordsman, and that should be said off all nice things. The typical person can't appreciate the quality of a finely built thing, or refuses to. Just go look at the equipment of a ****ty band or a ****ty cook. I don't believe that a piece of equipment will necessarily improve your abilities, but it certainly can't hurt them, and is probably more inspirational to your creative output.

It seems like the people in this thread appreciate these observations about the nature of nice things, and aren't necessarily hoarding things (ok some of you are ), but are going "bigger and better," like fkssr said, which is a positive thing in my mind. This is the same force behind the world of wine aficionados (who fill entire cellars with their collections) , coffee roasters ("hoarding" green beans from all over the world), stereophiles, and, here, writers.

That's just my two cents, but I don't think we should just consider ourselves "geeks," but followers of an old tradition, going back to the stone tool users who "hoarded" exotic raw materials to make that perfect projectile point.

[nowsharing]

yes, I'm sophistimocated I was hoping to raise the collective self esteem around here a little.

[FKSSR]

Some of these guys don't need anymore self-esteem.

JK.  I like your post.  I agree with it, for sure.

And back to the tubes thing, I'm hoping to get a bass tube amp very soon!  Mesa Boogie 400+ or Ampeg SVT-4 (probably the former).

[Manyak]

You know, I also forgot to mention that I horde PC games. I've got over 400 CDs/DVDs worth of games, including the original CDs for Doom and Doom 2

Its not like I'm trying to collect them or anything, I just never sell or throw them away when I'm done.

[Manyak]

Total Annihilation rocks

But yeah, almost all the new video games are just the same crap over and over, nothing really interesting. The only games released in the past 3 years I've liked were Bioshock and Mass Effect. But still not enough to go back and play them a second time through.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Starcraft II though. :eyebrows:

[o2dazone]

I disagree. 99% of all games are hyped, and are actually very awful when played (cough most xbox360 games).In fact some of the best games I've played recently I hadn't even heard of (Sins of a Solar Empire).

There's a few games here and there, but definitely don't live up to the hype that gets generated behind it.

And yeah... SCII is gonna own, as well as D3

[Manyak]

I disagree. 99% of all games are hyped, and are actually very awful when played (cough most xbox360 games).In fact some of the best games I've played recently I hadn't even heard of (Sins of a Solar Empire).

There's a few games here and there, but definitely don't live up to the hype that gets generated behind it.

And yeah... SCII is gonna own, as well as D3

So what is it that we don't agree on? :yo:

[o2dazone]

haha yeah I uh...my reading comprehension blows

[IBI]

Total Annihilation rocks

But yeah, almost all the new video games are just the same crap over and over, nothing really interesting. The only games released in the past 3 years I've liked were Bioshock and Mass Effect. But still not enough to go back and play them a second time through.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Starcraft II though. :eyebrows:

I've got the main TA theme as my phone ringtone, It's certainly distinctive.

Mass effect has the usual excellently written bioware formula, although I felt the Kotor formula was wearing a bit thin gameplay-wise.

I don't understand what people see in bioshock though, for a game that promised to be an intelligent exploration of a drowned city to start with, to see it decend into pantomime with an evil villan with maniac laughter and stupid plans just disappointed me.

I think there have also been quite a few games in the last few years that have been excellent. Supreme Commander (an excellent sequal to TA, although forged alliance is rubbish), The Witcher, Mount and Blade and Fallout 3 for example.

I stay away from game hype now, it's not going to do anything except result in you being dissappointed, far better if you can pick up the game with no idea what it is.

I've found the most distressing recent trend is 'acheivements'. I bought Assassin's creed today and that's a particulaly bad example with sparkly 'collectable flags' littered around that do nothing and break the immersion of what otherwise looks to be quite a serious story. In others games though I've found myself repeating sectors and reloading just to get an acheivement and not having particular fun and made myself move on. I think they do have a limited place in multiplayer though, Valve's L4D is a decent example, as fairly easy acheivements for doing a wide variety of things will get players to try their hand at everything, which can only be a good thing.

[nowsharing]

P.S. Just looked up Mesa Boogie 400 = 12x6L6, 4x12AX7 That's just sick... That's head pounding loud.

MMM, that's a lot of power. Is the 400+ an older model or new? I can tell you after owning both an older svt and the newer classic reissue, there was just no comparison. Run away from the new ampeg stuff, it's built to self-destruct after a couple of years. I don't know much about mesa boogie's bass gear, except that I saw a favorite bassist of mine, Paz Lenchantin, pumping out some great sounding stuff on one when she was in Zwan.

[Manyak]

Yeah I just started playing assassin's creed yesterday, and after finding 3 out of 100 flags in that big zone between cities I decided I wouldn't even bother with them. And its extremely repetitive too...the same things over and over in each city. I ended up just walking myself straight into a camp of like 50 guards just to get some sort of challenge. But the story is great so far

[o2dazone]

I could not get into The Witcher if my life depended on it. I think the potion system and having to travel so much that bothered me. Then again, I had just come off WoW, so every game felt like it lacked depth.

[nowsharing]

That's a great looking bass, probably sounds incredible.

Here's my old rig:

[roaduck]

What else do you hoard?

This looks like a bad case of incurable OCD

I used to collect books; now I have to acquire more bookcases
I used to collect cassettes; now they're in four separate chest of drawers
I've got too many radios - ten radios
I've got too many pairs of speakers - nine plus two subwoofers
i've got too many tellys - five
Too many hats, masks and pairs of sandals - a lot
Too many cd players - ten plus another six dvd players
I haven't got enough empty cider bottles because I need them for the homebrew
Too many favourites on IE and Opera - 1,700,000 in 8 years - I have a separate search engine just for finding the faves.
Too many Yahoo Groups - about a hundred - I could go on but I better not.

[williamjoseph]

i have an old color lexmark LQ-860 24pin dot matrix printer,
calculators, still looking for that perfect Curta II,
and of course pc equipment.
most of the books i had i saved the same book in soft copy and donated the physical ones.

[lowpoly]

Too many favourites on IE and Opera - 1,700,000 in 8 years - I have a separate search engine just for finding the faves.

Literally 1,700,000?

[roaduck]

Literally 1,700,000?

Yep and that's not from all my back-ups - I can collect 1000+ faves a week sometimes, so I need a special program just to trawl through them because desksearch is not powerfull enough - too many things to look at.

Quick Favorites Search 4.32  - http://chris.id.au/

[itlnstln]

1.7 million favorites?  I would think that at that point, they're not really favorites anymore.

[Shawn Stanford]

Vehicles (I have a Mazda minivan (the Man Van), two Porsches and a Subaru Legacy wagon) and military equipment (I have a room full of stuff dating back to my active duty time with the Marines 25 years ago).

Oh, and watches. I have about 30 of those...