I like handheld computers, small portable devices known also as PDAs, handheld PCs, pocket PCs, palmtop computers, and UMPCs. They evolved into smartphones that all people have nowadays. My hobby, however, is those handheld computing rarities that preceded the smartphone era. I collect them. Some time ago I formalized the collecting principles I adhere to. This time I\u2019ve decided to publish them.<\/p>\n
I do not claim these principles be an absolute truth. As I say later here, collecting is largely subjective. So, these principles reflect my own attitude to collecting, my personal opinion.<\/p>\n
Principles are given in the order which I believe is best to perceive them. Principle number isn\u2019t due to significance or whatever.<\/p>\n
Collecting principles presuppose that we\u2019re clear about what a word \u201ccollection\u201d means. The term has no strict definition. Let\u2019s review how dictionaries define it:<\/p>\n
These definitions, explicitly or implicitly, say that collectibles have the following major properties:<\/p>\n
With this in mind, let\u2019s agree that a collection is a group of objects of the same type with remarkable qualities<\/strong>.<\/p>\n To define a particular collection, we need to specify those distinctive qualities<\/em> that, on the one hand, unite the collectibles and, on the other, make them attractive and interesting. When it comes to computer collectibles, these distinctive qualities are:<\/p>\n A set of distinctive qualities for a specific collection is up to a collector. As you can see, many of the above qualities are subjective. That\u2019s why, collecting is largely subjective by its very nature.<\/p>\n Consequently, collecting items of the same type but with different distinctive qualities produces essentially different collections. Here\u2019s an example. ThinkPad laptops recently turned 25 years. The anniversary was highlighted by a collection review published at digitaltrends.com: The weirdest, coolest, and most influential ThinkPads of the last 25 years<\/a>. A few years earlier, another ThinkPad collection was reviewed at thinkscopes.com: Top 10 most influential ThinkPads<\/a>. Even though these collections comprise items of the same type (ThinkPads), they are quite different in contents. This is due to the following:<\/p>\n A collection with clear distinctive qualities is, for example, Dave\u2019s Vintage Handheld Computer Collection<\/a>.<\/p>\n To sum it up, the first collecting principle sounds like Collection must be formally defined<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In other words, a collector must define the qualities of items to be added to their collection. This allows the collector to understand what exactly they\u2019re interested in. Know thyself, as the Ancient Greek aphorism says.<\/p>\n The next principle demonstrates certain patterns that help a collector to come up with distinctive qualities.<\/p>\n Quality and quantity are the conflicting properties of a collection. The higher and the more distinctive qualities a collection has, the least items in the world conform to them. The maximum collection size is inversely proportional to the quality of collectibles.<\/p>\n On the one hand, collecting the low-quality items is easier; on the other, such a collection won\u2019t be of much value. A collector has to choose a right balance between quality and quantity. Along with personal preferences, there\u2019re some reasonable aspects for a collector to consider in this matter. Let\u2019s review them in detail.<\/p>\n The larger the collection, the more space it needs. As your collection grows, sooner or later, you face the lack of space. Even if you don\u2019t store your collectibles in showcases, electronics require proper conditions (temperature and humidity).<\/p>\n Collectible dimensions play a major role here, a major but not crucial one. Collectors of such relatively small devices as laptops run out of space too. See what Thinkpad Mania\u0441<\/em> wrote in ThinkPad 600x review<\/a>:<\/p>\n 8-bit guy<\/a> talked about this recently. This aspect is of utmost importance for regions with cold climate, where, unlike in some other regions, you cannot just place a container outside and store your devices there year-round<\/a> without harming them.<\/p>\n A large collection needs a lot of time, time to look through, systematize, and archive both the documentation and the software (see the principle Share information<\/em>). Comprehensive material for just one device is much more valuable than 10 brief reviews so common on the Internet. This material requires a plenty of time, often to search for rare accessories, to assemble a complicated testbed, etc.<\/p>\n Some devices need regular maintenance. For example, mobile devices use lithium-ion accumulators that degrade fast if stored discharged. Charging the accumulators regularly might be really time-consuming.<\/p>\n These aspects make it reasonable to focus on quality of collectibles rather than on their quantity. So, the second principle is Quality above quantity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Devices widely sought after among collectors are those introduced before the Internet became widespread. As a rule, there\u2019s still not much information about these devices on the Internet, even no good photo sometimes.<\/p>\n Things are better with devices introduced in 2000s. Information about these devices too, however, sinks in the abyss of time little by little. Wayback Machine<\/a> helps but not always. For example, I couldn\u2019t find the Gentoo distribution for Hewlett-Packard iPaq hx4700, a firmware that was being developed in the not-so-distant 2007.<\/p>\n It\u2019s up to collectors themselves to change this situation. Share information.<\/strong> Take photos, record videos, write reviews, scan paper materials, maintain software archives. And publish your materials. Here\u2019re some inspiring examples:<\/p>\n These resources allow everybody to get in touch with computing rarities. Keep in mind, however, that a resource with information on devices of your interest worth mirroring, even if the resource doesn\u2019t seem to close. It might close all of a sudden. When mirroring, make sure of compliance with the License Agreement to the material you copy.<\/p>\n All computing devices are of historical value, all without exceptions. This value, however, varies greatly. Most valuable devices worth being stored in glass showcases and books dedicated to them. But even least valuable ones may not be damaged and thrown away at no time. Some people considering themselves collectors treat their collectibles with striking<\/a> neglect<\/a>.<\/p>\n A collector having acquired a new device must realize they should be responsible<\/strong> in keeping the device safe, supplementing and distributing information about this device. <\/p>\n This principle applies to both storage conditions and maintenance of the device. Repairing electronics is a complex activity. A number of conditions must be met in order to make it successful:<\/p>\n Failure to comply with any of the conditions significantly reduces the chances of a successful outcome. In this case, it is better not to try at all in order to avoid the risk of damaging the vintage device.<\/p>\n Even if you don\u2019t need a device (or what is left from it), don\u2019t throw it away. Even a plastic piece of a device box might be of use when dissolved in dichloroethane to glue cracks in another device of the same type. (Plastic matters when you glue cracks.) Finally, you can find another collector who might need this device or its parts \u2014 for example, on a wonderful subreddit for computer rarities, Vintage Computing! Old stuff<\/a>.<\/p>\n This is the last collecting principle. But probably most important one.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Intro I like handheld computers, small portable devices known also as PDAs, handheld PCs, pocket PCs, palmtop computers, and UMPCs. They evolved into smartphones that all people have nowadays. My hobby, however, is those handheld computing rarities that preceded the smartphone era. I collect them. Some time ago I formalized the collecting principles I adhere … Continue reading “Manifesto of a Vintage Computers Collector”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":249,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"tags":[195,194],"class_list":["post-801","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","tag-manifesto","tag-principles"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/handheld.computer\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/801","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/handheld.computer\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/handheld.computer\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/handheld.computer\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/handheld.computer\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=801"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/handheld.computer\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/801\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":825,"href":"https:\/\/handheld.computer\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/801\/revisions\/825"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/handheld.computer\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/249"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/handheld.computer\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=801"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/handheld.computer\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=801"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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Quality above quantity<\/h1>\n
Aspect #1: Space<\/h2>\n
I definitely got some amusement out of it, though I did ultimately sell it (which I somewhat regret) due to just not having enough space for it (and my other laptops).<\/code><\/pre>\n
\nEugeniy Repiuk<\/em>, a co-founder of the Moscow museum club, wrote<\/a>:<\/p>\nThe major problem was, and is, the lack of space: an area of about 40 square meters and some utility rooms, which is sufficient for only about 5% of all the computers. <\/code><\/pre>\nAspect #2: Time<\/h2>\n
Share information<\/h1>\n
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Be responsible<\/h1>\n
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