hwh wrote on 2023-09-05, 09:20:

Here's a STACK of 5 1/4" hard drives, the ones uh....I forget who made them, the half height 5 1/4" from the 90s. Got to rip the IDE off the platters, sort the pieces, grab a tool and unscrew everything from everything else. And it just made my eyes water.

Quantum Bigfoot?

Horun wrote on 2023-09-05, 03:42:

Long ago (mid 2000's, an early Saturday morning) stopped at a yard sale on way to work, lots of tables of stuff and items all ar […]
Show full quote

Long ago (mid 2000's, an early Saturday morning) stopped at a yard sale on way to work, lots of tables of stuff and items all around the big front porch area. Looked around and only one thing jumped out at me:
A Technics SA 5760 with a "for a $50 or best offer" tag, guy there said it works, noted it had some minor damage to speaker connectors so I asked if he would take $20 and that was all the cash I had on me.
He said he take the $20 only if no one else wanted it, so gave him my name and phone number and told him I really wanted it and please don't not sell it for less than my offer and I will be back.
He mentioned he was moving and everything had to go by that night but he would be there until dark. (I never really understood that but figured he be at his new place overnight)..
I told him I be back later in the day and I was, hours before dark. To my surprise when I stopped back by, all the tables, all the stuff was gone... except that receiver.
It was sitting on the front porch steps so knocked on the door, no answer, looked in window and saw no furniture, went around to garage which was open and it was empty too.
Well I left a note and said call me about the receiver and grabbed it. Never got a call. I still have it and it still works.
Ok that was not the beginning of my collecting old stuff but it reinforced the idea I should grab it now even if I am not sure I want it because those type situations almost never happen that way.
To this day I still cannot believe he left that receiver just sitting there, waiting for me to stop by and get it. Do you have any idea what that thing is worth now ? And it still works.

Ok is not computer related but relative to the story line....

Love this. Thanks for sharing.

Horun wrote on 2023-09-05, 03:42:

Long ago (mid 2000's, an early Saturday morning) stopped at a yard sale on way to work, lots of tables of stuff and items all ar […]
Show full quote

Long ago (mid 2000's, an early Saturday morning) stopped at a yard sale on way to work, lots of tables of stuff and items all around the big front porch area. Looked around and only one thing jumped out at me:
A Technics SA 5760 with a "for a $50 or best offer" tag, guy there said it works, noted it had some minor damage to speaker connectors so I asked if he would take $20 and that was all the cash I had on me.
He said he take the $20 only if no one else wanted it, so gave him my name and phone number and told him I really wanted it and please don't not sell it for less than my offer and I will be back.
He mentioned he was moving and everything had to go by that night but he would be there until dark. (I never really understood that but figured he be at his new place overnight)..
I told him I be back later in the day and I was, hours before dark. To my surprise when I stopped back by, all the tables, all the stuff was gone... except that receiver.
It was sitting on the front porch steps so knocked on the door, no answer, looked in window and saw no furniture, went around to garage which was open and it was empty too.
Well I left a note and said call me about the receiver and grabbed it. Never got a call. I still have it and it still works.
Ok that was not the beginning of my collecting old stuff but it reinforced the idea I should grab it now even if I am not sure I want it because those type situations almost never happen that way.
To this day I still cannot believe he left that receiver just sitting there, waiting for me to stop by and get it. Do you have any idea what that thing is worth now ? And it still works.

Ok is not computer related but relative to the story line....

Thank you for sharing that . Sometimes, the context through which hardware finds its way into one's hands makes it even more special .

H3nrik V! wrote on 2023-09-05, 13:37:

hwh wrote on 2023-09-05, 09:20:

Here's a STACK of 5 1/4" hard drives, the ones uh....I forget who made them, the half height 5 1/4" from the 90s. Got to rip the IDE off the platters, sort the pieces, grab a tool and unscrew everything from everything else. And it just made my eyes water.

Quantum Bigfoot?

Exactly! Thank you for refreshing my memory. I think I have one or two of them in my boxes somewhere.

FWIW seemed to make perfect sense with 5 1/4" drive bays.

Ensign Nemo wrote on 2023-09-04, 11:02:

[...]

I can see how someone would buy up games to preserve them for collectors and sell them at a price that deters people who aren't that interested in them and only buy it because it's cheap. There's a guy who buys vintage computers and repairs them locally. He sells his excess hardware at cost and won't sell them to people looking to flip them for a few bucks. I actually really appreciate that. However, I'm not sure if that's the motivation with the guy trying to sell games locally for really inflated prices. He's literally been listing the same ads for years now. I think he probably sees eBay prices and thinks he'll get those amounts locally. Otherwise, I would expect him to sell them at a price that a collector would likely think is reasonable.

I've had a discussion with a local seller who has an almost mint Microsoft Trackball Explorer. "Almost" as he says he opened the box to check if everything was in there and it worked. It was and it did - but it's not sealed anymore. Now that knocks a lot off its collectors' value, but is perfect for me as I buy up every one of these things that I spot for a price I'm prepared to pay as I use them and they deteriorate with use (after a decade or so, the plastic is just gone), so one I know works but otherwise in perfect condition is ideal.

He puts the thing up on a local auction site. People bid on it. I am inevitably highest bidder, usually around EUR 100-125. He doesn't consider that enough, having seen them go on eBay for three times that, but I'm not prepared to pay over the odds either. First time I wished him luck with finding someone prepared to pay that. He said he was patient and wouldn't accept a 'lowball bid'. Fine. Couple of months later and he re-lists it. The same people bid on it with the same outcome. Rinse repeat, it came round a third time. He actually started getting annoyed with me for bidding but never going higher...

dionb wrote on 2023-09-11, 15:46:

Ensign Nemo wrote on 2023-09-04, 11:02:

[...]

I can see how someone would buy up games to preserve them for collectors and sell them at a price that deters people who aren't that interested in them and only buy it because it's cheap. There's a guy who buys vintage computers and repairs them locally. He sells his excess hardware at cost and won't sell them to people looking to flip them for a few bucks. I actually really appreciate that. However, I'm not sure if that's the motivation with the guy trying to sell games locally for really inflated prices. He's literally been listing the same ads for years now. I think he probably sees eBay prices and thinks he'll get those amounts locally. Otherwise, I would expect him to sell them at a price that a collector would likely think is reasonable.

I've had a discussion with a local seller who has an almost mint Microsoft Trackball Explorer. "Almost" as he says he opened the box to check if everything was in there and it worked. It was and it did - but it's not sealed anymore. Now that knocks a lot off its collectors' value, but is perfect for me as I buy up every one of these things that I spot for a price I'm prepared to pay as I use them and they deteriorate with use (after a decade or so, the plastic is just gone), so one I know works but otherwise in perfect condition is ideal.

He puts the thing up on a local auction site. People bid on it. I am inevitably highest bidder, usually around EUR 100-125. He doesn't consider that enough, having seen them go on eBay for three times that, but I'm not prepared to pay over the odds either. First time I wished him luck with finding someone prepared to pay that. He said he was patient and wouldn't accept a 'lowball bid'. Fine. Couple of months later and he re-lists it. The same people bid on it with the same outcome. Rinse repeat, it came round a third time. He actually started getting annoyed with me for bidding but never going higher...

I'm willing to pay a little bit more on eBay because I get buyer protection. Also, his eBay price probably reflects the highest price that it can go for among all the eBay users in the world. Expecting to get the same locally is delusional. If everyone local is low balling him, why doesn't he just sell it on eBay?

dionb wrote on 2023-09-11, 15:46:

Ensign Nemo wrote on 2023-09-04, 11:02:

[...]

I can see how someone would buy up games to preserve them for collectors and sell them at a price that deters people who aren't that interested in them and only buy it because it's cheap. There's a guy who buys vintage computers and repairs them locally. He sells his excess hardware at cost and won't sell them to people looking to flip them for a few bucks. I actually really appreciate that. However, I'm not sure if that's the motivation with the guy trying to sell games locally for really inflated prices. He's literally been listing the same ads for years now. I think he probably sees eBay prices and thinks he'll get those amounts locally. Otherwise, I would expect him to sell them at a price that a collector would likely think is reasonable.

I've had a discussion with a local seller who has an almost mint Microsoft Trackball Explorer. "Almost" as he says he opened the box to check if everything was in there and it worked. It was and it did - but it's not sealed anymore. Now that knocks a lot off its collectors' value, but is perfect for me as I buy up every one of these things that I spot for a price I'm prepared to pay as I use them and they deteriorate with use (after a decade or so, the plastic is just gone), so one I know works but otherwise in perfect condition is ideal.

He puts the thing up on a local auction site. People bid on it. I am inevitably highest bidder, usually around EUR 100-125. He doesn't consider that enough, having seen them go on eBay for three times that, but I'm not prepared to pay over the odds either. First time I wished him luck with finding someone prepared to pay that. He said he was patient and wouldn't accept a 'lowball bid'. Fine. Couple of months later and he re-lists it. The same people bid on it with the same outcome. Rinse repeat, it came round a third time. He actually started getting annoyed with me for bidding but never going higher...

IMHO, if the seller has gone through the motions 3 times and gotten the same result, he might want to put a little more thought into why his expectations/worldview and reality do not seem to be matching up, rather than to start getting annoyed at reality.

Ensign Nemo wrote on 2023-09-11, 17:43:

dionb wrote on 2023-09-11, 15:46:

Ensign Nemo wrote on 2023-09-04, 11:02:

[...]

I can see how someone would buy up games to preserve them for collectors and sell them at a price that deters people who aren't that interested in them and only buy it because it's cheap. There's a guy who buys vintage computers and repairs them locally. He sells his excess hardware at cost and won't sell them to people looking to flip them for a few bucks. I actually really appreciate that. However, I'm not sure if that's the motivation with the guy trying to sell games locally for really inflated prices. He's literally been listing the same ads for years now. I think he probably sees eBay prices and thinks he'll get those amounts locally. Otherwise, I would expect him to sell them at a price that a collector would likely think is reasonable.

I've had a discussion with a local seller who has an almost mint Microsoft Trackball Explorer. "Almost" as he says he opened the box to check if everything was in there and it worked. It was and it did - but it's not sealed anymore. Now that knocks a lot off its collectors' value, but is perfect for me as I buy up every one of these things that I spot for a price I'm prepared to pay as I use them and they deteriorate with use (after a decade or so, the plastic is just gone), so one I know works but otherwise in perfect condition is ideal.

He puts the thing up on a local auction site. People bid on it. I am inevitably highest bidder, usually around EUR 100-125. He doesn't consider that enough, having seen them go on eBay for three times that, but I'm not prepared to pay over the odds either. First time I wished him luck with finding someone prepared to pay that. He said he was patient and wouldn't accept a 'lowball bid'. Fine. Couple of months later and he re-lists it. The same people bid on it with the same outcome. Rinse repeat, it came round a third time. He actually started getting annoyed with me for bidding but never going higher...

I'm willing to pay a little bit more on eBay because I get buyer protection. Also, his eBay price probably reflects the highest price that it can go for among all the eBay users in the world. Expecting to get the same locally is delusional. If everyone local is low balling him, why doesn't he just sell it on eBay?

I agree, except that people are not necessarily low-balling him locally. Items can have different perceived values in different countries/areas.

The highest price sold is exactly as realistic as the lowest price sold. The expection of perceived value on a give platform lies in between the extremes/outliers. Some sellers do not seem to get that or are hoping for a desperate/impatient buyer. Then again, some sellers do not seem to distinguish between an auction that finished buyer-less at at given asking price and one where the item was actually purchased.

dionb wrote on 2023-09-11, 15:46:

He actually started getting annoyed with me for bidding but never going higher...

You can leave feedback on canceled auctions, right? I'd give people who cancel orders a well deserved neg as a gift right next to the defect they already got for canceling. 3 auctions - 3 negs. Won't be selling for long with that attitude.

I don't do yard sales mostly because I never found anything interesting there.

Back in the day before collecting computers was a thing people would post stuff on freecycle and when you went there, they would always try to load you up with other computer gear on the way out. One guy had a garage sale, and I purchased a few cards he had shown in the advertisement, and he had some free stuff I passed on like a 486 PCI system and a smashed PPro system he probably fished out of the trash, and I passed. Some people regret what they snag for free, but I am on the other end where I sometimes regret what I didn't snag.

Mandrew wrote on 2023-09-11, 19:12:

[...]

You can leave feedback on canceled auctions, right? I'd give people who cancel orders a well deserved neg as a gift right next to the defect they already got for canceling. 3 auctions - 3 negs. Won't be selling for long with that attitude.

It's not eBay (even if it is eBay-owned these days) and there's zero moderation on this sort of stuff. You can bid, but it's entirely at seller's discretion whether they actually go through with the deal. There is of course a minimum price option, but it rarely gets used, particularly not by this sort of seller.

darry wrote on 2023-09-11, 18:41:

IMHO, if the seller has gone through the motions 3 times and gotten the same result, he might want to put a little more thought into why his expectations/worldview and reality do not seem to be matching up, rather than to start getting annoyed at reality.

dionb wrote on 2023-09-11, 21:48:

You can bid, but it's entirely at seller's discretion whether they actually go through with the deal. There is of course a minimum price option, but it rarely gets used, particularly not by this sort of seller.

OOhh exactly ! They were "one of those type" sellers, they do not care and want what they want (an "entitled" attitude, comes to mind) 😁
added: reminds me of the time our local TV was following around a charity giving free food boxes out to the homes who had requested them, one lady opened the door for the camera crew and all could see her living area with must of been all new expensive furniture and a very large TV on the wall (probably one of them 70"+). When they told her here is your Thanksgiving Ham dinner box, she replied "I wanted the Turkey" and shut the door. "Entitled" because she did not need it AND if she didn't get it her way she did not want it. Sadly near all the other homes in that TV clip were very poverty stricken and grateful for the free meal.

dionb wrote on 2023-09-11, 15:46:

He doesn't consider that enough, having seen them go on eBay for three times that, but I'm not prepared to pay over the odds either.

This is not necessarily the case here, but I’ve encountered so many sellers which only look ebay asking prices of certqin items, not those sums which actually is paid for them. Ebay has so much stuff where asking prices are just insane and they never change hands at those prices in any case.

Some people also don’t seem to realize that rarity itself doesn’t make something valuable, there needs to be demand for it also.

CharlieFoxtrot wrote on 2023-09-12, 05:38:

[...]

Some people also don’t seem to realize that rarity itself doesn’t make something valuable, there needs to be demand for it also.

Demand and ability/willingness to pay a certain price. The demand is certainly present in this case - it's a sought-after item and there's always lively bidding; I'm prepared to pay over the original price, even if indexed for inflation and so are some others. But there's a finite limit to what it's worth to me - and apparently I'm not alone in that.

I don't even object to the seller not wanting to sell for the price I'm prepared to pay - he's perfectly entitled to sell for whatever price he wants - it's the attitude and particularly the consciously choosing not to set a minimum price yet not honouring bids below a price he clearly has - and then getting annoyed with the potential buyers - that could do with a change.

CharlieFoxtrot wrote on 2023-09-12, 05:38:

dionb wrote on 2023-09-11, 15:46:

He doesn't consider that enough, having seen them go on eBay for three times that, but I'm not prepared to pay over the odds either.

This is not necessarily the case here, but I’ve encountered so many sellers which only look ebay asking prices of certqin items, not those sums which actually is paid for them. Ebay has so much stuff where asking prices are just insane and they never change hands at those prices in any case.

Some people also don’t seem to realize that rarity itself doesn’t make something valuable, there needs to be demand for it also.

Even if they do, they probably just look at the highest amounts that it goes for. It's like pro athletes that become free agents. They can point to a similar player that makes more than them as an example of what they think they're worth, but they won't point to another guy making less.

dionb wrote on 2023-09-12, 06:05:

CharlieFoxtrot wrote on 2023-09-12, 05:38:

[...]

Some people also don’t seem to realize that rarity itself doesn’t make something valuable, there needs to be demand for it also.

Demand and ability/willingness to pay a certain price. The demand is certainly present in this case - it's a sought-after item and there's always lively bidding; I'm prepared to pay over the original price, even if indexed for inflation and so are some others. But there's a finite limit to what it's worth to me - and apparently I'm not alone in that.

I don't even object to the seller not wanting to sell for the price I'm prepared to pay - he's perfectly entitled to sell for whatever price he wants - it's the attitude and particularly the consciously choosing not to set a minimum price yet not honouring bids below a price he clearly has - and then getting annoyed with the potential buyers - that could do with a change.

Sure, I was just speaking in general terms. But I’ve seen far too many times people trying to sell obscure crap for a high price because it is obscure. But hobbyists don’t actually want it, because there is simply no use for it and it doesn’t have any collectible value as a shelf decoration. It is just obsolete electronic waste, in a sense, and nobody is willing to throw copious amounts of money for an item which is a curiosity at most.

Other type of misjudging a rarity is a case where the very item in question may be relatively rare, but it is still quite generic and there are much better options for hobbyists already available for lesser price, so being unique isn’t actually something that makes it wanted and may actually be totally opposite.