Imsai 8080

T

Thomas \Todd\ Fischer

Barry Watzman said:
$1,200+ for a unit with only the CPU and 2 memory boards is high.

The sucker went for $2,524.09 with nothing more than a single MPU-A processor board! At this rate I may very well reproduce the original rather than the Series Two. For what it's worth, I have possibly one of the oldest IMSAI 8080's ever made; one of the first 13 shipped in December of 1975. It is certainly the oldest original I've ever seen outside of the IMSAI Marketing prototype that I sold about 5 years ago. You'll probably see it on eBay soon as the years and clutter are gradually taking their toll on me. The "IMSAI Dollhouse" and the original source code hard copy of CP/M from Gary Kildall might follow in short order.

-Thomas "Todd" Fischer
 
B

Barry Watzman

How much do you think an original copy of 86-DOS, both disks and
manuals, would bring (versions from 0.33 to 1.25)?
 
T

Thomas \Todd\ Fischer

Hello Barry-

I don't have an idea about value of this kind of thing as it's entirely up
to the buyer and his/her needs or perception of worth. An Apple 1 is far
more valuable than any other later permutation because of its unique
historical value, just as original IMSAI 8080's seem to bring far more than
what you can buy a Series Two for. Kinda discouraging, but then, that's the
nature of the market.

Best regards,

-Thomas "Todd" Fischer
 
C

CBFalconer

Thomas said:
Part 1.1 Type: Plain Text (text/plain)
Encoding: quoted-printable

Please don't use html in Usenet. It is non-standard, and a
danger. Stick to pure text format.
 
M

MdntTrain

The sucker went for $2,524.09 with nothing more than a single MPU-A processor board! At this rate I may very well reproduce the original rather than the Series Two. For what it's worth, I have possibly one of the oldest IMSAI 8080's ever made; one of the first 13 shipped in December of 1975. It is certainly the oldest original I've ever seen outside of the IMSAI Marketing prototype that I sold about 5 years ago. You'll probably see it on eBay soon as the years and clutter are gradually taking their toll on me. The "IMSAI Dollhouse" and the original source code hard copy of CP/M from Gary Kildall might follow in short order.

-Thomas "Todd" Fischer

I'd like to voice my support for Todd and his IMSAI series 2 stuff
here. I purchased a series 2 Exp-9 motherboard a year ago for use in
my early IMSAI 8080. Upon receipt, the board looked great...
absolutely top quality design and construction... rarely seen at this
level any more.

Anyway, I didn't get to use it for a whole year due to other
projects. When I installed it, I found a single manufacturing
defect... a real fluke.

Now, *after* a year, even if of non-use, what manufacturer would still
support you? Few warrantees go past a year. Yet, after I emailed
Todd describing the problem, he still was just as responsive and as
supportive as he was pre-sale a year ago... and has accepted back the
board to repair or replace (we haven't decided yet).

I wasn't paid for this testimonial.. hehe... but I think it's
important to recognize good people like this when they're found.

~ J
 
M

MdntTrain

It was spam and this is not an ebay forum. That's what ebay
user reviews and feedback are for.

You are incorrect. It was not "spam".

Spamming is the abuse of electronic messaging systems to
indiscriminately send unsolicited bulk messages.

My comments and experiences also did not originate from, or involve in
any way, eBay.

~ J
 
K

kony

You are incorrect. It was not "spam".

It is spam.

Spamming is the abuse of electronic messaging systems to
indiscriminately send unsolicited bulk messages.

That's one definition. Want to bet whether the others here
think posting ebay auction ads is spam? It most definitely
is.


My comments and experiences also did not originate from, or involve in
any way, eBay.

They certainly did if it was bought from ebay, or are
intended to pertain to a current or past sale on ebay which
was clearly the situation.

If I'll make you feel better we can just keep reporting this
to ebay and let them decide?
 
K

kony

I try to consider each case separately. In this case, I didn't
see it until the auction was over, and didn't realize that it was
posted earlier, before the end.

Some of the things I consider are the applicability to the group,
and how much interest there might be.

There is no "applicable to the group".

Consider that hundreds of thousands of ebay items are fairly
"applicable to the group".

It's still spam. This is explicitly a non-advertising
medium.
I do believe that the current prices for S-100 systems are applicable
here. Also, that they are sufficiently rare that it is reasonable to
find some interest here.

It is completely irrelevant what the current price for
anything is. This is not an appropriatel forum, it is spam
no matter what the price!

I have complained before about people posting way overpriced and
outdated ethernet equipment, or even tape drive, to the ethernet
newsgroup.

It seems the bid was already over $1000 when the post was made.

It does not matter at all. Spam status is not dependant on
these factors.
My personal opinion is that it is reasonable, but it was a
close decision. Others can make their own decision.

There is no "close decision".

If someone wants the gear offered for auction, they are
encouraged to visit ebay without any spam.

Ebay auctions on usenet non-ebay cateogories are completely
unacceptible. There is no "thought" that changes this.
This is what spam IS.

There is a clear "line in the sand". Spamming usenet groups
about ebay auctions is unacceptible and violates ebay and
your ISP's TOS. It does not matter even the tiniest bit if
you agree, your opinion does not set policy until you
personally host a private usenet group effected.

It is spam, and is in violation of all established TOS and
guidelines, including ebay's.
 
G

glen herrmannsfeldt

kony said:
On Thu, 16 Aug 2007 09:24:40 -0700, MdntTrain
(snip)
That's one definition. Want to bet whether the others here
think posting ebay auction ads is spam? It most definitely
is.

I try to consider each case separately. In this case, I didn't
see it until the auction was over, and didn't realize that it was
posted earlier, before the end.

Some of the things I consider are the applicability to the group,
and how much interest there might be.

I do believe that the current prices for S-100 systems are applicable
here. Also, that they are sufficiently rare that it is reasonable to
find some interest here.

I have complained before about people posting way overpriced and
outdated ethernet equipment, or even tape drive, to the ethernet
newsgroup.

It seems the bid was already over $1000 when the post was made.

My personal opinion is that it is reasonable, but it was a
close decision. Others can make their own decision.

-- glen
 
D

David Given

kony wrote:
[...]
It's still spam. This is explicitly a non-advertising
medium.

Actually, that's not technically true. Usenet spam is defined thusly, by the
net.abuse people (who should know because they *made up* the term):
The term "spam," as used on this newsgroup, means "the same article (or
essentially the same article) posted an unacceptably high number of times to
one or more newsgroups." CONTENT IS IRRELEVANT. 'Spam' doesn't mean "ads."
It doesn't mean "abuse." It doesn't mean "posts whose content I object to."
Spam is a funky name for a phenomenon that can be measured pretty
objectively: did that post appear X times?

(See the net.abuse FAQ section 2.1:
ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet-by-group/news.admin.net-abuse.misc/Net_Abuse_FAQ
and the Advertising On Usenet FAQ:
ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet-by-group/news.admin.net-abuse.misc/Advertising_on_Usenet%3A_How_To_Do_It,_How_Not_To_Do_It
.)

As the original post was sent two two newsgroups and occurred once, it has a
BI of sqrt(2)*1 = 1.4. The current threshold is 20, and therefore it isnot spam.

What is more, neither comp.os.cpm nor alt.comp.hardware have formal charters
that I can find; therefore they are not explicitly non-advertising media.

...

That doesn't make the original post any less rude, though. If you're going to
post that kind of message, there are better ways of doing it.
 
G

glen herrmannsfeldt

kony wrote:

(snip)
There is no "applicable to the group".

I was explaining my personal view on newsgroup spam. You may
have a different view, but that doesn't change my viewpoint.
Consider that hundreds of thousands of ebay items are fairly
"applicable to the group".
It's still spam. This is explicitly a non-advertising
medium.

If you want to be that strict about it, I think we have to
remove all posts related to the P112. I think that would
be a mistake.

(snip)
There is a clear "line in the sand". Spamming usenet groups
about ebay auctions is unacceptible and violates ebay and
your ISP's TOS. It does not matter even the tiniest bit if
you agree, your opinion does not set policy until you
personally host a private usenet group effected.

You indicated unconditionally that others here would agree
with you. I, for one, don't.

-- glen
 
M

MdntTrain

It is spam.

Oh, you're referring to the original post, not my message about Todd.
Misunderstood.

In other newsgroups I'm a member of, people regularly talk about ebay
ads.. but I agree... this particular post should have been in
a .marketplace location UNLESS posed as a discussion element.
They certainly did if it was bought from ebay, or are
intended to pertain to a current or past sale on ebay which
was clearly the situation.

My comments at no time had anything to do with ebay, or even with
the original post. Nor did my transaction with him involve ebay.
Rather, I saw Todd post and I just wanted to say a few kind words
about the man under the topic of "IMSAI 8080" (which my words are
directly based on).

I won't be made to feel bad for saying something POSITIVE and NICE
about someone else. Todd's a special guy -- deserves praise -- and
has continued on the remarkable IMSAI name after buying it out when it
went bankrupt LONG ago. We're fortunate to have him still supporting
us... both from a historical sense.. but also... as how many other
S-100 vendors are out there???

If I'll make you feel better we can just keep reporting this
to ebay and let them decide?

I think both you and ebay have better things you could be doing. lol.

~ J
 
K

kony

kony wrote:
[...]
It's still spam. This is explicitly a non-advertising
medium.

Actually, that's not technically true. Usenet spam is defined thusly, by the
net.abuse people (who should know because they *made up* the term):


Spam is a term like many which has evolved over time to
include the common, modern uses in our language.
 
D

David Given

kony wrote:
[...]
Spam is a term like many which has evolved over time to
include the common, modern uses in our language.

That's fine, but if you decide to call a duck a goldfish, you can hardly
complain when someone puts a duck in your pond despite the sign saying 'NO
GOLDFISH'.
 
T

Tom Lake

Spam is a term like many which has evolved over time to
include the common, modern uses in our language.

Funny how one word can mean so many things. Around here
SPAM means unwanted *commercial* messages (even one!)
so the OP was OK since he's merely trying to sell a personal
system and not advertising a business. In any case, messages
about the IMSAI or any 8080 or Z-80 system seem appropriate
here and I'm glad to see messages like that since I might otherwise
miss an opportunity to get vintage equipment.

Tom Lake
 
T

Thomas \Todd\ Fischer

In the immortal words of Monty Python... "Well, it's not got MUCH spam in
it!"
 

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