Living Computers Museum to permanently close, auction vintage items

Post by Turing_Machine » Tue, Jun 25, 2024, 3:40 PM UTC

13of40 wrote: post #3

> A highlight of the sale is a computer which Allen helped restore and on which he worked, a DEC PDP-10: KI-10. Built in 1971, it’s the first computer that both Allen and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates ever used prior to founding Microsoft. It’s estimated to fetch $30,000 to $50,000. What? I know lots of people who would save them the trouble and buy it now for $50K. How bad of an investment could that be? Edit: I'm…

Post by evereverever » Tue, Jun 25, 2024, 5:54 PM UTC

Post by eschaton » Tue, Jun 25, 2024, 6:16 PM UTC

sterlind wrote: post #14

armadsen wrote: post #6

I adored the Living Computers Museum. Being able to just sit down and use an Apple 1, Xerox Alto, Altair 8800, and so many more in the same place was incredible. And then, a friendly museum employee being there to show you how to use it, tell you about what made it unique, etc. was even better. It was so much better than most look-but-don’t-touch museums. It’s really a travesty that Paul Allen’s sister seems bent on…

why is she doing this? for the money, or out of some form of spite?

Post by caphector » Tue, Jun 25, 2024, 6:39 PM UTC

PaulHoule wrote: post #2

I thought it was so sad that they shut down the computer museum in Boston years ago. It makes me think of how much more geographically diverse the computer industry was in the US back in the 1980s and how Boston has just given up on its history. It used to be associated with the Boston Children's Museum which had a DEC-10 way back in the early 1980s. They were pretty lucky because DEC would usually donate PDP-8s or P…

Post by rbanffy » Tue, Jun 25, 2024, 6:56 PM UTC

eschaton wrote: post #15

sterlind wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

why is she doing this? for the money, or out of some form of spite?

Money and an absolute disinterest in anything Paul cared about.