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Apple 1 Motherboard Sold for $905,000

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Re: Apple 1 Motherboard Sold for $905,000

#11
post #3

I hope that was a charity auction otherwise that outcome is quite ridiculous and quite sad. $900k could be better spent.

Maybe it could, but it's not your place to decide. The person who purchased this could have bought it for some sentimental value, because they think it's an important piece of computing history which should be preserved - or perhaps both. Are you to be the judge of the validity of those things?

I'm certainly allowed an opinion and yes I will quite happily judge the validity of those things. Why shouldn't I?

The item has no inherent value to anyone other than the status of aquiring it.

This is a fine example of why the majority of people live in poverty, nothing more.

As I said elsewhere in the replies, if someone spent $900k on crack and whores, I'm sure you'd be right up there judging the purchaser and drawing arbitrary comparisons againt "you could have done X or Y with it" and I bet none of them were "buy an Apple 1 assembly"

Re: Apple 1 Motherboard Sold for $905,000

#12
post #3

I hope that was a charity auction otherwise that outcome is quite ridiculous and quite sad. $900k could be better spent.

I could say that about most things that people spend money on, but it's not my money to spend.

You're right it's not your money to spend.

But if someone threw $900k at crack and whores then I'm sure you'd have a moral judgement to make?

This is no different to my opinion.

Re: Apple 1 Motherboard Sold for $905,000

#13

I'm not sure who won the auction, but this should be in a museum somewhere. Hopefully it will find its way to one.

It was bought by the Henry Ford museum, which seems about right.

http://www.cultofmac.com/300624/museum-pays-record-breaking-...

For a museum, it's especially nice that it's not just the motherboard, but a whole setup including home-built power supply, vintage monitor, and home-built keyboard. That really makes you appreciate the time.

Re: Apple 1 Motherboard Sold for $905,000

#14
> Indeed, the story is perhaps just as famous now as the one that inspired the company name: Newton theorizing gravity under the apple tree.

This is incorrect according to Jobs biography - apparently the name was given in reference to Steve Jobs' eating preferences. :)

Re: Apple 1 Motherboard Sold for $905,000

#15
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe it could, but it's not your place to decide. The person who purchased this could have bought it for some sentimental value, because they think it's an important piece of computing history which should be preserved - or perhaps both. Are you to be the judge of the validity of those things?

I'm certainly allowed an opinion and yes I will quite happily judge the validity of those things. Why shouldn't I? The item has no inherent value to anyone other than the status of aquiring it. This is a fine example of why the majority of people live in poverty, nothing more. As I said elsewhere in the replies, if someone spent $900k on crack and whores, I'm sure you'd be right up there judging the purchaser and dra…

Everyone who spends money beyond the ascetic-level can be judged by others. Many of us buy new $650 phones every two years, which I'm sure seems incredibly wasteful to people in third-world poverty.

Re: Apple 1 Motherboard Sold for $905,000

#16
post #15
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm certainly allowed an opinion and yes I will quite happily judge the validity of those things. Why shouldn't I? The item has no inherent value to anyone other than the status of aquiring it. This is a fine example of why the majority of people live in poverty, nothing more. As I said elsewhere in the replies, if someone spent $900k on crack and whores, I'm sure you'd be right up there judging the purchaser and dra…

Everyone who spends money beyond the ascetic-level can be judged by others. Many of us buy new $650 phones every two years, which I'm sure seems incredibly wasteful to people in third-world poverty.

I agree entirely. Perhaps they should be seen as wasteful here and it certainly shouldn't be beyond judgement.

For reference, I do practice such things. My entire computing and mobile outlay has been about $250 in the last 5 years.

Re: Apple 1 Motherboard Sold for $905,000

#19
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe it could, but it's not your place to decide. The person who purchased this could have bought it for some sentimental value, because they think it's an important piece of computing history which should be preserved - or perhaps both. Are you to be the judge of the validity of those things?

I'm certainly allowed an opinion and yes I will quite happily judge the validity of those things. Why shouldn't I? The item has no inherent value to anyone other than the status of aquiring it. This is a fine example of why the majority of people live in poverty, nothing more. As I said elsewhere in the replies, if someone spent $900k on crack and whores, I'm sure you'd be right up there judging the purchaser and dra…

You've made a common mistake in thinking economics is a zero-sum game.

You can't simply transfer money from luxury goods to food and expect money to be 'worth' the same.

Re: Apple 1 Motherboard Sold for $905,000

#20
post #16
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everyone who spends money beyond the ascetic-level can be judged by others. Many of us buy new $650 phones every two years, which I'm sure seems incredibly wasteful to people in third-world poverty.

I agree entirely. Perhaps they should be seen as wasteful here and it certainly shouldn't be beyond judgement. For reference, I do practice such things. My entire computing and mobile outlay has been about $250 in the last 5 years.

My entire computing and mobile outlay has been about $250 in the last 5 years.

That's more than some people make in a year.

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