AOL Collectors Edition (or, “The Old Technology Giveaway”)
posted 6 years, 6 months ago // 34 comments // comments are closed
While sorting through some old piles of paperwork, SyQuest cartridges, and floppies, I came across a curious item: An original AOL 2.5 for Macintosh Installer Disk, still shrink-wrapped!
So I started wondering “what other mint-condition examples of useless technology are hidden in the collections of techies like me?” Since I can’t very well go rummaging through your houses, under your desks, etc., the only way for me to know is for you, my cherished reader, to submit links to photos of your ancient technological curios in the comments of this post.
“What’s in it for me?” you ask? Well, I thought of that too, so as incentive, I’m offering up another piece of computing history to the individual whose submission tickles my fancy the most (this is, of course, purely subjective, but it’s my giveaway, so deal with it) — the top two “winners” (term used loosely) will receive (shipping paid by me, and the first place submission gets first choice of the prizes) either an original Quadra 950 Motherboard w/68040 Processor! (pics: one, two) or a shrink-wrapped 3M 590MB Rewritable Optical Disk! (pics: one, two). Hey, we are talking old technology here…
This “contest” will run for an almost indefinite amount of time, but no later than November 30th (so you can get your prize in time for X-mas — if you celebrate another, earlier holiday, good for you, but the November 30th deadline will stay put).
Also, if you link to this contest (“The Old Technology Giveaway”) from your site, it will certainly make for a much more interesting experiment (and I’ll get lots of traffic too… ;-) — feel free to use my mini-banner in your sidebar.
Happy digging!
UPDATE: To paraphrase the walrus, the time has come — the contest is now closed to new entries, and judging is underway (sounds serious, don’t it?). The winners will be posted within days…
Wow, I’ll better start digging in my room!
:)
Just now, I found some interesting things, but just one is in “almost new” conditions.
The others may be interesting, and I think I still have a shrink-wrapped yellow fake disk used to preserve the Mac Plus/SE disk drive while moving these around…
Have fun ;)
http://www.jnkmail.com/stuff/otg/
Be warned: the photos are… well… disgusting!
Does this count?
http://zlog.co.uk/i/screenshots/floppy.png
I had an “I Brake For 8” (Mac OS 8) sticker for the longest time until about a month ago, when my computer chair caught on it and ripped it!
If only I had known how valuable it would have been…
Mike
Emilio: Wow! You even put the photos on their own special page, I’m impressed (brownie points awarded…)
Zlog: 1985? I’m impressed you have kept it this long (whatever it is ;-)
Mike: That’s why I hold onto things that are broken (well, it’s a good excuse anyway… ok, not that good an excuse)
Keep the submissions coming — I might even add some more tasty prizes as an incentive, or I might just shorten the contest “officially” — who knows?
Well, I know a friend who has a copy of Microsoft Bob (Gateway OEM edition, I think). Would that count?
I have an old style floppy with James Bond 007, the game, on it. I’ll try find it…
Minh: that’s the great thing about this contest: everything counts!
Zlog: not to sound biased, but that would kick ass :-) I like your new site design btw…
I have a shrinkwrapped copy of MacWrite 1.0
Wow! You even put the photos on their own special page, I’m impressed (brownie points awardedÂ…)
;)
I really want that Quadra Motherboard :)))
Emilio: NBU disks! You rock.
I’ll have to see if I can beat that with some vintage Newton stuff of my own…
Ok, here’s my initial contribution. Enjoy.
http://www.splorp.com/photo/oldtech/
We have a shelf of old tech that has stayed with the company over the years. From an original Nokia mobile (“The Brick”) to a first edition Polaroid camera (I must get some film for it).
Alas I do not have a digital camera, but I do have a scanner. The Nokia does not fit in the scanner though.
But this XM2 8inch floppy disk sure did! The thing is massive and no amount of folding will fit it in my stiffy disk slot… ;) Wish I could so that I could see what was on it.
http://stormfront.typepad.com/daily/content/images/20030822oldtechfloppy.jpg
Great contest, look forward to more.
Grant: Thanks, but I think you surely *destroyed* my contribuition with your museum :))))
Wow - I’m amazed.
I’ll add some photos now - I won’t let you win so easily ;PPP
Update:
http://www.jnkmail.com/stuff/otg/
Emilio vs. Grant - Round 2
This is pretty exciting! If I wasn’t running the contest, I’d be entering :-)
There’s still plenty of time for someone else to enter the fray, so dig deep in your closets/garages/etc.!
Here is a quick “what was at my desk” shot of some old school tech stuff: http://www.saltedwound.com/gallery/?album=oldschooltech
I’ll have to search out of arms reach to catch up to some of these folks.
Just three pics for now, but I’ll post more soon. It’s late. For now, enjoy.
Ok, here’s another couple of doozies that I had previously posted in my blog.
Picture 1 : Microsoft Multiplan for Macintosh 400K Floppy
Picture 2 : Adobe Illustrator for Windows 1.0 demo on 5.25” floppy, Apple Stellar Invaders on original Apple II Diskware 5.25” floppy, and Lisa Office 7/7 Release 3.1 System Disk 4 (Pardon the quality. This image was taken with my Connectix Color QuickCam back in 2001.)
Alright, who’s next?
Big update to my ancient tech gallery, including eWorld v. 1.0, The Fool’s Errand and Sim City circa 1989 plus many more. Enjoy the show.
You guys caught me - so I decided to hook up some vintage tech photos as well:
http://macarena.wfp.at/galerie/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=oldstuff
(uhm, the site is badly under construction otherwise)
Cleaning out my basement I found a shrink-wrapped copy of HyperCard:
http://mikezornek.com/archives/2003/08/31/cleanup_journal_one_with_pics.php
Hey Dan. Thought I would join in the fun:
http://www.squizzle.net/archives/000116.html
Brian :)
I can’t stop myself…
Here’s another edition of This Old Crap. Enjoy.
http://www.splorp.com/photo/oldtech/02.html
Here’s another edition of This Old Crap. Enjoy.
The BeBox wins.
:)
Wow, a BeBox. Damn.
And that’s just the commercial machine… I didn’t even post a picture of my developer prototype BeBox. It’s basically the same case, sans the media daughterboard, and without the front plastic bezels. Whee!
More “old” stuff is coming…
Emilio : I can’t wait… keep it coming.
Grant: Ok, but I don’t think I will ever win over you wonderful stuff!
I don’t have a digital camera, but looking at your contest got meinto my old floppy drawers. I did find some interesting thing:
Spot On from MacPEAK (disk formatting thing from 1991)
DiskDoubler
RamDoubler from connectix
CanOpener from AbbottSystem (1989)
Netscape 1.1 from my service provider
Suitcase (probably 2.1)
Adobe Type Manager 3.6 and Adobe SuperATM
SAM version 3.5
Typecase 2 & 3 from Swfte, 60 font (font foundry that got sue by Adobe and Bitstream, Swfte lost and remove their packages so it’s almost a collector edition)
The entire collection of Fuse from Fontshop (with posters)
Pantone ColorDrive and ColorWeb
WordMaker from NewHorizon (word processor from 1989)
TypeStyler from Broderbund (I think it’s version 1)
ALDUS Freehand 2.02 (1989)
Adobe Dimension 1.0
Adobe Illustrator 3.2
Adobe Photoshop 2.5
Specular Collage
Adobe PageMill 1.0
That’s only floppy disk !
Cool trip down memory lane but nothing beat’s the BeBox… :-)
Just added a few things.
http://www.jnkmail.com/stuff/otg/.
Stephane wrote: I did find some interesting things…
Need it, got it, got it, got it, got it, got it, got it, got it, had it, got it, got it, need it, got it, got it, got it, got it, got it, got it, got it.
: )
OK Grant, now I have to copy your approach to Stephane’s list:
Need it, got it, got it, got it, got it, got it, got it, got it, wish I had it, need it, need it, need it, had it, had it, got it, got it, got it, got it, got it.
I can’t comment on the BeBox, since I’m judging right now… ;-)
Stephane Wrote: TypeStyler from Broderbund (I think it’s version 1)
Once I had Shufflepuck Cafe from the Broderbound: wonderful days playing it on my grandfather Mac Plus, but I can’t find the original floppy anymore, damn!
need it.
;)