ScuzzBlog: Diaries June 2021
Entry 6th June 2021: Post 1: Commodore VIC20 - Banged up boxes.
Commodore VIC20 - Banged up boxes.
When you seriously collect and try to assemble boxes of a good
quality you tend to gamble a bit with the purchases. At first I
tried to simply just get boxed versions of the kit irrespective
of the state of the boxes, and then seek out better boxes as and
when they became available and depending on price. Things have
changed a lot today with so little about and also cus most are
'Buy Now' and generally over priced. Consequently I did finish up
with what I guess you would call seconds. I have a storage area
upstairs that I set aside for spares.
Within this collection of generally neglected boxes are any number
of computers that have never been switched on. They will never be
switched on. Whilst they remain that way they can forever be alive
or dead. Who knows and I have no intention of checking them out.
Yesterday I featured the ZX81, a computer that was a poor substitute
for the VIC20 that I had been saving up for in the summer of 1981.
Sadly I got trapped by a woman that soaked up all my money and was
not able to amass the hundred and forty quid for the VIC20. I was
so pleased when I got this first box for the VIC20 albeit a little
banged up. It brought back all the memories of me standing outside
Dixons in the Bullring Birmingham dreaming of owning the computer.
I had so many plans for what I would do when I got her.
Interestingly the VIC20 is 40 years old since launch in Europe and
I'm not sure if there were any celebrations. Comparing the VIC20
to the ZX81 isn't any real competition. In the end it was all about
price. Sadly the money for a VIC20 was way too much, considering I
was a lowly student on a grant. So for my much lesser sum I was
able to venture into the world of home computers and follow the
Sinclair path through my computer timeline. How different it would
have been if I had managed to acquire the VIC20 as planned. One
thing is for sure I wouldn't be down here on the south coast of the
England, but then that's a quite different matter.
And so here is the first of my banged up boxes today for the VIC20.
It is very important that you isolate the wires from the polystyrene
as it melts and can actually destroy the casing on the computer.
I also generally remove the books and the like so they not being
there didn't mean they were not. I have much better condition boxes
so it's no issue the books not being inside. I have no idea if she
is working and I have no plans to ever find out. When you reflect
on these boxed machines it is important not to get too worked up
about what they mean. In truth they are someone elses rubbish. Much
of what was sold on Ebay all those years ago was destined for the
tip had the Ebay facilities not been so popular. Prior to this
period so much electric computer gadgetry just got thrown away.
And so what you see here is garbage that I store in my house.
Anyhoo she is safely back in store and I for one will look after her.
PS: I have no idea what the crop circles are in the polystyrene.
Commodore VIC20 - Banged up boxes.
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