How YouTubers Are Destroying the Retro Computing Community

[@fwingebritson]

You tube influencers have been a mixed blessing over the years. Before the influencers, retro computing was the cheapest hobby going. The main competitor was beating the trash truck to the dumpster. Then influencers came in at first with "high end" systems they bragged about. Which was cool, a lot of the stuff I did not know about mainly due to geographical separation. Then "retro" entered the picture where influencers showed off their systems they somehow had when they were six. Now, any computer related artifact, no matter how obscure becomes topic, and then highly sought after. Don't get me wrong, it really is not a bad thing. Unfortunately, it also brings in some very very "money motivated people." Sorry, but at this point I am burned out from seeing ads that basically says, "I have no freaking clue what this is, but the light turns on and I have no way to test it, but I still want a thousand bucks for it." and what makes it more silly are equally clueless people that actually buy it. I have been in the "retro scene" for over thirty years now when I got my first Compaq a2 from a company that simply gave it to me. It opened a whole new world of "Wow, a company that paid thousands of dollars for a computer simply gives them away because the alternative is to throw them away, and the EPA is breathing down their necks?" Just wow. So I made a modest money on the side buying low (or saving from the trash heap) and selling low. Never did I imagine a day life would come to this, and I guess if I joined the bandwagon with what I got I could retire now and be done with it. However, the beauty of "retro" was the cheapest hobby going. Something that even a grade school kid could get into and enjoy with little more than the allowance they have in their pocket. Something that even a low wage earner could take home to the family and enjoy. And they still can. P4's and duo's are flooding the market right now, they are the systems that companies are selling on the cheap if not giving away. P4's and duo's are also getting scoffed at by the computer community. Let's be real, there is still a lot of fun to be had with P4's and duo's.

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

Thank you for taking the time to share this story. I hope that one day "retro" computers can be inexpensive and accessable to all those that want it. I love that you mention the P4. I have several on various stage of complete build. They are great systems and in my opinion the best DOS systems that are not a 386/486

[@SianaGearz]

Of course there's a bathtub curve on the price. First you pay early adopter price on some new piece of tech, then it stabilises and drops into the mainstream, and then it goes obsolete and the price drops towards zero; that's when they end up in a dumpster and the prices start rising again, and there's really no limit to how high they might go. I think "influencers" as such are a symptom rather than the cause. People wanting way too much money for something aren't new, eBay has been full of them for like 20+ years at this point, they were always a nuisance. You just have to ignore them hard enough until they become more reasonable. P4, maybe, what for? It's got no ISA slots. Though i guess it's good to have one system that can run XP natively, they're going to be harder to come by eventually.

[@damian9303]

Pentium 4’s aren’t as common as they used to, like you mentioned around XP’s demise everyone just tossed them out and if you knew someone maybe you could rescue it or worst case pay a few bucks at a garage sale. Even some cheaper Vista Home Basic machines with a Pentium Dual Core had the same fate since all they were good for was XP. It’s always Core 2 Duo systems now that 7 is being phased out since 10 is just terrible, which if you find the right one perhaps it could be downgraded to even Windows 2000 with some tweaking so it runs cool.

[@belstar1128]

to be fair when KZbin came out these computers where only between 10 and 30 years old so not really that unique a 2005 phone was about as powerful as a pc from 1993. nowadays they are all over 30 and the older ones are getting close to 50 years old they are really from a different age that appears very unique compared to modern stuff now. many of them started breaking down as they get older and older .and the nostalgic generation is now much richer most of those guys where still in college in 2005. and to some younger people who are into this these computers appear very interesting. since they are very different from modern computers and are historic .so they will also pay a premium just to own something that isn't pc or mac based like a c64.

[@WyMustIGo]

They are not "influencers" unless someone is stupid enough to be influenced by them, and I suppose GenZ is easily influenced.

[@dyscotopia]

As a very poor person with a myriad of interests in what can be expensive hobbies, I'll often click on things like "5 Great Cinematic Cameras for under $500" and, of course, by the time I go to look for them on ebay etc., they've all doubled the prices quoted in the video. Stupid supply and demand. 🙁

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

I haven't really considered the x item for under y dollars type video. As soon as you shine light on an item the price goes up

[@dmwreath]

ahh us us

[@lihtan]

Prices of used camera gear has gotten pretty crazy because of KZbin and social media. A used Fuji X100V now sells for more than a new one entirely due to TikTok. I'm kinda surprised that an old Canon point-and-shoot I found in a thrift store a decade ago, priced at $10, is now being listed on ebay for $150!

[@LGR]

Yeeeaaah. Things are weird.

[@benis9684]

Didnt expect you here.

[@SuiYo]

I mean it kinda makes sense given the context...

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

Agreed, things are strange. I'm sure you have been on the receiving end of a price gouge. Was it the Commodore PET you said you didn't want to say how much you paid for it?

[@itsjustagamechannel]

The same thing is happening with retro video games. When well known KZbinrs review these games, their value instantly goes up indefinitely and causes even more scarcity for them. It’s a frustrating trend.

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

Do you think there's a way KZbinrs could highlight retro games without driving prices up?

[@polska905]

It's not really just KZbinrs, we have a custom machine at work that runs on a 286 and we had to pay almost 200 bucks Canadian for a used 286 motherboard because its still way cheaper then replacing it with a new pc and paying 10s of thousands for new custom software to run the machine.

[@nkorth]

My current retro tech niche is still overlooked & cheap, largely because there's fairly little software for it that's useful today, and it was a very minor platform for gaming. It works because I enjoy writing my own software for it.

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

Intriguing niche! What kind of retro tech are you focusing on? I'd love to hear more about the unique challenges and opportunities it presents, especially for writing your own software.

[@the_mariocrafter]

What device, and where can I download the software?

[@Superchad245]

Is this really a bad thing? I mean I personally think that KZbinrs can do great things for the retro computer community, they get more people into it, meaning more people to save retro computers, and while yes it can be a pain having to pay $100s for what was once free, this was likely ultimately going to happen anyways it just might have taken more time, if anything, the high price can actually prevent stuff from being thrown in the trash, you have to realize that 99% of people that run into a retro computers more than likely think its worthless and chuck it in the trash (and you would never know) but if they saw someone paying hundreds or thousands for it they may save it and list it for sale, if a business where to find a warehouse full of old computers they would probably see just an expense having to haul them all of, but if people are paying a bunch of money for them they could see dollar signs and save all that from the landfill, it sucks having to pay a bunch for stuff, but it' better than it being scrapped.

[@damian9303]

You do realize companies writing their old desktops out of inventory is how most used to actually get a footing on creating videos of retro machines? I don’t think flippers do as much good towards any used market no matter what it’s for as you say they do in this particular case, the act is deceptively selfish if anything and only benefits the “seller” with gigantic profits. Especially seeing how all it’s doing is restricting any entry into the hobby to where even piss common business machines that have been documented to hell and back by hobbyists due to their oversaturation in the used market that once sold for a handful of dollars if that now are being sold for a wagonful of dollars. And at that point, just buy a modern desktop that can run the latest Windows rather than one that can’t run beyond 9X or XP.

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

There is good and bad is everything. Sure there are some benefits to KZbinrs doing this. The blade cuts both ways though

[@cristop2180]

99% of ytubers don't know anything about retrocomputers but they like to spend money earned by patreon and some other bullshits. I've been into these things since 98 and believe me that was another world only about passion and knowledge than fancy videos and making money. We mainly used to swap things instead of selling/buying and nobody got rich

[@Superchad245]

​@@damian9303 most jobs don't give old systems away anymore, they usually find it easier (and less risky) to just recycle it (and recycling computers is a bigger business now then it use to be). businesses won't hang on to retro computers unless there is a market for them thus they get scrapped, families that have an old computer in the attic won't bother digging it out without a market, and collectors won't part with there system end result Business finds vintage computer -> recycle Individual finds vintage computer -> recycle having a market and thus demand prevents them from being recycled, yes it makes them more expensive, but keeps more on the market, i would rather a vintage PC cost $1000 with 10 on the market, then be free but no one has one those systems that once sold for handful of dollars either got scrapped (no one bought them) or snatched up by collectors

[@tims001]

I understand what you are saying, but let me make a counter point (and i definitely have been a victim of the price jacks, particularly retro mechanical keyboards), when the price of these items go up they also inadvertently get better preserved. People will tend not to throw these items into ewaste or in the bin... we can only hope that over time these items will come down in price. What i tend to do is look at other eras where things might be cheaper and have fun in that space. I do feel your pain though brother 😢

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

You make a god point, but it's also building a "wall" and making the community pay for it.

[@DougDingus]

I like the expansion of retro those You Tubers bring to the table. For me, the value increase is not a big deal. A few things cost me more than I felt good about, but quite honestly, I very much enjoy all the spiffy hardware being made right now too. Without the greater value and overall expansion, many of those niche items and or software might not have happened or be less compelling. Everything costs something. I would take a bigger, more vibrant scene over a smaller, overall cheaper one. And that is just me and my take on this too. No judgment no worries otherwise and hopefully we all can continue to find ways to keep old, great computing and gaming alive and relevant.

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

You make an excellent point. Demand drives the innovation forward for sure

[@bzuidgeest]

That demand can be created by showing fair value. Those bounties and such don't add anything. Worse of things become too expensive then nobody will buy the systems and the market for enhancements will die with it

[@cyb3rf0xx]

Step 1: Get insider knowledge of what a big retro tech youtuber is going to cover next, Step 2: Covertly buy up thousands of said item at bottom of the barrel prices, Step 3: Wait until youtuber posts video, Step 4: Relist the items at insane scalper hipster prices, Step 5: Profit

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

This idea scares me because someone will do it. I know there have been several occasions where LGR mentioned a computer that he would like to do a video on at some point. That would be step 1

[@splitprissm9339]

The funny thing is: Ebay prices skyrocket, but prices on actual fleamarkets (you know, huge popup stores where you can pick valuable old stuff for very cheap, get to inspect it in person, and for cash so "sales final" is "sales final", no hassle, and get a lot of walking exercise and fresh air and sunlight) tend to be mostly unaffected...

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

Flea markets are an excellent place to find most things for a good price. There generally isn't an appraisal done on each item for its actual value. Have you had any recent food finds at a flea market?

[@splitprissm9339]

@@adventuresinnostalgia Currently, more looking for pro electronics gear than vintage computers (and if I do, it is more about unix/workstation/pro gear)... but had finds like a Toshiba 5200 in salvageable (some maintenance required, but could make it boot and install it) condition for all of €50 in the past. Also, early 2000s Macs (a rabbit hole in itself :) ) tend to go for very reasonable prices here in Germany. Pro Gear? Eg 100MHz Philips analog scope, fixable and meets spec, €40.

[@superstar64]

I just got back from VCFMW, a convention of hobbiests who often times buy, sell, and trade vintage systems and accessories for prices that people are actually able to pay. If you want to get good deals at this point, you pretty much have to have a lot of patience and be willing to not just hunt down, but even travel to get a system you want. eBay used to be cool, and it's certainly convenient, but I'd say the trip was worth it to me for the deals I scored, as well as the experience of being around people who actually know retro computers and are willing to bring outsiders into the community.

[@ben-and-maffy]

I have seen increased demand connected to KZbin views, this just means that the audiance has found their interest, which hints to professional buyers to stock up on the available online bargains. But offline, there are obsolete computers sitting in grandpas' atticks. When those are gone, good luck. It is better to learn to build electronics.

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

Is building electronics something that you do? I find it fascinating!

[@kreuner11]

but it IS the retro computing community?

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

That's an interesting point. Are you saying KZbinrs are just reflecting the existing trends in the retro computing community, or that the community itself has changed due to KZbinr influence?

[@kreuner11]

@@adventuresinnostalgia sorry I thought the retro community was mostly in KZbin to share their tech

[@somecallmesean_]

I remember the 8 Bit Guy making a video on MS-DOS laptops which didn’t have bad ideas just that it made the price of those skyrocket

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

That's a great point! It seems like some KZbinrs can have a big influence on prices. Do you think there's anything they could do differently to showcase retro tech without driving prices up?

[@LarryRobinsonintothefog]

Had to lookup Hot Wheels computers, was less involved in computers at that time and was getting settled into a new home so distracted by other things at the time.

[@belstar1128]

I am more worried about some youtubers promoting scams. older people are often targeted by scammers .and it seems like the retro gaming generation is getting that old too .

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

That is an excellent point! There are many scams out there and it is getting easier and easier to get caught up in them

[@JBolt1089]

I take good care of my older stuff, but I understand some people don’t really think about the value of something from the past that’s no longer available. That’s another reason the price rises.

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

I'm not sure I follow. Are you talking about the dwindling supply of legacy systems or something else?

[@JBolt1089]

@@adventuresinnostalgia yes, that’s what I meant. Should have put no longer being made/sold

[@enthusiastguy2799]

Yeah, I recognize the effect of this. I also wanted to purchase my childhood computer only to discover it has a very high price now. While I do respect the fact that the age of it plays an important role, some prices are unresonable. This is what prompted me to actually create a fantasy computer emulator (Continuum 93) that anyone can use. It uses its own assembly instruction set, resembles quite a bit with the Z80 asm architecture, only it's improved for game development. Still a work in process, but I envision people being able to mount this to some SBC's and make their own retro computers. It doesn't resolve the problem, but maybe for some it helps a bit.

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

That's a really cool response to the inflated retro computer prices, Continuum 93 sounds fascinating! Is there anywhere you plan to share more details about the emulator and its assembly language? I'd love to learn more about how it improves upon the Z80 for game development.

[@poseidon3032]

I had a AMD-486DX-120MHz that I gave away when I bought an Emachine in 1999. I regretted it ever since. As an retro enthusiast, it's the software more than the hardware that interests me. If I can run it through emulattion on current machine, I will. And that's getting better all the time. Secondly, I like to find uses for the old hardware that do have. Preventing as much E-wastes as possible. I won't pay high amounts for any of it nor do I have the space.

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

I've lost some retro computer hardware and systems from moving or my house getting broken into. Seems like a weird thing to steal. maybe they were just taking anything they could and running.

[@nickisdoge]

100% right youtubers have over inflated the prices of systems because of the popularity of there videos. 6 years ago it was easy to find a working ibook g3 for under $100 but now expect to pay $200 minimum. ive just started to find and collect more obscure and interesting things. heres a tip, physical linux software, devices, and memorabilia is pretty cheap right now. was able to get a CIB copy of mandrake 6.5 sealed for $25. and the linux copy of quake iii with the metal tin for $50. i was able to find a working chumby for $70 a few days ago

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

That's a great tip about focusing on physical Linux stuff! For anyone else interested, are there any specific online marketplaces or stores you recommend for finding these kinds of treasures?

[@supdan]

I mean, I don't think Linus did that on purpose, but you're right. Same thing with video games, darn it!

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

I agree. No shade in Linus. It is a necessary evil to aquire the equipment.

[@Robertkopp84]

I am sure he knows how this works and had a lapse of judgement. He could have just used his own forum for example. This sucks, because I wanted to buy one before there was a single video about this thing. When Clint released his video it already did get so expensive, that I could buy a PC engine in box just with the import tax money I would have to pay. Now it's more like a Duo R complete in box. One more of these events and I quit or I get so mad that no ISA soundcard will leave my country until I die.

[@bzuidgeest]

He very much did this on purpose. It's the Linus media group. Creating hype is money for them. The stupid bounty is hype. It's not about tech, it's about selling stuff and image and this builds image with his viewers. Marketing 101. No different than a rapper and bling.

[@drinkmeamericaimdelicious7999]

Yes I wanted to say that about video games, when I was like 18 or so in 2008ish period I'd always go and buy some ps2 games at gamestaton (or maybe game actually.. that absorbed gamestation) and got sooo many great games for dirt cheap Hard to get a bargain these days.. hell, I'm quite into buying old little office pcs for fun and youtubers like etaprime resulted in jacked up prices so I end up looking for an equivelent little pc and hope someone doesn't make a video on it 😂

[@jackilynpyzocha662]

I thougt the "Retro Computing Community" is being brought back: vintage systems!

[@dbranconnier1977]

We need more replicas of retro systems to drive down the prices.

[@TotemoGaijin]

Lol, can you imagine how much money IBM would rake in just putting out a replica case of the 5100?

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

Absolutely!

[@EnaBBQ]

I think this is a null and void point, even if they don't offer bounties for it, when the video gets released interest on the machines will also rise up. Ive seen this many times before, there is no way out of this, what's the solution? not making videos at all? One example that comes to mind, is the Game Truxton for Sega Genesis, its expensive because it was the favorite game of ClassicGameRoom back in the day, and it is still expensive even tho their channel went inactive for years already.

[@philpem]

To me this feels like the point of the video -- once a content creator puts a bounty on the machine, sellers will expect that price or higher. They completely miss that 'the price is what the market will bear', and the market at $5000 (say) was one machine, to one person, for a video, and the machine may well be sold on afterwards. Some people really are only in it for the money, and sadly that's what ruins a lot of hobbies and fandoms -- it ceases to be about the fans, the content, and the community, and becomes almost entirely about the money, the dealers and the profit. "Everyone needs to find a bigger whale".

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

I think something like a Kelly's blue book for old computers would be a step on the right direction. At least that way buyers and sellers will have a reference for what a reasonable price is.

[@SianaGearz]

@@philpem Well someone can sit on a $5000 Barbie PC for years - if they don't want to sell it for a reasonable price, they're not going to have a sale. There are reasonable prices and there are one-off events in either direction. There are sometimes things that are sold under value and sometimes things that are sold over value, one-off events don't determine the market one way or another, though they can shift it somewhat. Just because someone somehow paid 2 bloody MILLION dollars for Super Mario - one of the most widespread items in existence, and with maybe a few dollars of inherent, material-based value - doesn't mean it's worth two million!

[@damian9303]

@@SianaGearz The publicity it generates is what will make people believe it to be that much, if some KZbinr wants it for that much surely a “collector” will as well? That’s all the hobby is about nowadays, “collectors” who buy off flippers who overvalue their cheap yard sale buys. Remember when people said the “Black Diamond” version of Beauty and the Beast on VHS was worth thousands and there were some people stupid enough to agree?

[@zilog1]

I disagree. I think its very selfish to keep the retro computing hobby to yourself and a small group of people. yeah i get it that prices are inflating due to popularity but that's just how it is. Deal with it. I have no nostalgia for this and im 25 and i think this stuff is cool as heck. I would know no where near as much as i do about computers as i do now if it wasn't for learning about simple z80 computers and the like. Older computers have very nice documentation for educational purposes that modern computers do not. This is a great kick start in the world of hardware and software at a low level because of all the documentation thats not obscured by layers and layers of abstraction and jargon and "proprietary secrets" that aren't really special to begin with. If it wasnt for vintage tech and computers that people can actually tinker with without being sued for copyright infringement, I actually think that newer generations would be much dumber about computers and how they work. The vintage computer crowd is a blessing for this. So, no. KZbinrs are making it better for all. we need exposure to keep these things preserved. Honestly if it stayed niche and small, then there would be even more of them thrown out by people who just don't know or care or understand and because of this exposure, more of them are being saved. This is a good thing.

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

I'm not sure I understand. If I have this right, you are saying the awareness of vintage technology that KZbin brings outweighs the increase in cost for the actual hardware. Do I have that right? That feels slightly backwards. The hardware being affordable makes it accessible to more people. KZbinrs could make videos about hardware they already own or aquire the hardware privately as opposed to driving up costs of hardware they don't own with things like bounties.

[@PorcoZio79]

Don't be naive dude. He is not directly relating it to cost but to perpetuating knowledge and historical preservation. Cost rise is an issue but if youtubers did not deal at all with retrocomputing it would be worse for these purposes. This is pretty damn selfish.

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

I'm not sure where the notion that this is an all or nothing scenario came from. Bounties are the problem. Ideally, KZbinrs would make videos on hardware they already have or acquire it privately.

[@klenchr3621]

Agreed with much of video. Frustrating when people pay to hoard their collections and showcase on KZbin with no intent to play or use. The KZbin ad revenue is so good that there is enough people out there that are doing this and depriving rest of us of not having access. Perhaps the best thing is to not watch those channels but there are too many casual viewers out there.

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

True, the profit from ad revenue must be substantial enough to allow for the $5000.00 bounty. It's also a little hard to imagine life without KZbin.

[@reinerhohn9617]

As mentioned. The worth of an retro computer is what someone is willing to pay. There is no further rule how this price has to be found. All this is part of the market.

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

Even if the market dictates price, wouldn't a sudden surge in interest due to KZbinrs create an imbalance, making it harder for existing collectors or those on a budget to participate?

[@michelveraliot]

It happens to every hobby and cool stuff, remember when you could have an imac g3 for like 10 box at an high school ? WELL NOT ANYMORE Remember when you could buy any japanese vintage cars for under 10k WELL NOT ANYMORE Remember when the sneakers market was about sneakershead and not hype beast Well you've got my point, that's such a sad thing to happen and it drive me crazy to know that i will never be able to find a cheap Ibook G3 and enjoy it without worried to loose money if it break down due to old age, same goes for all the other stuff.. I'am kinda hypocrits to say this because without youtube i would never know an Portable Imac G3 existed, but still i hate how some youtubers drive up the value like crazy let the peoples enjoy and discover this lobby at cheap prices ! I guess there's good and bad in everything, myself included wanna be a youtuber about vintage tech and forgotten computers/gaming consoles, but i'am shy and still not that confident or really sure about that idea i would love to but i don't wanna end up in that community where i drive the price !

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

That's a great point about the double-edged sword of KZbin. It exposes cool stuff but can also inflate prices. If you did make videos on forgotten tech, how would you approach it to focus on the enjoyment and accessibility of retro computing, without fueling the hype?

[@ReinerHohn-v3i]

No, there are not destroying the retro computing community. In worst case they only let rise the prices of old hardware. But this takes only effect to the part in buying/selling retro parts beside the fact that the worth of the collection can rise too.

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

It depends on what you consider to be building up versus tearing down. If you favor high monetary value then destroying is the wrong word for it. I've personally found that exclusivity is not as fun as inclusivity.

[@user-wj9xq7ig2v]

Prices are insane but high prices can also mean a worthless system can become worth saving. Let's say the market value of an Amiga 4000 is idk 100 dollars. Normal condition is the caps are leaking and the battery has caused damage. Would someone spend 40hrs restoring it? Now let's say the same machine is worth $1500. Now it's worth putting 40hrs into it. In a way a high price can save machines.

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

That's an interesting point! Do you think high prices are more likely to save common retro machines, or just the rarer ones?

[@Lobo2265]

0:33 can someone tell me what game that is?

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

It's Sim City 2000

[@Lobo2265]

@@adventuresinnostalgia oh 2000? I couldn’t run it

[@FrankConforti]

I disagree. IMO, KZbinrs have given new energy to the retro community. Right now there is a race going on between retro enthusiasts and precious metal “e-waste miners”. What the latter is doing with old computers ensures the prices of our precious old computers will continue to get more and more expensive as they rip apart every game console, old IBM PCs (they especially target those!) and more. If Retro KZbinrs are showing that there is still value in retros then some of those miners will reconsider chopping them up and instead sell them. Are prices high? Yes. Will they come down? No likely. The more computers that disappear, the prices will go up. Supply and demand. Now, I’m not blaming the e-waste miners. They also have a fair number of e-waste KZbinrs that are very popular. A few of them actually do us a favor as they point out individual chips they know are not made anymore and how to find them. My $0.02US. Keep or discard.

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

That's an interesting point about e-waste miners! I hadn't considered how KZbinrs might influence their choices. Do you think there's a way for the retro computing community to work with e-waste/KZbinrs to encourage them to prioritize preserving usable machines?

[@Tapajara]

Linus Tech Tips does and says a lot of stupid stuff just to get views on his videos. He is a professional tester and not a developer so he looks at things from an end users' point of view and has little appreciation for actually designing computers and how they should work.

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

I hear you about appreciating the design process. Do you think there's a way for content creators to bridge the gap between user experience and the technical aspects of retro machines?

[@oliverw.douglas285]

KZbin has definitely brought our hobby front & center. I guess it's become a bit of a double-edged sword. More attention brings more interest, which begets creative solutions, resulting in elevated prices. I see both sides of this coin. At the encouragement of my loving wife, I'm slowly liquidating things, at cheap prices, while the market is receptive. Dumb Terminals, Teletypes, old PC's & Laptops, Vintage Software..... It's all getting put to market, while the time is right. Just no crazy pricing like eBay. Prices of old, so it all finds a good home, with reduced effort on my part. Starting with some private sales on FBMP, followed by a show or two, then potentially eBay, depending on the market.

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

KZbinrs could use the platform responsibly. With great power comes great... Anyway, someone in the comments implied that Linus was maybe having difficulty finding that particular PC. Perhaps I messed it, but I don't see a tweet about it. Most things you can get donated to you or purchase privately without inflating the price for everyone else

[@oliverw.douglas285]

@@adventuresinnostalgia True. How they go about sourcing items should be done in a responsible manner. They may simply not consider the fallout, or think it's easier to broadcast their needs from the channel, to cover the widest audience. I will say that KZbin as brought attention to a great many things, which were not as commonly known about, in a very short amount of time. That is both a good & a bad thing, depending on the circumstances & situation. 10-15 years ago, people were literally giving away old computer assets. If I needed an old hard drive, it was relatively easy to locate one, without even going to eBay. Local mom & pop computer stores would often hand me a shoebox full of old hard drives & memory simms, taken from upgraded machines, or trade-ins, with their only request to reformat the HDD, prior to putting them in use. Since I did these anyway, so I knew if the hard drive had any bad sectors/clusters, it was an easy ask. Today, literally none of the local stores will give/sell the old hard drives, for fear of identity theft & resulting law suites. Literally, all trade-ins or by-products from upgrades are destroyed..... a.k.a. shredded. I might be able to talk them out of a crt monitor, but then the tube could be shot, so that's not always worth it, unless you see it working.

[@therandomdot2563]

Makes you wonder if youtubers like LTT buy up a bunch of old stuff for cheap, the make vids knowing they're the 800lb gorilla that can influence the market just so they can hock the stuff they influenced for higher prices. I mean, if you can buy up something cheap, then just talk on a bullhorn for 10 minutes about it to double or triple the price of it to sell... well, some of these folks are in it for the business, not the hobby or preservation.

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

I mean, if you could... Wouldn't you?

[@StepaSnail]

Even worse is destroying like plainrock , smashthings and other jerks do.

[@damian9303]

I love the hidden Linus meme at 2:02

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

I appreciate that you caught that! well done

[@lukedavis436]

It took me about 5 YEARS To locate an Alienware Area-51 M7700 Sadly it's prices have SKYROCKETED and i manage to nab one for £99 with the side effect of the motherboard being exploded.. So i payed a fair bit for a system that doesn't even work.... Gah!

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

That's a really sad story! I'm sorry to hear you didn't get a working Area-51 M7700. Bummer

[@moracomole8090]

Boys and their toys I guess

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

This ^

[@akadios4491]

Linus Tech Tips is horrible and he makes crappy content

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

That is a fair assessment, I would say. I've seen some very good and enjoyable content from LTT, but by and large it's a quantity over quality channel for sure. At what point did you give up on LTT?

[@akadios4491]

@@adventuresinnostalgia actually gave up on them a few years ago when I noticed inconsistencies in there product reviews, and content seemed watered down and rushed / pushed out.

[@properjob2311]

this is a ridiculous argument.

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

I'm not sure what you mean. please explain

[@manoliskypraios8153]

SO very true ......

[@adventuresinnostalgia]

Indeed