Fibre Channel?

[John Foust]

I recently inherited a stack of Fibre Channel gizmos made by Compaq: 
three x12 hubs, a tape controller, and a Storageworks modular 
data router.

eBay prices are all over the map: some sellers trying to
unload them for $1000+, but the real auctions are going for
less than $50 for each box.  Each slot in the hub needs an
optical transceiver; these seem to sell for $10 each.
Cables?  Many offered, few bidders.  FC hard drives?  $20 each.

This stuff cost a fortune not so long ago.  Why is it
rock-bottom now?  Will it ever be attractive to hobbyists?

- John