sad to report...

[Robert Armstrong]

> There is a 'corporate culture' at some places 
> where you're seen as a lunatic for even suggesting you might 
> have an interest in 'that old stuff.'

  Not all employers are bad this way.  I got my very first personal VAX, a
VS2000, around the late 80s' by buying it from my employer.  At the time DEC
was offering a $1,500 trade in for a VS2000 if you upgraded to a 3100, and
my employer had a bunch to trade.

  I said, "What if I pay you $1,500 and you sell one to me instead of DEC?"
To my surprise, they went for it.  I wrote 'em a check and took home a VAX.
They even officially transferred the software licenses to me (at the time
DEC would still do that) - I've still got the genuine paper PAKs with my
name on them.  

  At that time PCs cost more than $1500, and I thought I got a really good
deal :-)

Bob