IMSAI Score update/Spare BYTEs/Got an Altair too

[Vintage Computer Festival]

On Fri, 3 Jun 2005, Dave Dunfield wrote:

> >> >OK, I pulled the front panel appart tonight and I found out that whoever
> >> >owned this model colored the silkscreen with magic marker. Bogus!
> >> >
> >> >Anyway, I can get a new photomask from Todd Fischer for $20. Well worth
> >> >it.
> >>
> >> I was afraid of that ... Although it's good that you can get a replacement,
> >> keeping it all original has merit as well - depending on the marker used,
> >> you might be able to carefully remove it. Try a Q-tip with some whiteboard
> >> cleaner and move up to stronger solutions as required.
> >
> >Oh for ****'s sake.
> >
> >How is cleaning off the ink any different from replacing the strip?  You
> >just said, "keeping it all original has merit as well".  I guess attacking
> >it with whiteboard cleaner is not considered a modification to the
> >original?
>
> I don't recall using the verb "attack" ... if he's lucky, the marker used was
> a soluable one, and it will clean up nicely with no damage to the original
> strip - if you can do that, then why not clean it up and keep it all original.
> As Rich noted in a later message, the replacement he can get is not identical
> to the original...
>
> Have you never cleaned up a computer that you really wanted to restore to
> original condition?

You never defined "original condition".  This could mean the condition it
was in when it left the factory, or the condition it was in when it left
the nth generation owner.

At any rate, this is all getting a bit nazi.  If Rich wanted to saw it in
half so he could display the innards then that would be his perogative.

> Obviously any cleanup should be attempted with great care, and if it's not
> going to work, then by all means get the replacement, and keep the original
> in a safe place.... but that doesn't mean you shouldn't at least investigate
> restoring the original first.

Everything has a story.  You have to decide if you are going to continue
writing the story where the last guy left off by removing the ink or
considering it complete and leaving the computer as is.  Rich decided to
continue the story.

-- 

Sellam Ismail                                        Vintage Computer Festival
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International Man of Intrigue and Danger                http://www.vintage.org

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