Is it just me...

[Randy McLaughlin]

From: <shoppa_classiccmp at trailing-edge.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 5:08 PM


>>> its really driving up the price of stuff unnecessarily.
>
> Al replied:
>> This (dkdkk, ed sharpe, sassyscottie, et al.) has started to
>> scan.  [...] It makes me fee really great to be giving this stuff
>> away too, after having paid through the nose for it.
>
> Well, I can testify that I appreciate it being available for free.
>
> I have to wonder: is the availability for so much old documentation for
> free:
>
> 1.  Driving down E-bay prices for documentation because so many similar
>    things are available for free?
>
> 2.  Driving up E-bay prices for documentation because so many are
>    "hooked" into the hobby by the bitsavers archive?
>
> 3.  Driving up E-bay prices for physical items because appropriate
>    documentation is available for free at bitsavers?
>
> It's one thing to be a small player in the market, it's another to
> try to figure out what your big moves do to the market!
>
> Tim.


I'm sure Herb Johnson will pipe in and possibly agree with part of what I 
say:

Many collectors want original manuals and will pay big $ for some, while 
this doesn't apply to the guy selling a photo copy it still drives up prices 
in general.

Many people want printouts that they can hold in their hands and don't have 
a cheap way of getting decent printouts, inkjet printing is both expensive 
and is not as durable as laser/photo copies.

Many people are unaware of the PDF's.

Many people still use dial-up accounts and would rather pay someone to snail 
mail them docs.

Many PDF's are harder to read than photo-copies (I always try to proof mine 
after scanning).

Many purchases are spur of the moment without even loopking for free copies.


Randy
www.s100-manuals.com