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What are the top 10 rarest vintage computer bits you own?

compu_85 said:
Ha, small world! :) Glad you were able to get it going again. It really looks like a drive made out of parts from American Science and Surplus!

-J
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Oh wow! Didn't expect to see you here. Yep, it's up and going again. Found a suitable replacement platter. Strangest hard drive I've ever seen though, parking mechanism actuated with a 9 volt battery... Insanity. It really looks like it was made in a high school wood shop, and it's give me and others new hope that we might soon find a way to homebrew a set of heads and a rotary band to finally complete the puzzle of the 100% homebrew hard drive.
 
10 of my rarest items:

Kenbak-1 Prototype
Micral S
Q1 lite
Apple-1
PDP Straight 8
Datapoint 2200
Commodore C65
Apple Lisa 1
Compucolor
Intellec 4

Extremely rare computer parts
Apple disk drive serial #2
Bryant 39“ hard disk platter

Btw, I am always interested in other rare computers / hard disks. Maybe someone is interested in an swap or sale.? Please send me a direct message.
 
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snuci said:
So back on topic... my latest updated list of rarest items that people might recognize.

- Olivetti Programma 101
...
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You have a Programma 101??? Holy moly! Those things are beyond rare today. I worked with one in a biochemistry lab back in the late 60's. It was the first real computer I'd ever gotten my hands on. Ours even had the outboard sidecar memory expansion unit. And it looked like a computing Ferrari. The case was sculpted in swooping curves. Even the keytops were artfully rounded and dished, just inviting you to type in a program. It's a shame they never gained more traction. Bad timing, I guess.
 
Michele31415 said:
You have a Programma 101??? Holy moly! Those things are beyond rare today. I worked with one in a biochemistry lab back in the late 60's. It was the first real computer I'd ever gotten my hands on. Ours even had the outboard sidecar memory expansion unit. And it looked like a computing Ferrari. The case was sculpted in swooping curves. Even the keytops were artfully rounded and dished, just inviting you to type in a program. It's a shame they never gained more traction. Bad timing, I guess.
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Well, if you are looking for a Programma 101. I have two and would trade one for another rare computer. Anyone can contact me via direct message.
 
Ok, I admit that I don't have that much rare computer equipment but I do have what I believe is one of only 11 of these things surviving in the world:

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DougM said:
Ok, I admit that I don't have that much rare computer equipment but I do have what I believe is one of only 11 of these things surviving in the world:
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Well, if such stuff counts: I own a Nokia N-Gage IC prototype (pristine and fully working), of which only 2 are known to still exist. I guess as a gaming handheld, it should count as computer-related anyway. :)

Next rarest thing would be my FM TOWNS Car Marty MVP-10.
 
falter said:
I have no idea what this is but suddenly I want one.
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Right? Once you see it in person you can't say no. Clearly I couldn't :) We used to put it out at the front door every Halloween until I got too old to heft it.

Believe it or not it's a medical device. Here's some docs:

(also, mods, massive apologies for the thread hijack)


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Can’t compete with that :D

My collection is not based on rare or old, but on “what I have owned when younger”, so nothing that special. I think the rarest items are a “Lo profile”-keyboard for the original ZX Spectrum, and a Z88. Not that rare, but most loved is my TRS 80 in the exact same setup as the ones I used to play with at school when I was 11.
 
Early in WWII, diathermy machines were repurposed and retuned by the boffins as a stopgap measure to jam the German 'Knickebein' radio homing system used for bombing attacks on England. Prof RV Jones detailed it in his excellent book 'Most Secret War' and also in the 1977 BBC Series 'The Secret War'. Truly one of the best documentary series on scientific military history ever made, with some or all episodes on Youtube.
 
dad jokes.... new terminology the kids use.. Like calling people 3 generations younger than the baby boomer generation. "boomers".. No thanks Ill continue to speak with common sense as my generation was fortunate enough to have had that instilled in us when we were young.(grammatical errors aside).
 
1944GPW said:
Early in WWII, diathermy machines were repurposed and retuned by the boffins as a stopgap measure to jam the German 'Knickebein' radio homing system used for bombing attacks on England. Prof RV Jones detailed it in his excellent book 'Most Secret War' and also in the 1977 BBC Series 'The Secret War'. Truly one of the best documentary series on scientific military history ever made, with some or all episodes on Youtube.
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thanks for the pointer, the whole series is there!

 
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