RARE Working Vintage 1975 IBM 5100 portable computer

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02102

Gnomic writes -

"On eBay - An original PC! The 5100 was the first IBM 'portable.' I learned APL on one of these babies. Alas, too much for my modest budget" - Link.

Perfect gift for the time traveling John Titors.


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Comments

Oldest comments listed first.

Posted by: Tercero on December 9, 2006 at 10:50 AM

Um, the link is highly unprofessional. Going to an ebay auction (Approximately US $2,751.35)...

What's next. Is make going to post links to yard sales, and discount shoes?

And since when is this "rare". 30 year doth not make this vintage or rare. I'm sure there's 1000's of such articles laying around for the having in most second hand computer dealers, swap meets, yard sales, business inventory stored in garages-basements-whathaveyou.

The article would have been a hell of a lot more insightfull if it stayed in topic, and refrained from trying to push a crappy ebay sale.


Posted by: philliptorrone on December 9, 2006 at 11:04 AM

Tercero - i don't any issues with posting interesting auctions from makers who send them in along with links to resources / history about said devices/etc.

i think a working 5100 is rare, but if you have some laying around please take photos, send them in.

please check the link to the history of the 5100 in the post too.


Posted by: Tercero on December 9, 2006 at 8:08 PM

So it's your auction Phil?

Sad dude, truly sad. If you're going to whore yourself out, at least post a picture of a chick in a bikini, or reflection of you nude taking a picture of your now defunct computer.

And lets get this straight. Unless you can prove the 5100 is a rare beast, it's just another ebay auction to someones basement crap.


Posted by: syntaxinflux on December 9, 2006 at 10:40 PM

Is this what this has come to? I agree with Tercero. Prove that this is indeed a RARE computer. WTF was the point of this post?

"Tercero - i don't any issues with posting interesting auctions from makers who send them in along with links to resources / history about said devices/etc."

Upcoming post from Phil,

"COOL EBAY Used Buttplug Auction - with links to the history of buttplugs because I think a plug in my butt is L33t"

"i think a working 5100 is rare, but if you have some laying around please take photos, send them in."

Where is your proof? An EBAY LISTING in not a credible source. It looks that you just posted straight from email without stopping to question if this is ethical. You are an "senior editor", remember?

"please check the link to the history of the 5100 in the post too."

Phil, who cares about the history? The whole point of the post is to draw attention to someone's EBAY LISTING.


Posted by: philliptorrone on December 10, 2006 at 9:42 AM

ethical? its an ebay auction to an old computer that i thought was neat - you can read our other 9,000 posts if you don't like this one (its not my auction, a maker sent it in, you also are not required to bid on said item, really, its ok to just read the post and move on)


Posted by: tms10000 on December 10, 2006 at 4:13 PM

I love the 'portable' moniker. 50lbs!

Even though a working computer from 30 years ago is indeed pretty rare, the current 0 bids for the $~2,700 base price is an indication of desirability.

Even if it is rare, it does not mean it's desirable. It's the kind of device I would pay $70. Then again, I probably would not, I'd have to endure the (relevant) questionning of my wife "An why did you need yet another 50lbs piece of junk?"

And for those who don't like this post, I suggest they get their money back.


Posted by: super_J_dynamite on December 10, 2006 at 4:31 PM

"Phil, who cares about the history? The whole point of the post is to draw attention to someone's EBAY LISTING."

Eh. I belong to a few vintage tech email groups and bringing eBay auctions to the attention of the group is normal. More rare items turn up on eBay than anywhere else.


Posted by: philliptorrone on December 10, 2006 at 4:34 PM

thanks everyone, im not sure why a couple folks were cranky today.


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