[SIGCIS-Members] I didn't say THAT ...

[Evan Koblentz]

I think many of us have been misquoted in the mainstream media at some
point or another ... it happened to me this week.

It pains me to criticize "the media" because I'm in it. But ... recently
I was grossly misquoted by the financial site Bankrate.com, re: any
value in the artifact side of computer history:

http://www.bankrate.com/lite/smart-spending/collecting-items-as-an-investment.aspx

I don't even recall anyone from that site ever contacting me! I think
the writer just copied information that I told another financial site,
Minyanville.com, two years ago:

http://www.minyanville.com/special-features/articles/old-computer-apple-computer-values-old/2/17/2011/id/32477

Bankrate's story says that a desktop PC from 1998 could be a valuable
collectible, with the implication that I'm the source of such nonsense.
It also says that sky-high early Apple prices are "the excitement" that
"led to" formation of user groups like mine.

(Reality check: my group, MARCH, formed back in 2005, solely to allow
collectors in our region to meet, tinker on vintage computers, and have
fun.)

More bad news: the story was picked up by Fox Business, where presumably
many more people will see it than on Bankrate, but where there's no
comment system. Soooo, a bunch of people will see the Fox version and
get the idea that Pentium Windows 98 computers are rare and valuable on
eBay.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2013/02/27/five-collectibles-to-stash-for-big-cash-later/

Please know that it's not my fault. ;)

- Evan