Other Interests and Hobbies

Fulvio · June 27, 2013, 05:11:14 PM

One of the interesting things about certain hobbies, including ours, is that they encompass a range of skills and activities, many shared with other hobbies. For example, Photography, Chemistry, Metallurgy, Computing, and so on.

So I got to wondering about my other interests, and who among you might just share them. Perhaps, just as I've found people in other groups who had a fledgeling interest in coins, the reverse might also apply?

So, just to get the ball rolling, here's a little about one of my other loves. If this takes off, I'll share others later on.

Computing - (of course, you knew that was coming, right?)
I built my first computer in 1972, out of junked IBM S/360 parts. It could not only add two binary numbers, but subtract them as well! Woo-hoo! :yahoo: Then in 1974 I went to CIT (now Monash) and ended up operating and programming mainframes, then minis (I own a DEC VAX 11/750 and a MicroVAX), and bought my first microcomputer in 1976. I gave up on PC's as a bad joke around about the time Windows 3.1 was released, after taking a tech support call at 3am! I declared that I didn't do Windows, and life improved dramatically. Since 1992 I've owned about 130 Macs, most of which I still have, and a dozen or two of which are in service at any one time. I once did a stocktake, and found I owned over $4,000 of magnetic media, and its quite depressing to think it would all fit on a single DVD now. Nowadays I've got 18Tb online, and another 3Tb I just can't bring myself to fire up... I know I'd only fill it!

Right... who's up next?

enworb · June 27, 2013, 05:15:53 PM

I am the furthest thing from a computer fanatic you could possibly find.

I like rocks. Have collected them since I was very young but stopped the a little while ago to buy coins. Still have my old collection but its nothing fantastic. One day i'll start to add to it again.

Unicorn · June 27, 2013, 05:31:17 PM

Fulvio, I have (or more appropriately had) the computing habit. Started in 1978 with some 1960's Litton 1200 and 1300's. (1"Paper punched tape numbers!!!! 4kb vacuum memory) Progressed into multiuser Z80's (on a S100 bus) in the early 80's running multiuser CP/M under Digitial Research's DPC/OS. Developed database applications since then right up to last year (Dataflex & Oracle) running on Unix, Linux servers and no doubt your favourite Windows!!!! (On too much medication now to keep my attention and my eyesight is cr@p).

Oddles more hobbies ...... yes Enworb, I have always liked rocks (now have a head full of them). Have one that I reckon came from a meteor. Took a really nice piece of it to school in the early 70's and the science teacher reckoned he sent it away (never got it back ..... silly me). It was so cool, like smooth black bubbled glass over a very heavy layer of stone. The piece I still have is nowhere near as spectacular, but still nice!!!

Robster · June 27, 2013, 06:01:10 PM

I have a bunch of tektites from the Great Stony Desert and some cool cubic stones known as "Devils Dice." My Grandpa sold most of the tektites to N.A.S.A. in the early 60's.

Triggersmob · June 27, 2013, 06:14:35 PM

My other hobby is stamp collecting. I do that in much the same way as I collect coins.
I just want one of everything from everywhere. I have about 27,000 different stamps,
but only about 6,400 different coins.

ausjack · June 27, 2013, 06:21:26 PM

I only got into computers in 08 thru rehab, didn't even know how to turn one on before that. But I'm a collectic, so everything and anything that takes my fancy :winkextra:

Unicorn · June 27, 2013, 06:22:26 PM

Robster, you have collector in your blood! (Generations of it!)

My great great uncle apparently had a fabulous collection of coins and banknotes (my mum had seen them), a new solicitor in town rented part of his house in my uncle's later years (late 60's). Funnily enough the solicitor left town not long after my uncle's death quite wealthy. Needless to say some in my family were more than pee'd off.

Don't get me started on stamps, cards, matchboxes, tins, guns, bottles or cars .......please ...... I'll just rave on. (Geez even the kids had me into Yugioh and Pokemon!!!).

Fulvio · June 27, 2013, 07:09:41 PM

Rocks are cool. Never really got into them seriously, probably because our geology teacher was crap. But I did have a little collection of interesting bits and pieces. No idea where they are now of course. Closest I come to geology now is Discovery doccos.

Sorry to hear about the vision, Unicorn. Been there, done that. Two cataract operations and recently two lots of emergency laser spot-welding, but I still persevere. The attention span and energy levels have suffered dramatically though, thanks to all sorts of medical issues.

Since you mention stamps, that's another one of mine:

Stamps - Mostly Australian, started in the sixties when we discovered the cardboard recycling bales at Melbourne Uni were full of stamps. Many bathtubs of soaking stamps later, I managed to fill a few albums. Started buying up NCLP (Non-Circulating Legal Postage.. I just made that up!), and drove the staff at Russel St nuts, grabbing every 1970 Cook red spot and double spear I could. Picked up a few predecimals, especially errors (see a theme here?), but was never a big fan of dealers. Then when Australia Post discovered mass-marketing of NCLP crap, and every single issue started costing $20 just for one of each, I gave it away entirely. One day I should dig out the albums and do something about them.. there must be some value in there that could be turned into coins, right?

Unicorn · June 27, 2013, 07:20:36 PM

Fulvio, left eye spontaneous cataract (thanks to a 6' 2" ex biker), plastic lens now. Six months later, detatched retina (same eye). Emergency Sydney Eye Hospital, frozen back on. Right eye cataract now (ex brain siezure - well that medication didn't agree did it!). See different things out of each now, so my brain somehow works out which one's paying attention and changes tack without notice. Oops ran it that. No depth perception ..... and there is no such thing as a straight line now....... but I can see!!

PS: Yes, my stamp days ended too once the mass money making releasing started, but I still tear them off envelopes and keep them lol.

ausjack · June 27, 2013, 07:44:25 PM

yeah I do stamps but only what comes in the post and yugioh Uni, suss my link mate and if anything takes your fancy yell out :winkextra: and I have fuzzy spots and other eye complaints like not being able to see some of the red on different plants after my brain op..the spots are very distracting when driving and my eyes get sore now but hard to explain and they can't do anything about it..I think they either hit my optic nerve or the back of my eye

JeffH · June 27, 2013, 07:45:20 PM

OMG! Fulvio is into computing! Who'd a thought it?
My first computer was a kit, based on an Electronics Australia (magazine) design. Had a 16 key pad as the input device and could display about a 16 x 32 pixel screen on a TV. If I remember rightly I upgraded the RAM to 128k. It would also multiply but, to divide, you had to enter a large number of lines of hexadecimal code.

My first exposure to computers was at UNSW in 1970, creating very simple programmes in Fortran IV on punch cards -no card machines for undergrads -we had cards that we had to punch the holes out (with a stylus) by hand. One wrong hole and the programme crashed; we could only submit them for batching overnight -very frustrating.

My first "proper" computer was an IBM clone around 1975. Running (if I remember correctly) DOS 2 or 3. I paid extra for the biggest available hard drive -a monstrous 80MB. Upgraded the RAM to the maximum the mother board would support and loaded DOSSHELL. Thought that was great -maybe that was about when I should have checked out Apple.

All downhill since then but computer developments have made it possible for anyone to achieve something. Biggest problem is even trying to keep up.
Still Shaw's (I think that's the name) Law is holding -double the performance and half the price every 18 months.

Now I am happy as long as it works.

Jeff

Fulvio · June 27, 2013, 07:56:06 PM

Quote from: 'Unicorn' pid='19616' dateline='1372326636'...Right eye cataract now.

When they operate, have them put in a different lens. After testing with various contacts, we settled on 2.5 diopters, so I'm short sighted in that eye. It means I can both read and drive without glasses for either. The brain WILL work it out, just as it makes the floaters from the detached retina disappear. They're still there of course, but it ignores them.

Quote from: 'Unicorn' pid='19616' dateline='1372326636'PS: Yes, my stamp days ended too once the mass money making releasing started, but I still tear them off envelopes and keep them lol.

Heh, yeah, I do too.. one day...... someone else can soak them.

Quote from: 'JeffH' pid='19618' dateline='1372328120'...upgraded the RAM to 128k.

Ah, RAM upgrades.. While cleaning out the shop a few years ago, I found a little cardboard box. Inside were eight 4kx1bit chips, and the customs declaration said US$129. By that reckoning I've got hundreds of billions of dollars worth of RAM nowadays! And don't get me started on HD's.. My first HD was a 30Mb for just over a grand. Now I have photos bigger than that!

BTW, that was Moore's law http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore's_law and it really doesn't work anymore. Physics stops any major advances now. And as for systems, one could argue IBM put the nail in that coffin with the PC.

AJ, I've had a look at your cards before. Maybe now is a good time to bring up another hobby...

Cards - I got into cards back in school of course, like everyone else. But nothing from those days survived the beating. Then I got into AD&D, which of course led to Magic... and that led to dealing in cards in my shops, mainly so I could get them wholesale! Then came Basketball, Cricket, and the full gamut of collectible cards. fast forward a few years, and I got offered a job with the Aussie distributor of all these games, and ended up the impressively-named Director of Organised Play for Australia/NZ, for CCG games like DBZ, Magi-Nation, Mage-Knight (figures), and a little bit of Pokemon, Magic and others which we were no longer exclusive distributors for. Sadly this life came to an unpleasant end, when the scumbag millionaire who owns the company screwed me out of a year's pay. After much grief I finally locked that up and threw away the key to preserve my sanity. I've still got tons of cards lying around, both sealed boxes and albums full, but I'd have to say its not an active pursuit.

Unicorn · June 27, 2013, 09:11:47 PM

Fulvio ....wow .... indeed a scumbag and probably explains why they're rich (karma will get him). Glad to see you've been able to move on. Thanks for the pointer about the cataract. I've always been short-sighted (still wear a contact in the right eye), left is just under. Reading glasses for both now, hilarious!!

AJ, will definately check out your site when I have my yugioh hat on. (I still have around 3,500 cards to sort into "the collection" yet so lots to be done on that front ...... EXVC, PHSW, GENF, HA03 and the like).

Great thread all.

For AJ ....... the main (sorted) Yugioh collection ......

UltraPro likes me .............. (all sleeved+sheets).

Fulvio · June 27, 2013, 10:32:17 PM

Quote from: 'Unicorn' pid='19627' dateline='1372333307'UltraPro likes me .............. (all sleeved+sheets).

Heh, you're making the scumbag richer if you buy them in Oz or NZ. One reason I'm glad I had a stockpile left over from the shops.

ausjack · June 28, 2013, 03:34:42 AM

oooo very nice, I reckon I might be able to help with a card or two

I have more than what is listed as well and haven't listed common, rare or super rare and have sets up to phsw :good:

and I was buying pretty much direct from dacard and ideal so I was buying a fair bit..I should take a pic of how many I have as I have no idea how hany cards..maybe one or two, hundred..thousand :mocking: I have folders and carry all thingies and all sorts of stuff, stickers and tazos so you work out what your after and let meknow :good: