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Possible conquest observed today: IIsi/IIcx/IIci

MattB

6502
A local furniture store here in Chantilly, VA is going out of business and I went over today to see if there was any furniture left worth buying. I didn't immediately find any furniture I wanted, but I did find three Mac IIsis with Apple monitors that the store had apparently been using. They looked to be in decent if not stellar shape and were set up on the checkout counter as if ready for use. Continuing to look around the store I also saw either a IIcx or IIci (couldn't tell which from a distance) with monitor and keyboard sitting in an office. I didn't want to bother the salespeople and ask about the Macs because they were busy, but I can't imagine these machines face any fate other than the dumpster when this store closes for good on Monday. I might go back tomorrow and try to get an ADB mouse to use with my Kanga-class PB G3 and my PB 190. I figured I'd pass this sighting on to the board; I don't really have anywhere at my place to put a Mac desktop (I consider this somewhat tragic; I've always wanted a Mac II of some kind), but maybe someone else in the Northern VA might want to save them. The store is called "Stannis Today" and it's off Rt.28 in Chantilly.

 
When you say they were set up on the checkout counter as if ready for use, do you mean they were actually using these machines in the course of their business?

If you talk to them and they are just going to throw them in a dumpster, you should at least ask to harvest the boards, drives, memory, etc. I'm sure there's someone around here who could use one of those, and you can never have too many SCSI drives...

 
I would grab them all (and ask about original software they might have in a back room). IIsi/IIci/IIcx are nice machines (might need capacitors redone) that are easy to get into plus they are easily stackable in a closet or shipped if needed.

 
When you say they were set up on the checkout counter as if ready for use, do you mean they were actually using these machines in the course of their business?
If you talk to them and they are just going to throw them in a dumpster, you should at least ask to harvest the boards, drives, memory, etc. I'm sure there's someone around here who could use one of those, and you can never have too many SCSI drives...
The machines weren't being actively used when I was there, but they all appeared to have been used recently in the course of business (all cables looked to be connected and they were prominently on the sales desk and in an open office). I may go back and ask about them tomorrow depending on my schedule, and if any of them work properly may grab the CPU units if noone else wants them. I don't know what I'd do with three Apple 12" RGB monitors and an Apple 13" Trinitron monitor. The obvious answer is, of course, assemble a vintage Mac network and party like it's 1989, but sadly I just don't have the space for that.

 
Attempt 1 ended in partial success. I bought a desk, but when I asked about the Macs the sales reps said they didn't know what they were going to do with them. I did manage to score a working Mk1 ADB mouse from a IIsi. I can use it with my Powerbooks. When I go to pick the desk this afternoon I'm going to try again. I kind of want the IIcx/IIci (not sure which it is) now.

 
Attempt #2 ended in failure, but with some hope. The bad news: the people from the liquidation company didn't have the authority to let me have the Macs. The good news: they told me to come back later this week to check with the store owner. They also told me that at least one of the IIsis works and was in active service until the week before when they went into liquidation. I also spotted a 4th IIsi and got a closer look at the IIci. I did confirm that it's a IIci, and a sticker on the case indicated 20MB RAM/80MB HDD. The store also had a gray G4 tower (didn't get a close look at it) and a blue iMac (again only saw it from a distance and couldn't discern the model). Further updates to follow when I know more later this week.

 
No, they were just being used to look up customer records and the like. No cash registers...it would have been cool if they were using them in a point-of-sale setup.

 
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