[TUHS] BSTJ 1978 UNIX Issue Price Appreciation

Sun May 14 07:52:13 AEST 2023

note, also, 
https://www.amazon.com/Unix-Time-Sharing-System-Technical-Journal/dp/B004BHP0TE. 
Charlie

On 5/13/2023 4:14 PM, Henry Mensch wrote:
> note that this seller has a tiny reputation on ebay. anyone who would 
> give this seller that much money for anything is just not. thinking 
> carefully.
> 
> - Henry
> 
> On May 11, 2023 13:26:27 segaloco via TUHS <tuhs at tuhs.org> wrote:
> 
>> Howdy folks, I was perusing old copies of ;login: and came across a 
>> note about the BSTJ UNIX issue in the August 1978 newsletter: 
>> https://archive.org/details/login_august-1978 
>> <https://archive.org/details/login_august-1978>
>>
>> What I find particularly amusing is that all UNIX licensees at the 
>> time of that publication allegedly were provided a copy free of 
>> charge.  The text goes on to indicate additional copies can be 
>> purchased for a measly $1.50.
>>
>> Fast forward to today and I typically don't see this copy pop up on 
>> auction for less than $100.  Still, amazing how something was being 
>> just tossed out to anyone who wanted one and now here 45 years later, 
>> it's a mad scramble to find the same.  Then there's this listing: 
>> https://www.ebay.com/itm/134212722284?hash=item1f3fb39e6c:g:9VEAAOSw8HtjCp2H&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4IPDo14%2B7%2BCT30D5MvU1f9BJm77l1XWLxt2ojhau503DpckIGbEgDyGAtPFQgj8m5y9CebRCho1Y9INzCsMX72UaQy96ent8gqtgFWH5MY3kpSNzkYBKgrjnVDMiom2HOuqHiy5H%2FzRjvpdv0BE7tKJ7tJv4BRuCeSEPoqd2U%2FdfuKVuvOTdG%2B28JSWuPcN764AWcg3EbpeU7LUiGEELwjxL0FTsCQ%2F2wK5AuuwK8E9E7WFVuZzsm07jesQcjq75A7t5fM0ggrRX2Mn9cO9%2BHRAP7KcOYhGJ1BqIYz1P1FzL%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_bFmL2BYg <https://www.ebay.com/itm/134212722284?hash=item1f3fb39e6c:g:9VEAAOSw8HtjCp2H&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4IPDo14%2B7%2BCT30D5MvU1f9BJm77l1XWLxt2ojhau503DpckIGbEgDyGAtPFQgj8m5y9CebRCho1Y9INzCsMX72UaQy96ent8gqtgFWH5MY3kpSNzkYBKgrjnVDMiom2HOuqHiy5H%2FzRjvpdv0BE7tKJ7tJv4BRuCeSEPoqd2U%2FdfuKVuvOTdG%2B28JSWuPcN764AWcg3EbpeU7LUiGEELwjxL0FTsCQ%2F2wK5AuuwK8E9E7WFVuZzsm07jesQcjq75A7t5fM0ggrRX2Mn9cO9%2BHRAP7KcOYhGJ1BqIYz1P1FzL%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_bFmL2BYg>
>>
>> $3000 dollars...quite shocking, although perhaps they're banking on 
>> the uniqueness of that little sleeve, I've never seen one of those 
>> with a BSTJ issue before.  Was that some sort of packaging the issues 
>> were delivered in?  It has the Bell Logo in the little window on 
>> either side, so I want to believe it's original and not something 
>> someone threw together after the fact.
>>
>> In any case, I suspect part of the low pricing is due to Bell 
>> anti-trust stuff, as they really moved on nickle and diming on 
>> documentation once they were legally able to.  In any case, I'm always 
>> shocked to see how much I paid for something in my archival efforts 
>> and then I find a price sheet only to find out someone bought a book 
>> back in the day for the cost of a burger and fries.  While I'm 
>> pursuing documents for research purposes...I may be inadvertently 
>> building myself quite the value store without even meaning to...
>>
>> - Matt G.
> 

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