Subject: It's now Official

From: "Keys" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed Jun 11 11:01:00 2003

Well today I got the last piece of news about starting my non-profit museum
here in Texas and I have got all the official okays from Austin (Secretary
of State and Texas Comptroller). Now all that is left is to get the
non-profit status ok from the IRS. I hope to start fund rising here in Texas
first since they can get tax right off here and then nationwide after I get
the IRS OK. So far my only cost was a $25 fee to the State plus the cost of
priority mail. The IRS is going to be a little more costly with a minimum
fee of $500 to file. Since I still do not have a job it's hard to spend that
kind of cash right now but the cost of keeping the collection is getting
higher and higher plus no one can really se it right now.

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From: "Gary Dean Hildebrand" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed Jun 11 11:07:00 2003

> higher and higher plus no one can really se it right now.

Sounds great, and it looks like the paperwork isn't a big hurdle like other 
places. 

I know the situation, no income makes a pinch on cash flow. No cash, no 
flow!!! 

Gary Hildebrand
St. Joseph, MO

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From: Vintage Computer Festival <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed Jun 11 17:39:00 2003

> higher and higher plus no one can really se it right now.

$500...that's about the same amount as 2-3 weekends of scrounging old
computer stuff, isn't it?

:)

-- 

Sellam Ismail                                        Vintage Computer Festival
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Man of Intrigue and Danger                http://www.vintage.org

 * Old computing resources for business and academia at www.VintageTech.com *

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From: Brian Chase <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed Jun 11 18:11:00 2003

On Wed, 11 Jun 2003, Keys wrote:

> Well today I got the last piece of news about starting my non-profit
> museum here in Texas and I have got all the official okays from Austin
> (Secretary of State and Texas Comptroller). Now all that is left is to
> get the non-profit status ok from the IRS. I hope to start fund rising
> here in Texas first since they can get tax right off here and then
> nationwide after I get the IRS OK. So far my only cost was a $25 fee
> to the State plus the cost of priority mail. The IRS is going to be a
> little more costly with a minimum fee of $500 to file. Since I still
> do not have a job it's hard to spend that kind of cash right now but
> the cost of keeping the collection is getting higher and higher plus
> no one can really se it right now.

At first glance, there seems to be some matters of practicality and
skewed priorities here.  If your collecting continues to result in
higher storage costs and you have no source of income, exactly how do
you expect to keep your collection, long-term?  Unless you're positive
that your non-profit operation will generate enough revenue to cover all
the expenses for your museum, you really should be focusing your efforts
on finding some steady employment in your spare time.  If you've
noticed, there's kind of a trend at the moment of people selling off
their collections to make ends meet.  I don't think anyone here wants to
find themselves in that situation, nor do we want to see our peers end
up in that kind of predicament.

Make sure you've got the essentials addressed first: food, clothing,
shelter, health insurance, and some means to maintain them into the
forseeable future.  You can probably live inside one of the larger
computer enclosures, but AFAIK, you still can't eat or usefully wear
computers.

-brian.

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From: "TeoZ" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed Jun 11 18:58:00 2003

If your the type that runs into alot of equipment while your looking for
your treasure why not sell the "other" stuff to people who collect that
equipment to help pay for your stuff?

Or sell your expertise in an area to other people who need it.

I had an old boss who liked cars and had quite a few including some
expensive tools and a 5 car garage/shop next to his house. He would buy
projects to add to his collection at the same time helping others out with
their simular vintage cars for a small profit that fed his collection. His
main job paid for his normal household bills, transportation food etc.
he had a nice collection of peoples names and their collecting habbits so
when he went to the car swap meets he would find stuff at a bargain that he
resold to his friends who needed them at a slightly higer price. So
basically most of his parts and collection was paid for by other hobbiest
through labor and selling of parts. His other hobies (he had many including
computers) went the same way. He would also barter so when he needed help on
his computers from me, I would get some help on my 81 vette from him.

It also helps to narrow your focus to a few select models so you can
comfotably house your collection before it ends up owning you. Alot of
machines are cool to have, but there is always storage and the perpetual
upgrades you need that kill you.

Oh and if you want people to see your collection record videos of the
equipment operating with some explanation of whats going on and setup a
website. This way alot of what you know gets put into writing and organised
in a way others can learn from it. Websites are alot cheaper, easier to get
to, and cheaper then a real museum. A collection thats packed in storage
takes up alot less space then a static one of museum quality. Just have a
large work area where they system your working on can be viewd and filmed. I
for one would love to see a set of video's of equipment that was taken from
the scrap heap to mint condition step by step with text describing what each
phase of the restoration was and why it was done. That would be far more
interesting then a finished box in the corner with a nameplate on it.