[Leica] [Partly Relevant] The Economical Leica

["Jeff S" <segawa@netone.com>]

I like recreational computing: The personal computer is, I think, about the
closest we've ever come to the General Purpose Toy. Prices have never been
lower than they are now--or have they? While browsing at a $1300 Compaq
Presario, I marvelled at how that money bought a 266 MHz Pentium II
processor, digital video disk, modem, substantial hard drive, and lots of
software. But how long will it take before a person feels downright
frustrated with the darned thing, because none of the really interesting new
software runs too well on it? Cottage cheese, I thought, it has the shelf
life of a carton of cottage cheese. Certain bits, such as the housing,
really wouldn't figure into the equation, save that the housing is some
custom affair, not designed to be greatly updated with new innards from
other makers, so when it's time is up, you deliver the whole to the digital
equivalent of an elephant graveyard (where *did* all of those Sinclair ZX80s
go?). You might reuse the keyboard and mouse, but why bother? You can hardly
buy a new system without getting (and paying for) a brand-new set, whether
you like it or not.

Leica ownership has been more relaxing, and over the long haul, I think it
might turn out to be much cheaper due to the relatively slow rate of
obsolescence. Not just cheaper than high tech items, but other camera
systems as well. It's refreshing to hear of folks still refurbishing 30 year
old Leicas, yet still be able to take advantages of modern optics as the
budget allows. Hard to imagine that a person could've purchased a new M6 and
Macintosh 512K not far apart. The Macintosh cost around $2900 by the time
you indulged in a second floppy drive and a printer; The Leica is still
genuinely useful!

Consider:
- -If it were to need $150 worth of repairs tomorrow, which would you consider
fixing, and which would you turn into a fish bowl?

(Then again, had it evolved at the same pace, today's M6 would probably cost
$20)

Just a thought,
Jeff