One thing I have noticed within the younger vintage computer enthusiast crowd is that 486s and Pentium 1s are the entry level machines that capture folks' attention. Sure, some stop there and find that to be vintage enough for them, but still others delve deeper. It starts with Windows 3.1, then they're using DOS 5, and the next thing you know, they're figuring out MFM drives on an IBM PC XT. However, the early beige box is more than just a gateway (no pun intended) to the larger world of old computers that we discuss on a daily basis. It is a stepping stone that is interesting historically. But it's also highly practical in the sense that many machines of that era are repurposed as tweener machines, bridging the gap to still older machines. I'm too young to remember Commodore existing as more than just a brand name to be exchanged by other companies -- and yet my fascination with them came from somewhere. I could go on about all the subtle influences that brought me to the VCF (it's a very long story, I'll tell it to you some time) but what's important is that I got there by way of systems commonly dismissed within our circle for being too new. And I know I'm not the only one. I think it's an untapped vector (again, no pun intended) for us to help a new crowd to discover the larger body of history. -Alexander 'Z' Pierson Sent from my pocket telephone.