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May 15, 2007

Cleaning My Garage

I cleaned out most of the old junk from my first Microsoft decade that was occupying space in my garage. This included the daily pages from my paper day-timer (I judged the chance of my becoming President slim enough that these weren't worth saving) and two boxes of business cards from Softimage (in French, ooh aah).

I also had a collection of mugs, most were from random Microsoft vendors but I did find 4 that seem worthwhile keeping:

That one on the left deserves a closer look:

Yes, it's from back when Microsoft was working on OS/2. Must be about 20 years old. Do people think these things have eBay value? I hate to throw them away. The second one is a black Microsoft logo mug, the third is from Softimage, and the fourth has a "C compiler + Windows SDK = lots of applications" design on it.

I also found shrink-wrapped copies of Windows NT 3.1, Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1, and Windows NT Workstation 3.5. I have these because they gave everybody who worked on the project souvenir copies. On the left is a photo of the requirements for NT 3.1. As you may infer from the CD-ROM drive being optional, it does in fact include 3.5 inch floppies. So does the Server version, which is probably why the box is so big. By the time 3.5 rolled around the next year, it was CD-only.

I also have a "souvenir" copy of Windows 2000, which was in a special silver box. They also gave us copies of Windows 2000 Server. These are not company store copies with the ugly sticker with our employee number on them, they are completely standard copies you would find in a store. As a result they have value on the open market. When we got the souvenir copies of Windows 2000, they were sent to our offices in a box which many people left lying around on the floor. The copy of the Server version was under the Workstation one in the box. When I went to pack up my office when I left the company in April 2000, I discovered that someone had stolen the Server version out of the box. I notified the authorities and it was eventually discovered that the same theft had occurred in many offices.

Posted by AdamBa at May 15, 2007 09:34 PM

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Comments

I think the four things are worth keeping. one of friends onEbonyFriends.com told me something will be the most valuable after many years. Through your description, I think they are precious.

Posted by: Daniel at May 16, 2007 12:49 AM

I know I'd pay a few bucks for the OS/2 mug. You could possibly bundle them together. It seems that a few Microsoft mugs have sold on eBay recently for around $5.

Posted by: Ed at May 16, 2007 06:27 AM

The Exchange Server team had a similar problem about three or four years ago. Since Exchange 4.0 we also received trophy boxes of our product. People kept them displayed on their shelves, and then after 4.0, 5.0, 5.5, and 2000 people started noticing that their Exchange 200 boxes were going missing. A number of people in our building had had their boxes stolen. These were the standard server edition of Exchange Server which goes for at least $400 so they were worth quite a bit. Needless to say, when I heard about the thefts my boxes came off the shelf at work and now live at home.

After that the accounting rules changed and the Exchange team no longer gave out full versions of the product since the team now had to pay the full price of the software. Now I just have a small shrink-wrapped Exchange 2003 "Evaluation Edition" box tucked away on the top shelf in my office.

Posted by: Neil at May 16, 2007 11:32 AM

Heck - I'd go a few dollars for the OS/2 mug, maybe more. I'd say put them up on eBay - you never know who might pay how much for them. Post the link in the blog, so I can get my bid in.

I'll start off and offer $20 for all 4 now.

-Ed

Posted by: Ed Dale at May 18, 2007 04:35 PM

Oh geeyaah (as Snarf once said). Now you've got me thinking I should keep them.

No! Must. Sell. Mugs. I. Will. Never. Use.

I'll keep you posted.

- adam

Posted by: Adam Barr at May 18, 2007 10:49 PM

I have an OS/2 T shirt that I got from OS/2 Professional Magazine. I had the four Microsoft programming reference books for OS/2. When OS/2 first came out a journalist or editor didn't know what they were writting about and stated that OS/2 was a multi-headed (instead of multi-threaded) operating system.

Posted by: BrianK at May 22, 2007 07:40 PM