Can you believe it? Computer shows still exist. (MA/NH)

VirtualLarry · 05-21-2010, 09:57 PM

I was really surprised to come across a craigslist post announcing an upcoming computer show. I thought internet purchasing basically killed off computer shows, and Dell killed most of the smaller computer reseller outfits.

Anyways, it's at Rockingham Park, in Salem NH, May 22nd, 10am-3pm. Take 93 North to exit 1. Supposedly, there will be further signs pointing the way.

I might check it out, if I wake up early enough. Oh yeah, admission is $7, take $1 off with the coupon on ncshows.com.

While I'm mentioning this, I might also mention the MIT flea, the third sunday of every month during the warm months. www.swapfest.us I think is the web site.

manimal · 05-21-2010, 10:36 PM

Man I miss the old days of the every weekend computer shows throughout the new york area. Got some awesome deals back in the day.

mikeford · 05-21-2010, 10:37 PM

Socal has a few, big one I think in Pomona that I have never gone to, pay to get in, and ACP in Santa Ana, every odd month last Sunday, free, but park where you can find a spot maybe blocks away.

dajeepster · 05-21-2010, 10:45 PM

Yeah, they still have them... it you are looking for some really old stuff, they're the place to go.

Here's a link to the one that runs them.

http://www.marketpro.com/

here's a link for the ones in my area.. i.e. Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia.

http://www.marketproshows.com/computershows/index.html

Wag · 05-21-2010, 11:22 PM

Nothing "hot" about these. I've been to some of them (the ones in the MA area) and mostly they sell overpriced junk. Anything new can be found cheaper on the regular retail web stores like newegg anyways.

ericlp · 05-22-2010, 12:28 AM

I sold a lot of stuff!

Tons of motherboards and parts! Made a lot of cash...I'd go if we had one. I got a ton of crap.

I miss em too... Take some pics!

Jim · 05-22-2010, 01:21 AM

Back in the day when they were all the rage the bargains were imaginary.

SlickSnake · 05-22-2010, 02:43 AM

Hmm, not really a "Hot Deal" and a pretty localized one at that. Seems more like a "For Sale/Trade" sort of posting, since that's what you do there.

A lot of places have various localized electronics/PC related gatherings like once a month, too.

And "back in the day", the bargains were definitely there on some items, before fleabay, and when the PC prices and parts were out-freaking-rageous to buy. Vendors would set up tables selling wares straight from hard to obtain Asian suppliers, and they were often way cheaper than any other source.

KAMAZON · 05-22-2010, 02:47 AM

SlickSnake is absolutely right. I remember going with my dad to buy a VGA card (real VGA, as in MAX capability of VGA graphics, not even SVGA) for Flight Simulator to run on DOS 3.5 on his XT.

The prices were like 40% cheaper. Pomona, Reseda, Santa Ana, amazing deals were found. Dang I could nerd out there right now.

hans007 · 05-22-2010, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KAMAZON

SlickSnake is absolutely right. I remember going with my dad to buy a VGA card (real VGA, as in MAX capability of VGA graphics, not even SVGA) for Flight Simulator to run on DOS 3.5 on his XT.

The prices were like 40% cheaper. Pomona, Reseda, Santa Ana, amazing deals were found. Dang I could nerd out there right now.

I used to go to the pomona one in high school. It was mostly like the no name stuff, but it was really really cheap.

always was a good place to buy a case though we had a frys near by so it wasnt that great compared to frys. it was just sort of a fun place to nerd out and wander around though.

texasfury · 05-22-2010, 05:45 AM

edit

cardiac · 05-22-2010, 09:54 AM

Just like when the "Computer Shopper" was the size of the Chicago phone book.....

Tristicus · 05-22-2010, 02:53 PM

My father used to go to them all the time (up in that area). I was brought to a few when I was younger, and I remember going to one more recently (was probably 13/14), but it was very small and things were sort of overpriced and the people there didn't seem to know much.

Quakester · 05-22-2010, 03:35 PM

The Pomona show is nothing like it used to be. Went last week. One building...used to be 2. One vender selling the newest stuff where it used to be at least 9 or 10 so you could bounce prices off them. Big waste of time and money now. The internet DID kill them off. They just don't know it yet.

Macgyversite · 05-22-2010, 03:50 PM

http://www.marketpro.com/

They aren't what they used to be but they still are fun to go to.

As far as the entrance charge. Sometimes they are more entertaining than a lot of movies that come out nowadays.

Gillbot · 05-22-2010, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wag

Nothing "hot" about these. I've been to some of them (the ones in the MA area) and mostly they sell overpriced junk. Anything new can be found cheaper on the regular retail web stores like newegg anyways.

Same here, they still have them all the time but it's old overpriced garbage.

Quote:

Originally Posted by texasfury

I never understood having to pay a cover charge to buy items.

And most usually aren't worth the price of admission.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cardiac

Just like when the "Computer Shopper" was the size of the Chicago phone book.....

The good old days!

dualsmp · 05-22-2010, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wag

Nothing "hot" about these. I've been to some of them (the ones in the MA area) and mostly they sell overpriced junk. Anything new can be found cheaper on the regular retail web stores like newegg anyways.

I found the same thing when I went to a computer show years ago. It was all overpriced junk and nothing even worthwhile. Never went to another one after that.

zerocool84 · 05-22-2010, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manimal

Man I miss the old days of the every weekend computer shows throughout the new york area. Got some awesome deals back in the day.

lol yep before the big internet computer companies the Computer shows were awesome. Would pay even just go to look.

Winterpool · 05-22-2010, 05:57 PM

I think computer shows remain useful for educational purposes, especially if one doesn't have a Fry's (or at least a Micro Centre) in the area. My technically-inclined friend took me to one at the start of this century, and I learnt a lot just by looking at kit and asking questions (mostly to my friend, not the vendors). Of course prices online are better, but it's difficult to peruse the Newegg website in quite the same way as one might stroll through a computer show.

In turn I introduced a couple of friends to PC 'enthusiasm' by visiting such shows with them.

And of course they do carry old junk, which can be useful in some cases, particularly if playing round with obsolete kit.

PottedMeat · 05-22-2010, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VirtualLarry

While I'm mentioning this, I might also mention the MIT flea, the third sunday of every month during the warm months. www.swapfest.us I think is the web site.

I always wanted to go to one of those, lots of interesting things - radios/oscilloscopes/test equipment/electronic parts.

Dallas has first saturday, more like a giant garage sale. Most of the stuff is junk or overpriced and I stopped going since there was a drive by and a vendor was killed.

Danube · 05-22-2010, 07:32 PM

Computer shows might be coming back since a new IRS law was hidden in health-care bill.

"Stealth IRS changes mean millions of new tax forms"

The first tax-reporting expansion was buried in a different bill, the Housing Assistance Tax Act introduced by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and signed into law by President George W. Bush in July 2008. Best known for its first-time homebuyers' credit, the bill also created a new addition to the family of 1099 tax forms: the 1099-K.

The 1099 is a catch-all series of IRS documents used to report non-wage income from a variety of sources like contract work, dividends, earned interest and pension distributions. The new 1099-K aims to shine a light on a currently hard-to-track payment stream: credit cards. Starting in 2011, financial firms that process credit or debit card payments will be required to send their clients, and the IRS, an annual form documenting the year's transactions.

The rule comes with a floor to weed out the most casual retailers: The 1099-K is only required when a merchant has at least 200 payment transactions a year totaling more than $20,000. But it applies to all payment processors, including Paypal, Amazon.com, and others that service very small businesses."

Nothing beats cash and carry

http://money.cnn.com/2010/05/21/smal...s/1099_deluge/

mikeford · 05-22-2010, 08:04 PM

Pretty much everyplace will have hamfests, ham, amateur radio, which usually include all sorts of computer and electronics stuff, but no shoes, clothes etc. SoCal has one every Saturday morning rotating location through the month starting with Santee, then I think Fontana or San Bernardino, Chino hills, and last Saturday of the month the big one TRW in Torrance.

I'm going to the next ACP, and at the last TRW found a guy selling pallets of Dell P4 computers, all minus hard drives, $30 for just missing HD, and $15 for no memory or DVD drives, but all included a MS windows CD Key, so for $15 I got a genuine XP pro key, Dell MB and cpu and ps and floppy.

VirtualLarry · 05-22-2010, 09:35 PM

Wow, that Rockingham show was a bust. My apologies to anyone that actually went based on my suggestion. According to someone at the show, it was a lot bigger show two months ago, but some of the major vendors were on vacation. At least that was the story. I actually ended up getting a table, but none of my systems sold. (I had some AMD quad-cores for $350.) I thought that was damn cheap, but no-one had that sort of money to drop on a system I guess.

ch33zw1z · 05-23-2010, 07:32 AM

May have to check out those MIT shows..Thanks for info.

Linflas · 05-23-2010, 05:18 PM

The last MarketPro one I went to here was just a shell of what they used to be. I used to buy all my build parts at shows, there were local dealers I knew that had prices as good as you could get online and there was the instant gratification factor you don't get waiting for your stuff to arrive from Newegg. I miss them.