Even us happy Windows users love Pixar - I have loved them since they just made shorts like "Tin Toy" and "Red's Dream", which I used to download and play on my Atari computer. Steve Jobs may be an arrogant oaf, but he knew where to put his money (he has asked for, and has, zero creative control). Lasseter, Docter, Bird, Stanton and company run the finest animation studio ever. Ratatouille is going to be grrrreat! I ordered my tickets a week ago. However, I am not buying an iPhone. I like my boring old-guy phone.

Between hubster and I, we fall within the statistic. Thinking about what we have in storage, I think we have 4. Two are old pre-payers, and two are OLD Motorola ones that were the newest, smallest things when we got them. Now, they're so out-of-date and we keep them for nostalgia.

The sheriff's department in my county has a program where you can turn in old cell phones, and they will distribute them to domestic violence victims and elderly people to use for emergency calls. The phones are programmed to only dial 911, so I don't worry that some loser is yakkin' up a $500 cell bill on the county's dime. Plus, you get a tax break for the donation. We found six old phones last year, and donated them all.

Don't even get me started on computer equipment, though. My husband is a programmer/DBA, and it may be possible that we have more computer parts than Best Buy, only most of ours are used. When his PC died a couple of months ago, he had enough spare parts sitting around to build a new one...he didn't have to buy so much as a cable or a cooling fan. It comes in handy sometimes, but it takes up a heck of a lot of space.

Between the anti-smoking nazis and the fanatics at MADD, they'll be bringing prohibition back pretty soon. It won't require a Constitutional amendment this time, because the Constitution isn't taken too seriously any more.

Don't get too attached to your new phone either -- they'll ban that too. They know how you should live your life better than you do.

iPhone. Can't they put the Unix Terminal on it? Then I could ssh to my account on campus and submit my homework from whereever I can get a signal. Yes, sadly, I am that big of a geek.

As for old electronics, no dead cell phones, but about 10 obsolete computers, only one of which I obtained new. Why, I might want to play SimAnt or Marathon for old times sake in all its original 256 color glory. Or even Harry the Handsome Executive. If you kick the pop machine just right you get a can you can use as an explosive later! I have stacks of old peripherals, and an oscilliscope I picked up at the place where our university sells obsolete equipment. My husband wanted to know what that was for; "because it's cool!" didn't make him understand any better. (I'm an engineer, he's a forester, we've been having discussions like this for years)

prohibition for alcohol will probably never make a comeback (too many people remember the history of what a failure it was the last time).

But if we could ban smoking in every public place (including outdoors) it'd be great. Banning cell phones in public places (especially restaurants) would be a godsend too.

People shouldn't have smoke or cell phone ringing imposed on them in any public place.

So, what are you going to do with that "old" RAZR of yours once you have your iPhone (that can be activated via iTunes, so no need to wait in line to set yours up)?

As for any detritus of the electronic variety, I thankfully possess none, even if some would consider my ancient (for real)-but-still-very-much-alive Motorola v120 as such.

Also, if the Apple Store's out, there's always the AT&T/Cingular kiosk.

Good luck!

I appreciate the mention of Andrew Volstad, for good or ill the most famous man ever born in my home town, Kenyon. (Thorstein Veblen, author of the great unreadable Sociology classic, might have been a contender, but he only grew up in Kenyon).

I had hoped to be the third famous Kenyonite myself, but an insidious conspiracy of unseen hands has frustrated me so far.

And yet I am happy.

"I have been lying about my disinterest in the iPhone."

I KNEW IT!

Ah, the world makes sense again...

BRD520 says we've learned the folly of our ways and that prohibition can't possibly return, then espouses the virtue of banning public smoking and cell phones. It doesn't take a flaming extremist libertarian (no, that wasn't necessarily redundant) to see where banning your pet peeve leads. Enjoy red meat? Rare red meat? ANY meat? Get it while you can. The same goes for SUVs, sugar, and most luxury/fun items. The same arguements made against alcohol, smoking, annoying ring tones, etc, can (and will) be made against something you enjoy, so be careful what you wish for.

I look forward to your iPhone adventures. I'm trying to content myself with my MacBook until the iPhone comes down in price, but it's hard. I'll have to experience it vicariously for the time being. {Sigh}

I have 6 dead phones, 4 cells and 2 cordless.
Among them is an old Cingular which I dumped before the trial was up because of very spotty coverage (Atlanta). Worse than Sprint at the time!
Went Verizon and never looked back.
Sooooo, no I Phone for me.

I'm tired of hearing other people's car stereos. They should be banned.

And anything perfumed. I shouldn't have other people's artificial scent imposed upon me in public.

And lawnsigns. What a blight!

And bumber stickers. Those pithy distractions are a danger on the road.

And talk. If I wanted to hear someone's inane conversation, I'd call them on the phone. From home, of course, not a cell phone in public (or even a private business like a restaurant or cafe.)

We should ban cafes too; coffee gives people offensively bad breath.

Or maybe we should make it easy on society and just stay home where no one can impose on us.

After we've banned the telemarketers, of course.

I belieive we have five old cell phones including on the size of a shoe box that has a handle. I keep at least one old cell phone in the car for emergency, the 911 feature always works and since it is ATT&T (Mr. Lileks new provider, tee, hee) they use the smart chip. If my new phone get broken or something, I just swap the chip.

Stranger is old Macintosh computers. I have four gathering dust including an original 1984 model and another used part time in the work shop. The other three, two laptops and a G5 are the current work horses.

Alas, there are vast areas of the country that AT&T doesn't see fit to provide with service. Thus, people like me can't have an iPhone. I love my Mac and my iPod, but Apple's exclusive contract with AT&T is keeping iPhones out of the hands of a lot of customers.

We have two or three old cell phones we haven't donated to charity yet (we did donate one to a program similar to the one described above) and another one or two land-line phones. We also have an old 486, and an extra (not really functioning) DVD/VCR combo. Plus a plethora of old remote controls that have nothing left in our house to control.

It's a sickness, but I know of folks who have worse. My collection of electric stuff I don't "need" anymore would put me in the mild flu category compared to the sickness of some guys I know.

Oh, and Pixar rules. I'm agnostic and perfectly happy with either choice in the Apple/PC debate. (Although Apple's "I'm a PC/I'm a Mac" commercials are much more creative than anything to ever come out of Redmond.) Thankfully, you don't have to choose sides to enjoy a very well written/made movie.

"How much electronic detritus do you have?"

You know the saying, one man's trash is another man's Obsolete Trash You Should have Replaced Ages Ago, Man. Really.

Not one extra cell phone in my house, but I have enough old computers to errect some sort of stonehenge-like structure. The computers are so old they only narrowly edge out the original stonehenge in terms of raw computing power, but they weigh more.

Stuff like this tends to feed on itself. If someone notices you have a couple of old computers in the corner, you'll become known as "the guy who collects old computers", and then everyone will bring you their expired PCs.

Anyone need a old 10mb "jumbo" hard drive? How about 4mb of "supersonic" memory, circa 1994? I'll just leave it right here. Help yourself. Please.

==================================
Check out my webcomic, if you're so inclined.

later on volstead
was named to the position
of chief prohibition enforcer
for minnesota
he had his office
in the federal courthouse
today s landmark building
in st paul
across from the st paul hotel
which was headquarters
for the state s biggest bootleggers
i wrote a poem
about mr volstead
which in part reads
o volstead dear volstead
the fruit still ferments
and the juices have uses
that foil your intents
yours for the second coming of gambrinus
archy

When does Apple become Big Computer the way Exxon is Big Oil or Phillip Morris is Big Tobacco?

I'm actually in line at the MoA right now. I'd guess that there are about 60-75 people waiting in line (or should I say "queue?") right now. My advice: bring a chair -- then again, the beanbag chair shop right across the way is probably salivating at their prospects today...

Not only will I get an iPhone today, but I'll have my law school reading done for next week. I may be a nerd, but at least I'm productive in my nerdery...

"For some odd reason no one blames Prohibition on Minnesota. I think we dodged a bullet."

Yeah, everyone remembers Carrie Nation and blames Kansas. You lucky barstards. Want a 3.2 beer?

Dear Mr. Lileks,

First off, I'm a big fan. Loved your impressions of Disneyworld. Second, I know that no one, but no one, loves a pedant. However, I must say that every time I see you screw-up and write "disinterested" when you mean "uninterested," I cannot help this feeling of dread that overtakes my very soul. Now let us speak no more of this.

We have a box-full of phones. Most of them dating back to the days of switching when a new carrier came to town promising better coverage that never materialized.

For everyone who is whining because AT&T is the only carrier for the iPhone right now: the reason they are is because they are the only company who agreed to have a hands off policy with the iPhone. Unlike Verizon, for instance, which cripples the most useful features on Bluetoth phones, so their customers can't buy 3rd party ringtones and the like.

Just like video purchases were initially very limited with the itunes store (with more and more studios jumping in), and just like EMI being the only music company to agree to sell unDRM'd music in iTunes right now, other cell phone companies will come round eventually.

Don't blame Apple for being short-sighted (as if!), blame your cell phone company.

iWant one, too. And I'm not sure I'll be able to resist stopping by the Apple store on the way home from work! I can't understand this because I haven't had any interest in buying and iPod. Go figure.

I'm tempted not to stand in line to get an iPhone, but to pull up a lawn chair and observe all the people waiting in line for this Latest New Thing.

Of course, I'll probably draw similar observers next month, when J.K.'s latest rolls out...

“My life has no purpose, no direction, no aim, no meaning, and yet I’m happy. I can’t figure it out. What am I doing right?”

Lets see, oh you had like a uh BILLION DOLLARS!
And don't give me any of that 'money doesn't buy happiness' s**t.

How long did Mr. Jobs have to keep you in the Agony Booth for?

I hope Cingular/AT&T works better in your neck of the woods. I see no point in considering an IPhone if they're gonna make you get the crappiest cell phone service in the world with it. Well, that was my experience with Cingular - they are the worst. Though I know it varies by area.

Only one cell phone (we have a donation program here, too), but...

2 cordless phones
2 televisions
4 computers (3 desktops/1 notebook)
2 stereos (1 with turntable)
2 vcrs
1 dvd player
1 dvd/vcr combo
1 clock radio

Part of is convinced that as soon as I throw any one these items, I will need it immediately. For what? I'm not at all sure.

I have three old unused cellphones in my junk drawer, as well as a six-month-old iPod and thirteen months left on my cellular contract. As cool as it is, the iPhone can wait for now (and, as others have noted, the price might drop quite a bit in the next year). For now, the iPod and RAZR are great (I even like the pictures taken by the latter), so I'm not in a big hurry to combine them.

A related newspaper item from Yesterday's News (I've got a million of 'em, or at least 168):

Jan. 17, 1920: John Barleycorn, RIP

We're as average, midwestern a household as they come.

Looking at the shelf in my cellar, we have six cell phones boxed as original and stored serviceable, five live and in use and one on the dead line, held for scrap. I'm not counting the 4 we have exchanged for new when we rolled a plan.

We also have 13 Nokia travel chargers, 13 Nokia headsets, two Nokia cradle chargers, three Nokia car chargers and a Samsung wall charger.

I can't say how many instruction manuals we have, but I am certain we kept all of them.

Conserve Liberty

Just like video purchases were initially very limited with the itunes store (with more and more studios jumping in), and just like EMI being the only music company to agree to sell unDRM'd music in iTunes right now, other cell phone companies will come round eventually.

"Eventually" is "some time in 2012, maybe later" due to the exclusivity contract Apple signed with AT&T. Apple didn't have any guns held to its head when it guaranteed that there would be no iPhone for other U.S. carriers; Apple freely chose to limit it to AT&T instead of driving a different deal.

But you thought it better.

>"Eventually" is "some time in 2012, maybe later" due to the exclusivity contract Apple signed with AT&T.>

But isn't the world supposed to end in 2012?