[p_l]

I once managed to rescue AlphaServer 255/233 from being parceled out by unknowing e-waste dealer. Spent a bit of time trying to connect everything, connected the serial terminal that came with it, flipped the power switch expecting empty machine...

... Lo and behold, I see it autobooting into heavily customized VMS 6.1 (first patch level that could boot on it), that turns out to be special Blockbuster Video version with appliance-style licenses loaded (NET-APP-150), probably designed to run with a DECserver connecting multiple terminals over LAT.

Turned out the second of two SCSI drives still held not just the custom BBV software, but also the database, including PII and history data, with flags like "18+" on various movies.

[TaylorAlexander]

I found a microfiche reader by a dumpster. Works great and came with one card showing the index of some historical church records from the 1700's. I ordered more cards on ebay and got what looks like the entire microfiche card set from an old TV repair shop in ohio. Loads of schematics, catalogs, and repair information. Lots of hand written notes on the envelopes and stuff too. I've got to upload some photos so Louis Rossmann has another historical data point.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microform#Readers_and_printers

[reaperducer]

I have a bunch of 8" floppy disks I got from fleaBay that have student records from a community college in California.

I have no use for them, so I just have one framed on the wall for nostalgia's sake.