[quote:b45c9aab44="drx"]I believe we are capable of making that decision for ourselves.

Let me follow your train of thought for a moment. First you are 'perplexed' and then you come up with conclusions. Based on being perplexed - having no idea. Sounds like good grounds for making decisions in other people's lives and wallets.

Anyway, the reason is, he paid money for the prototypes. Prototypes lose most of their value after they are dumped. This is a documented fact. Some people, like me, like to release stuff for free. Some don't. Calling someone greedy because they don't give you money for free is cheeky. So is belittling them by saying things like: "collectors". 

Anyway, please try to stay on topic. If you would like to discuss this issue further, you can create a separate topic for it, I welcome you to.[/quote:b45c9aab44]

Remember that while the circuit board is physical, thus being held higher just because it's something you can actually hold and claim ownership of, it's nothing more than just some object made of god knows what. It's the data that matters to some, and not everyone has the same view that owning the actual board is what justifies the price. Some of us just want to play the games you know :)

If things go as they have in the past with some releases people could end up making reproductions anyway, and you could get a more aesthetically pleasing bang for your buck later on the road. Bottom line, this is for those who are willing to pay, that's it.

Anyway I hope to somehow come across enough money soon to donate towards getting one of these. May not be immediately but I think there's more people oogling here than actually going into actually picking anything up atm so there hopefully won't be any rush :)