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trying to help a family out...

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jennifer:
  I would go as far to say everything above is BS.... But you do make a good point, Why even a legit SNES with some games only runs like 60.00 over at the game store.

paigeoliver:
You really don't have to be rich to own games. My wife and I have been dirt poor ever since my daughter was born around the same time I lost the job I had held almost my entire adult life. For the past 2.5 years I haven't even been able to get an interview for anything that pays well enough that it wouldn't actually be a big loss after expenses/taxes/obamacare/etc.

Yet the wife and I have something like 23 games, 100 boardsets, a few broken bartops and a couple of project pins. Sure I guess I could sell it all and come up with like $6K which would make no real change in my current situation and would likely be gone in a few months anyway.

dkersten:
While I don't think the OPs heart is in the wrong place here, I tend to agree with a lot of things said here.  While I enjoy and have room for a full cabinet, if this were something I didn't appreciate that took up that much space in a house and someone gave it to my kids, I probably would be in that awkward place where I was appreciative of the effort but not really receptive to utilizing it.  I would be inclined to stow it in the shed or something because I wouldn't want it in my house, but then if I see these people who donated it to me often, I couldn't exactly do that without offending.  In a case like this, I would far prefer to NOT have someone give me a gift like this, at least without consulting me first.

And for the "poor people" comments, if the recipients of this gift are just struggling to keep food on the table and the rent paid but aren't truly "impoverished", then as long as it is something they want and they have the room for it, their financial status has no bearing here.  Now if the father of this family were here asking how to build one for under $500 and then telling his kids they can't have new school clothes because they "can't afford it", that would be something else entirely.  Cost of ownership here is no different than a TV or computer, and anymore everyone has those in their house, even those on welfare, food stamps, etc.

And if the recipient here were truly impoverished, as in a family of 8 living in a 30 foot trailer parked in a field illegally, with one wage earner supporting two ailing parents making ends meet with welfare checks and food stamp cards, and a few young mouths to feed who haven't showered in a week because the water pump in the trailer is broken and they don't have the money to fix it, well then people in that situation have no need for an arcade, and if they got one they should be selling it for something they truly need because the list is very long.

It is all a matter of relativity.  If you are on welfare and asking the working people of this country to support you, you really have no right to luxuries like an arcade, in my opinion.  On the other hand, if you are doing your best to make it and you get the opportunity to have a luxury like this and it is not adversely affecting the people you should be supporting, then by all means you have the right to have it.  It just might not be all that practical.

deadmoney5:
Holy ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---...is this BYOAC forum or the Huffington Post or Fox News comment area? :dunno

Vigo:

--- Quote from: paigeoliver on July 21, 2014, 11:05:16 am ---You really don't have to be rich to own games. My wife and I have been dirt poor ever since my daughter was born around the same time I lost the job I had held almost my entire adult life. For the past 2.5 years I haven't even been able to get an interview for anything that pays well enough that it wouldn't actually be a big loss after expenses/taxes/obamacare/etc.

--- End quote ---

I agree with Paige. In my state, my family qualifies for a number of govt support programs from healthcare to food stamps (I don't take them, nor do I feel I need them). I personally feel I have a number of nice luxuries and a nice home because I manage and spend my money well. I have built what, 6, maybe 7 arcade related projects, have 3 more cabs i am in the middle of that are sitting in my house and about 4 more projects simply simmering in my brain. This is my hobby, and I have been working on it even when I was living in a 200 square foot studio apartment with my wife and working 3 jobs while still a full time student in order to make ends meet. Space/economic situation is not an issue whether someone is privy to a home built cabinet.

I also think that giving an arcade cab as a gift is a wonderful gesture. I have given most of what I build away to family and friends, partially because I like building more than playing, but also because it is the best gift I know how to give. And for anyone who has not given a home built cabinet as a gift -- it is not the cabinet that they appreciate most. I have given cabs to non-gamers and they loved it. The reason they love it is because they know it is a gesture of a lot of time and effort given to show someone that you care about them. Hallmark cards can suck it.

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