The 80s were wild man.
The company I work for now balks about $6k for the annual employee appreciation. Back in the 80s they spent $50k (in 80s $$) on a float for the small town’s annual parade.
See one of those is marketing. The other is effectively payroll. Companies will spend a ton of money on useless marketing because it has a 0.0001% chance of increased revenue… but will refuse to pay a penny more than they are required to employees because that’s always an expense.
Affluent enough someone could spend a couple M in the 80s?
Or they’re bought a used one from a nearby fab. Though the service contracts are no joke cost wise.
That’s probably why it was never used.
Or donated from a facility that upgraded, to use that educational donation as a tax write off.
The story was that it was donated by the parent of a student who worked for a company that made them.
The 80s were wild man.
The company I work for now balks about $6k for the annual employee appreciation. Back in the 80s they spent $50k (in 80s $$) on a float for the small town’s annual parade.
See one of those is marketing. The other is effectively payroll. Companies will spend a ton of money on useless marketing because it has a 0.0001% chance of increased revenue… but will refuse to pay a penny more than they are required to employees because that’s always an expense.