Heya I asked my college for any particularly outdated/unuseful hardware and software they had, and they provided two things: a manual for the original IBM PC, and an unopened, still in shrinkwrap copy of IBM PC-DOS 6.33 (the OEM distribution copy). My question is...should I unbox it so I can rip floppy images, or should I leave it intact for value reasons?

Floppys have a life span. If you ever intend to use the programs ,image them onto cd. Glad I did as the 5.25 s and the 3.5 in my collection are decaying. Just my 2 cents W.L.

I guess you mean value as a collectors item for the unopened package. Well, in terms of the actual code on the disks, I agree with the previous post that the floppies will degrade in the shrinkwrap as well. If you want to save the particular code on the floppies, you'll need to make backup copies. But, it's the license to use it that really counts. There are archives of the same code that is on those floppies. If you could find a copy of PC DOS 6.33 elsewhere, then your unopened box would demonstrate the right to use the software. As for the collectors value of the unopened box, you would need to consult someone who knows about that. Maybe wait in line at Antiques Roadshow when they come to your town? I have never seen an item like that on the Roadshow, I'm not sure if it has any significant value or not. But someone who deals in that kind of collectors stuff could tell you the significance of unopened shrinkwrap to potential collectors.

I checked ebay and didn't find anyone selling 6.33. But sealed msdos 6.22 is going for $10 to $15 plus shipping. That price indicates most buyers are using their purchases for installation since it's less than what the dos sold for originally. I'd expect 6.33 to fetch more because it's a rarer commodity. You need to keep it sealed because at this time you have no reason to open it. A buyer would have to take their chances on a sealed version. I have a couple of sealed 6.22. If I was to sell them that way I'd tell the buyer I'd replace any bad disks or corrupted files with copies. The problem with 6.33 is you may not be able to find copies.

Thanks for the responses RE:ebay, yes, I've looked also...found one retail copy, fully packaged and unopened a few days ago, it would have ended by now. I believe it was $25. Also, I haven't been able to find this edition of IBM PC-DOS anywhere online, at least not on indexed English language sites. This makes me think for functional reasons I should attempt to make images and perhaps submit to Vetusware or a similar abandonware preservation site. Realistically is this going to become a collector's item?

Who can tell? I've seen really old dos--1.0,2.0--offered for over $100. I wouldn't count on newer versions ever getting that high because more copies were made and the older versions were on 5.25 disks that never lasted very long.

"Realistically is this going to become a collector's item?" Who knows? I previously mentioned Antiques Roadshow because I have enjoyed watching it just to marvel at the absurd prices some people are willing to pay for some old trinkets. Will "original versions" of software releases become a hot collectors item someday? Again, who knows? It is difficult to imagine what people who have more money than they know what to do with will spend it on. From what I've seen about collectables, it's all about the significance of the item in realation to the history of the genre. What is it about PC-DOS 6.33 that is "special". We know that MS-DOS jumps from 6.22 to 7.0 in terms of version release. So, PC-DOS 6.33 must be some kind of changes IBM made to MS/PC-DOS 6.22 and thought significant for a release. What is it? Is it code changes, or just some added utilities over 6.22? Those are the kinds of questions that would determine if it becomes a "must have" for some rich dude's collection of DOS releases. The fact that it is "rare" at the moment does not necessarily indicate it will become valuable in the future. It is all about the significance of the release to the history of DOS. I don't know of any significance PC-DOS 6.33 has.