Noob question: Re: 1st Makerbot

[Patrick Resing]

Hi all, I love your passion. I haunted the NYC Resistor hackerspace a little in 2008-2009 and was around for a little bit of the rip-rap project and early makerbot beginnings. As a memento of that time period I was thinking of acquiring an early makerbot and making it work as kind of a legacy-lifetime-project. Something like an early Apple computer.
Two Questions:
1. Which version would make the best “forever 3D printer” if I managed to keep a laptop around in a vintage software state (I have a nearly dead 2009 MacBook that might do the trick).
2. Should I get a different hobby instead? Model ships, whatnot? I am a terrible programmer, but an okay hacker/maker.