yo

From: Brett <danjo_at_xnet.com>
Date: Tue Apr 29 09:10:21 1997

On Mon, 28 Apr 1997, Sam Ismail wrote:
> On Mon, 28 Apr 1997, Brett wrote:
> > On Mon, 28 Apr 1997, Sam Ismail wrote:
[Snip]
> > > Where?
> > > Livermore, California (tentative...actual venue TBD)
> >
> > Well, THAT cuts out about 99% of the world 8-) How about
> > a Travelling Show?
>
> Naw...Livermore is actually a great spot for a classic computer faire.
> Nearby Pleasanton offers a plethora of high-tech corporations to hit up
> for sponsorship. The Lawrence Livermore Labs is (literally) right across
> the street, and we are a short freeway drive to the Silicon Valley.
> Also, since I live in Livermore, it's offers the least hassle to host the
> show. I don't expect a big turnout the first year. I don't even expect
> a nominal turnout. I figure if I'm lucky, 50 people will show up, but
> these types of shows always start off small. We are on the cutting edge
> of a budding movement to preserve a part of the worlds digital heritage.
> These things take time to grow.

Ya but I'd be there 8-) (Now let's see - how do I move my vacation time
around again) Aside:[I wonder if you can get an educational grant for
the Travelling idea tho - you know schools and stuff so the kids can see
what it all started from. You could start small on that too.]

> > > Classic Computer Pioneer - every year an
> > > computer industry, but is not necessarily active
> > > anymore (ie. this precludes Bill Gates from
> > > qualifying). Nominees: Gary Kildall, creator of
> > > CP/M; Steve Wozniak; ???
> > How about Babbage??? I'd bet a dollar anyone
> > running Winders never heard of the guy 8-)
> > Naw - go for Gary - without him there would
> > not have been a home computer (pulling up the
> > zipper on my flame proof suit)
> The historical promotion of Babbage is better left to the Smithsonian.

Well, from a *media* standpoint, there is more info already available
to newspaper idiots^H^H^H^H^H^Hreporters on Babbage (plus the Enquirer
can take the Ada twist 8-) so they don't get it too wrong 8-)

> > Well, I think it's a neat idea - but you have to do
> > some followup work too. Release videos of the seminars
> > and do hardcopy of the show as well as most of us aren't
> > going to make it 8-(
>
> I planned media coverage and will document it for those unable to
> attend. Of course a web page will accompany the show.

Well, what I really want to see is all the info on restoring cases,
kwyboards(!), and paper docs.

> > Also, as for what machine to pick, just pick one that I have.
> > Nothing ups the price of a system like a good news article 8-)
>
> I'm not really doing this to increase the perceived value of my
> collection. I'm doing it because I love classic computers.

*I* didn't think so Sam, but YOU KNOW what will happen 8-(

Another problem with the idea is after the first one - what's left?
Maybe it would be better to - more or less - specialize. Cover one
machine exclusively. Cover everybody that worked on it - the history
behind the processor, the design, try to talk to the people involved
why they did one thing or the other. Get this documented before they
are all gone 8-( Just ike some of the books about DEC and Apple -
except you get to TALK to these people (I see a room with huge coffee
pots and 30 gallon butt cans, dimly lit, slight murmuring as we all
ask deep *meaning of life* questions like "Why did the KIM-1 use 6530
RIOTs instead of 6522 and a seperate ROM?" 8-) (That one always bugged
me!) And then follow that with a bright glitsy show on what you use
NOW that has all the same stuff in it!

Boy am I starting to ramble!

BC
Received on Tue Apr 29 1997 - 09:10:21 BST