Hello all.
This year at the VCF we're opening up the exhibition, and changing it into
a computer faire. Want to show off your prized vintage computer artifact?
What better way than to exhibit it at the Vintage Computer Festival!
What's more, your exhibit can win you a ribbon in any of 11 different
categories, and the best exhibit will walk away with the coveted Best of
Show award and some fabulous prizes!
What should you exhibit? Your best looking, most interesting, most
complete, most well researched vintage computer artifact. Read the full
rules below for information on what judging will entail. The ambition of
this competition is to advance the hobby of collecting, preserving and
documenting vintage computers, and you'll see that reflected in the
competition rules.
Have questions? Please e-mail me <sellam_at_vintage.org> or post your
question to the list if you think it is applicable to the general
audience.
You have more than four months to prepare your winning exhibit, so don't
procrastinate. Get going!
VCF 3.0 is being held October 2nd and 3rd at the Santa Clara Convention
Center in Santa Clara, California.
VCF 3.0 Computer Faire Rules
============================
1) Each entrant shall enter no more than 2 entries for one class and
no more than 4 entries combined in all classes for competiton.
Computers entered for display only are not eligible for awards
and their inclusion in the exhibit is at the discretion of the
organizer.
Each entrant shall pre-register their exhibit and pay a $10
registration fee due by September 17, 1999. Entrants failing
to submit their registration and fee will not be eligible to
participate in the Faire, however exceptions may be made for
individual circumstances.
2) Each competitor's entry shall be entered in only one of the
following classes:
a) Home-brew, kit, or educational computer - Any vintage
b) Manufactured microcomputer - Pre 1981
c) Manufactured microcomputer - Post 1981
d) Mini-computer or larger system - Any vintage
e) Other
3) In each class, Best of Class, 2nd of Class, and 3rd of Class prizes
will be awarded. If less than three entries are present in a
class, the awards are at the discretion of the judges.
4) Each competiton entry, regardless of it having received any other
award is eligible to compete for any of the following special
awards:
Best Presentation Awards
a) Best Presentation Category - Display
b) Best Presentation Category - Research
c) Best Presentation Category - Completeness
d) Best Presentation Category - Creative Integration with Contemporary
Technology
Best Preservation Awards
a) Best Preservation Category - Restoration
b) Best Preservation Category - Recreation
c) Best Preservation Category - Simulation
d) Best Preservation Category - Original Condition
e) Best Preservation Category - Obscurity
Best Technology Awards
a) Best Technology Category - Analog
b) Best Technology Category - Non-Electronic
People's Choice Award
5) Each competitor will be given a date and time at which a panel of
judges will examine the entry. The examination is limited to no
more than 10 minutes. The entrant or an authorized representative
must be present at the time given. If nobody is present, the
judges will notify the entrant of a substitute time at which they
will return. If nobody is present at that point in time, the
entry is disqualified.
6) Only class winners or special award winners are eligible for the
Best of Show award. Each winner will be given a new time to make
their computer available for a repeated inspection for the Best of
Show award.
7) The panel of judges will consist of three individuals. The judging
will take place as a joint activity between the the judges. Any
judging decision will have to have at least a two thirds majority.
8) Each computer will start judging by having a perfect score of 30
points, five points each in the following catagories. The judges
will then subtract points in each catagory according to their
judging guidelines of which examples are given below.
- Appearance and Condition
- Authenticity
- System Completeness
- Functionality
- Documentation
- Software
a) Appearance and Condition
The judges can deduct points for any flaw in appearance and
condition. Lack of functionality or non-original parts do not
influence the score in this catagory unless it changes the
appearance of the computer.
b) Originality and Authenticity
The judges can deduct points for any part of the computer that is
not original as built by the manufacturer, or as constructed at
assembly time for kits. Replacement parts must be indicated to
the judges by the competitor. New old stock parts will be
considered to be replacement parts with a lesser point
deduction. A reproduction can not receive full points in this
category. Any consumables do not have to be authentic. Any item
that has questionable authenticity or originalty needs to have
supporting documentation.
c) System Completeness
The judges can deduct points for any part of the computer that
is incomplete. A complete computer is one that includes the
peripherals that were originally used on the computer or typical
peripherals that would have been used with the computer if
applicable.
d) Functionality
The judges can deduct points for any lack of functionality of
the complete computer as presented. This includes any aspect of
hardware or software. Original malfunction of the computer does
not lead to point deduction. A non-operational main processor
will result in zero points in this category.
e) Documentation
The judges can deduct points for incomplete, missing, or poor
condition documentation. Any documentation that was originally
delivered with the computer or otherwise obtained is being
judged. Any documentation relating to the design, construction,
manufacture, or delivery of the computer can be included. Third
party documentation is acceptable if no original documentation
is known to exist. Third party documentation can be beneficial
if they go beyond the standard documentation of the computer.
Reprints or later editions of documentation will result in point
deduction. Documentation of research conducted pertinent to the
entry will be considered.
f) Software
The judges can deduct points for the lack of software for the
computer, if applicable. In order to score any points, the
essential software to operate the computer is required to be
functional. Any software that has been developed for the computer
either at the time of computer development or at any later point
will be considered, as will be supporting documentation. The
software does not have to be run from the original media.
Original media will be beneficial though and can be asked to be
demonstrated.
9) The judges will not operate the entry. The person exhibiting the
computer will be asked to start the computer, demonstrate the
functionality, the available software, and to show the
documentation. Any reasonable request by the judges to demonstrate
operation has to be fulfilled by the person showing the computer.
10) The judges will ask the person showing the computer to open or
disassemble the computer for inspection of major components within
reasonable limits.
11) If for any reason the person showing the entry can not fulfill a
request of a judge due to a malfunction or any lack of software,
documentation, or other, the entrant will be given an opportunity
to interrupt the inspection once and postpone completion to a
later point in time during the judging period.
12) At the end of the event at an announced place and time, the awards
will be given to the entrant or a representative. If the prize
recipient cannot receive the award in person, all shipping and
handling charges will have to be covered by the entrant. Should a
person not be present to claim the prize, the awards shall be held for
claim by the organizer for no later than November 1, 1999. After that
date the prize will be withheld and will not be re-awarded.
Any questions or comments? Please send them to sellam_at_vintage.org or post
them to the list if they are universally applicable.
I hope to see lots of people participate in this year's Computer Faire!!
Remember, this is your chance to show off that favorite part of your
computer collection to all your friends and colleagues.
Sellam Alternate e-mail: dastar_at_siconic.com
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Don't rub the lamp if you don't want the genie to come out.
Coming this October 2-3: Vintage Computer Festival 3.0!
See
http://www.vintage.org/vcf for details!
[Last web site update: 05/20/99]
Received on Sat May 22 1999 - 03:14:08 BST