VCF Gazette Volume 2 Issue 4

From: Vintage Computer Festival <vcf_at_siconic.com>
Date: Tue Oct 5 06:32:34 2004

VCF Gazette
Volume 2, Issue 4
A Newsletter for the Vintage Computer Festival
October 5, 2004


Miraculously on schedule, it's time for the next installment of the
Vintage Computer Festival Gazette!


Vintage Computer Festival 7.0
VCF East 2.0 Exhibit Awards and Photo Gallery
VCF Producer Sellam Ismail on G4TechTV's Screen Savers October 19
Subscribe to the Computer Collector E-mail Newsletter


Vintage Computer Festival 7.0
----------------------------------

Since the last VCF, the trials and tribulations of daily life made
their inevitability painfully attendant: bills came due, accidents
happened, bad days at the office were had, arguments broke out, and
the morning paper was thrown into the sprinklers yet again. Woe is
us! But lo, a bright and shining beacon of nerdilicious salvation is
on the horizon and draws nigh. The Vintage Computer Festival returns!

Vintage Computer Festival 7.0 is right around the corner, taking place
on November 6-7 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View in
(still) sunny California. Flights are cheap and so is the admission,
so you have little excuse to stay home cramped behind your computer
trying in vain to craft that perfect Google search term. Just put all
that nonsense behind you and join us for some fanatical Festival
folly!

We are honored to once again have the Computer History Museum as our
sponsor!

And as always, we bring you yet another wonderful line-up of speakers,
exhibitors, and special events, including a 30th anniversary retro-
spective of Maze War, the original "first-person shooter" videogame,
plus so much more!

In fact, we're planning so much for this year's event, it might
possibly be even too much! Some of it we can't even mention yet
because we're still in the middle of planning it. So come on out and
watch us put on a gargantuan geek gala guaranteed to gasify your gall
bladder...either that or watch us crash and burn in spectacular style.
Either way, it's sure to be entertaining!


We've Got Lodging!

For out of town guests, the VCF has arranged a hotel room block at the
Residence Inn Palto Alto Mountain View, located within 3 miles of the
Computer History Museum and featuing, among other fine amenities, an
on-demand shuttle service between the Inn and the Computer History
Museum. The special VCF rate is US$79 per night. Reservations must
be made by October 15 to take advantange of this terrific rate so do
not delay! Full details are available here:

   http://www.vintage.org/2004/main/lodging.php


Computer History Galore!

The VCF speaker schedule has moved back to a "track" style this year.
The talks are assembled into themes for the most part. We've got
another terrific line-up! Check it out:

   Saturday, November 6

   Track 01

   Time Topic Speaker
   ------- ------------------------------------- -------------------
   10:00am Using Vintage Computers in Forensics Fred Cohen
   11:00am Documenting the BBS Jason Scott
   12:00pm The Art of Textmode Christian Wirth
    1:00pm History of FidoNet Tom Jennings

   Track 10

   Time Topic Speaker
   ------- ------------------------------------- -------------------
   11:30am Confessions of an Entrepreneur Dr. Robert Suding
   12:30am VCF Ramblings Sellam Ismail


   Sunday, November 7

   Track 01

   Time Topic Speaker
   ------- ------------------------------------- ------------------
   10:00am Early IBM History John Sailors
   11:00am The IBM 360 Evolution and Revolution Jerome Svigals
   12:00pm Early Microprocessor Design Nick Tredennick
    1:00pm Maze War Retrospective Panel

   Track 10

   Time Topic Speaker
   ------- ------------------------------------- -------------------
   10:30am Things You May Not Know... Evan Koblentz
   11:30am Tipping Sacred Cows Tom Jennings
   12:30am The Art of Vintage Computers Christine Finn
    1:30pm Neo-Retro: The XGameStation Andre LaMothe


More information on the VCF 7.0 speakers can be found here:

   http://www.vintage.org/2004/main/speaker.php


BBS Documentary Screening

Jason Scott, proprietor of textfiles.com--the Internet's largest
collection of historic textfiles--has completed work on his BBS
documentary. "BBS: The Documentary" spans across seven separate films
which cover every aspect of the world of bulletin board systems,
tracing the history of the BBS as well as the historic figures that
made it a distinctly unique mode of digital communication. This will
be the first public screening of the documentary, and audience input
from VCF attendees will determine the final cut of the film series.
More information on the screening can be found here:

   http://www.vintage.org/2004/main/screening.php


Computer History Museum Tours

As always, the Computer History Museum's terrific staff will be giving
VCF attendees tours of the Museum's fantastic collection. Tours are
held in the afternoon and run every half an hour. Tour information is
available here:

   http://www.vintage.org/2004/main/tours.php


Exhibit Your Computer!

One of the best ways to enjoy the VCF is by participating directly.
Be an exhibitor! As an exhibitor, you get to be a part of all the
behind-the-scenes action. Plus you get a chance to show off your
favorite computer and perhaps even win an award for an outstanding
exhibit. The Best of Show award includes as a prize the Replica 1,
a software compatible re-creation of the legendary Apple-1 computer,
courtesy of its creator, Vince Briel. So don't delay, sign up today!

   http://www.vintage.org/2004/main/exhibit.php

More information about Vince Briel's Replica 1 can be found on his
website:

   http://home.comcast.net/~vbriel/


Buy, Sell and Trade at the VCF Marketplace

As always, one of the most exciting aspects of the VCF is the
Marketplace, where you can find a large and varied assortment of some
of the most fantastical old computer thingies anywhere. Find that odd
part you've been seeking out for your collection, then touch, smell,
even taste it if you like, before haggling out a deal. There is
simply no better place to buy and sell vintage computers than at the
VCF Marketplace. Vendor booths are still available. For more
information on selling at VCF 7.0, please visit:

   http://www.vintage.org/2004/main/vendor.php


The VCF 7.0 BBS is Live!

Communicate with fellow VCF 7.0 attendees on the VCF 7.0 BBS! Set up
trades and carpools, talk about exhibiting, and discuss generally
anything about the upcoming Festival:

   http://www.vintage.org/2004/main/bbs.php


So Much More!

Complete information about VCF 7.0, including the speaker schedule and
exhibit roster, as well as lodging information and driving directions,
can be found on the VCF 7.0 web pages:

   http://www.vintage.org/2004/main/

Keep in mind that the VCF will from now on be held during the first
weekend in November.


VCF East 2.0 Exhibit Awards and Photo Gallery
---------------------------------------------

The 2nd annual Vintage Computer Festival East was held on July 16-17
at Sun Microsystems' Burlington campus in Burlington, Massachusetts.
The turnout was terrific, and so were the speakers and the exhibits.
If you didn't make this event, you'll certainly want to put it on your
calendar for next year.

A photo gallery of the VCF East 2.0 exhibits can be found here:

   http://www.vintage.org/gallery.php?grouptag=VCFEAST20

In the meantime, we are pleased to present the results of the exhibit
awards.


Class Awards

First, Second and Third Place ribbons are awarded in each of five
classes that represent major areas of effort in computer collecting
and preservation. Judging is based on a set of criteria including:
appearance, condition, originality, authenticity, completeness, and
functionality. Additional judging takes into account the breadth of
the exhibit by assessing the inclusion of documentation and software.

Class A: Homebrew, Kit or Educational Computer - Any Vintage

1st Place: Vince Briel - Replica 1
2nd Place: Bob Maxwell - A Homebrewer's OSI Superboard 2 and Offspring
3rd Place: Vinal Applebee - Before There Were Blinkenlights

Class B: Manufactured Personal Computer - Pre-1981

1st Place: Bill Sudbrink - The Woodies
2nd Place: Andrew Molloy - Zeda 580 Integrated Video Computer System
3rd Place: Devon McCullough - SOL-20 Dialup to ARPANET Circa 1976

Class C: Manufactured Personal Computer - Post-1981

1st Place: Michael Thompson - Sun Microsystems History
2nd Place: Jeff Armstrong - DEC Rainbow 100 Dual Monitor Setup
3rd Place: Tom Owad - Fibercorp Rack-mount VME-bus Macintosh

Class D: Mini-computer or Larger System - Any Vintage

1st Place: Jeff Katz - PDP-8/e
2nd Place: Bob Shannon - HP1000 Minicomputer Preservation/Restoration

Class E: Open

1st Place: Curt Vendel - Atari 7800
2nd Place: Evan Koblentz - PDAs: 1973-1993
3rd Place: William Donzelli - Computers in Uniform


Special Awards

Special Awards are given to exhibits based on various practical and
esthetic criteria. These accolades are intended to award exhibits
that advance the state of computer collecting and preservation.

Best Presentation: Research

   Curt Vendel - Atari 7800

Best Presentation: Completeness

   Curt Vendel - Atari 7800

Best Presentation: Display

   Jeff Armstrong - DEC Rainbow 100 Dual Monitor Setup

Best Presentation: Creative Integration with Contemporary Technology

   Devon McCullough - SOL-20 Dialup to ARPANET Circa 1976

Best Preservation: Original Condition

   Herbert Eisengruber - Computer Museum of Nova Scotia

Best Preservation: Restoration

   Andrew Molloy - Zeda 580 Integrated Video Computer System

Best Preservation: Recreation

   Bob Armstrong - SBC6120 PDP-8 Clone

Best Preservation: Obscurity

   Vinal Applebee - Before There Were Blinkenlights

Best Technology: Analog

   William Donzelli - Computers in Uniform

Best Technology: Non-Electric

   William Donzelli - Computers in Uniform


Best of Show

The Best of Show award determines, based on the best overall score
achieved, which exhibit deserves to be singled out for extra special
recognition.

The VCF East 2.0 Best of Show award went to Vince Briel for his
Replica 1 Apple-1 clone. Congratulations, Vince!


People's Choice Award

Finally, the People's Choice Award taps into the pulse of the VCF
crowd. Attendees are encouraged to submit a ballot naming their
favorite exhibit of the show. The exhibit that attracted the most
votes this year was Jeff Armstrong's DEC Rainbow 100 Dual Monitor
Setup.

I would like to thank and congratulate all VCF East 2.0 exhibitors for
contributing to yet another excellent exhibition.

Watch out for news about the next VCF East in the summer of 2005!


VCF Producer Sellam Ismail on G4TechTV's Screen Savers October 19
-----------------------------------------------------------------

The VCF's Sellam Ismail will be appearing on G4TechTV's "The Screen
Savers" program on Tuesday, October 19th. Sellam will be bringing
along his PDP-1 front panel replica to demonstrate playing SpaceWar!
as simulated on a laptop running SIMH. This marks Sellam's fourth
appearance on The Screen Savers.

Check your local listings for air times.


Subscribe to the Computer Collector E-mail Newsletter
-----------------------------------------------------

The Computer Collector E-mail Newsletter published by Evan Koblentz
(formerly the ClassicTech E-Letter published by Michael Nadeau) is a
weekly newsletter that discusses the computer collecting hobby. The
newsletter is brief yet informative and always interesting. The VCF's
Sellam Ismail is a regular contributing member of the Newsletter
staff and wholeheartedly recommends it for folks interested in the
hobby of collecting vintage computers. To subscribe, visit the
Computer Collector website, which also includes helpful directories
listing upcoming events as well as places in the real world you can
visit to see old computers.

   http://news.computercollector.com

The CCEN is currently undertaking a subscription drive. Whoever
ends up as subscriber #600 will automatically win a copy of Michael
Nadeau's "Collectible Microcomputers". Might that be you? Subscribe
and find out!


That wraps it up for this issue of the VCF Gazette! Until next time...

Best regards,

Sellam Ismail
Producer
Vintage Computer Festival
http://www.vintage.org/


The Vintage Computer Festival is a celebration of computers and their
history. The VCF Gazette goes out to anyone who subscribed to the VCF
mailing list, and is intended to keep those interested in the VCF
informed of the latest VCF events and happenings. The VCF Gazette is
guaranteed to be published in a somewhat irregular manner, though we
will try to maintain a quarterly schedule.

If you would like to be removed from the VCF mailing list, and
therefore not receive any more issues of the VCF Gazette, visit the
following web page:

   http://www.vintage.org/remove.php

;)

-- 
Sellam Ismail                                        Vintage Computer Festival
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Man of Intrigue and Danger                http://www.vintage.org
[ Old computing resources for business || Buy/Sell/Trade Vintage Computers   ]
[ and academia at www.VintageTech.com  || at http://marketplace.vintage.org  ]
Received on Tue Oct 05 2004 - 06:32:34 BST

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.0 : Fri Oct 10 2014 - 23:37:21 BST