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 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 ]