Announcing Vintage Computer Festival Southeast 3.0!
Wednesday, 04 February 2015 21:17
Alan Hightower
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The Third Annual Vintage Computer Festival Southeast (VCFSE) Will Feature Rare Computers and Interactive Activities
ROSWELL, Georgia – February 5, 2015 – The 2015 Vintage Computer Festival Southeast (VCFSE) will take place Saturday & Sunday May 2 & 3 at the Kings Market Shopping Center, 1425 Market Blvd, Suite 200, Roswell, GA 30076.
The festival will have over 35,000 sq. ft. of displays, exhibits and interactive entertainment hosted in what was previously a Comp-USA Super Store. Exhibitors will be attending from all over the region and country. Attendees can operate many of the computers and devices on display, but a few rare computer exhibits will not be accessible for public interactivity. However, exhibitors are often available for live demonstrations of all working devices.
At this year’s exhibit, historical milestones will be celebrated including those for the PDP-8 which turns 50 years old this year, the Altair 8800 which turns 40 this year and the Amiga 1000 which turns 30. Some examples of these machines will be on display.
While at the VCFSE, introduce family and friends to electronics with fun and games, some that you can assemble. Try a VCFSE do-it-yourself kit, the perfect introduction to electronics. Assistance in assembling is supplied onsite (as needed), and the activity is always popular with kids of all ages! A vintage game station will be available for children and adults to play classic games on classic computer and game console systems. And, there’s more. Even a classic video game wall!
In addition to the VCFSE, explore the concurrent Computer Museum of America (CMOA) Apple Pop-Up exhibit, a large, one-of-a-kind display of extremely rare Apple computers amid a dynamic presentation of how a small start-up company, founded in a garage by two young friends, became the leading consumer electronics and personal computer company in the world. See a rare and exclusive collection of Apple personal computers and consumer electronic products, from the original Apple 1 era to the present.
Also see the CMOA companion exhibit, ”LINK: Personal Computing from Switches to Pockets,” which shows you the “links” from the past to the present via displays of iconic computer brands including original computers like the IBM PC, as well as some very rare and unique machines like the KenBak-1. “Link” is a diverse, fun and inspiring exhibit that allows visitors to explore and dive deeper into the art and technology of personal computing.
The VCFSE is hosted and produced by the Atlanta Historical Computing Society (AHCS) and the Computer Museum of America. VCFSE is the premier vintage computer festival in the southeast and part of the VCF family of vintage computer festivals, which include VCF East in New Jersey, VCF Midwest in Chicago and VCF UK in England.
The VCF mission is to educate, promote and demonstrate the evolutionary significance of vintage computers, software and gaming to today’s new generation of innovators by offering attendees a chance to experience the technologies, people and remarkable stories that embody the history of the computer revolution.
One-day adult tickets to the VCFSE are $10, with a two-day pass costing only $15. Children ages 17 and younger are admitted free when accompanied by a parent or guardian.
For hours, and other details, please visit http://vcfse.org or http://vintage.org/2015/southeast.
Contact: Earl Baugh, Secretary AHCS: earl.baugh@gmail.com
Stone Mountain Hamfest
Tuesday, 28 October 2014 22:01
Alan Hightower
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November 1st and 2nd, the AHCS will be at the Stone Mountain Hamfest at the Gwinnett fair grounds.
Sam and Kyle will be selling vacuum tubes and old electronic equipment (again) and have donated half a table for the AHCS to display its QR code and some cool retro computers (someone may bring the club stickers and t-shirts to sell). We do this to hear stories from folks about their old equipment they used to have and delight them that someone is crazy enough to fix, maintain and use this stuff. Last year, we were well received. Flash bought an HP Apollo when he wasn’t slinging Tandy portable computers, to help prepare folks for the zombie apocalypse (That Flash, always thinking of others). Kyle spent Sam’s money on a plastic teak wood stain bucket that had a variac in it (he said it was a good deal, it’s getting an ammeter and volt meter installed in it at Acorn Amps as we speak). Brad looked at all of us like we were crazy with that classic old school angst ridden IT tech look and all the visitors at our tables nodded knowingly. We were not what the flea market or the crowd was expecting and they welcomed us back with an invoice and an address to mail the check.
This year will be no different, other than Sam knowing a little more about vacuum tubes and Kyle being over 21 (he really surprised the crowd with his radio knowledge).
So come one, come all! To the finest collection of weird junk that Stone Mountain has to offer.
