- vcf-midatlantic - lists.vcfed.org

Museum and Warehouse Short Term Plans
by Douglas Crawford 05 Dec '22

05 Dec '22

A fairly comprehensive list is offered for a glimpse into the future. Most of this has begun discussion in the steering committee. A few are only proposal level that have been submitted in writing. ENJOY! MUSEUM: PROCESS / PROCEDURE / METHODS: (Working the ideas of the Mission Statement) - Beginning to consider initiatives to get more people to visit us and InfoAge. InfoAge needs the revenue and we need them to get revenue to insure that they are around to have a place for the museum and warehouse. Better notoriety would do VCF good, and our docents deserve to be heard by more people. Preparing for and pitching for more of a learning experience is a concept that might open the museum to interest beyond just those interested in seeing vintage computers. We are entertaining producing more video features from the museum to try to engage the main stream youtube viewership and create demand to visit us and the campus. - new docent recruiting initiative with new training materials and guides to make it easy to get involved in the museum. - Overhaul of our demonstration program content, methods, stories, and documentation to raise our ability to support hands-on use of the equipment, our ability to show what made the equipment special, and enhance learning. Some machines we have good demos, some so-so demos, some a wealth of demos. None had any guidance on what demos to run and why. - Overhaul of our BASIC programming experience to add a level of BASIC experience that give more inspiration about programming. - Rework of the current IC exhibit into an overview of the hardware innovations contributing to the progression of computer tech from the 1940s through the 1990s. ie: the innovations that contributed to decrease size, increase in capacity, increase compute power. Specifically, it will show the parallel development of CPU and Memory: On the "cpu" side: from relays to single IC CPUs and on the "memory" side from delay lines to solid state. - Working some ideas for more hands-on learning exhibits such as binary numbers, logic & machine coding. - Instituting visitor feedback collection to know what they like, what don't what they might like us like us to add. Process improvement. A form is being trialed now. EXHIBIT ENHANCEMENTS - Scelby and S100 demos are being set up soon with Corey's help. - Enhancing the ENIAC "exhibit" is being pursued with Brian Stuart. He is preparing his 1/10 scale model and a computer simulation for our use. The ENIAC is the beginning of the museum tour now, espousing its size, 18,000 vacuum tubes and what it was designed to do and what it accomplished. This is starting point for discussing why computers were huge to be begin with, how hard they were to make, and sets the stage for discussing the innovations that caused continual shrinking and cost reduction through the tour. I hope to procure a piece of the ENIAC, as currently our "artifact" is a period photograph of it installed at the proving ground, and a commemorative poster of the ENIAC patent. - Considering trying to get pieces of other foundational computers of the ENIAC timeframe, ie, SAGE etc, so that we have exhibits that elaborate on the early days of the digital computer revolution. - IBM 1130 is scheduled for restoration and will likely be operable in 2023, Jeff B is handling. - Wang 4000 restoration is being planned. We have a rough idea on the steps we will take, and have help offered by Rick Bensene at oldcalculatormuseum.com - EIA Analog: I plan to free up Bill I. to work on his concepts for demoing this machine developed some time back. - George: we have interest from the folks from Philbrick Archive.org regarding restoration options. - Interest expressed in restoring the TI Minicomputer, have begun some inventorying. - TRS-80 exhibit will be overhauled. Its part done- we have a working "as released" Model I Level I in place for real tape load demos in the "trilogy" exhibit. Later, a Model III will be added to the complement to reliably run (compared to an expanded Model I) disk based demos. WAREHOUSE - Discussion has been broached with Bob at System Source for adopting their data base system. We will probably be given an overview demonstration of using the data base soon. - The warehouse physically is being held in a "steady as she goes" state in anticipation of the renovation of the new space being handled by Jeff B. Fortunately we squeaked through hurricane season without a disaster. - No new leaks after last storm system came through. - Some artifacts will be chosen soon for transfer to the museum and stored under the exhibit racks for safer keeping until the the new space is ready receive the warehouse contents. -- Best Regards, Douglas Crawford VCF Museum and Warehouse Manager

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Time Is Almost Up! Steering Committee Voting Ends on Wednesday
by Chris Fala 05 Dec '22

05 Dec '22

With just two full days left, it seems that many of our members have not voted in the Steering Committee election. Voting closes at 11:59pm on Wednesday, December 7. Please vote, and remind your friends. See links below. Sincere thanks to those who already participated. Chris Fala VCF-MA Steering Committee Chairman Get to know your candidates here: https://vcfed.org/steering-committee-nominee-position-statements/ Vote at the link below. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdqnOZddYcoHTc59HLVn4QxWaEAdNehGL3…

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TRS-80 Model 4P in MD
by Mike Loewen 05 Dec '22

05 Dec '22

Here's a good deal for someone (not my listing). TRS-80 Model 4P in Cumberland, MD: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/872185900607075/ Mike Loewen mloewen(a)cpumagic.scol.pa.us Old Technology http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/

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Gerry Lawson's 82nd birthday - Today's Google Doodle
by Jeffrey Brace 03 Dec '22

03 Dec '22

Today's Google Doodle is about Gerry Lawson who helped design the Fairchild F and on the team that pioneered the video game cartridge. Gerry has been deceased for 11 years. He is one of the few African Americans who have been inventors in the early vintage computer and vintage video game industries. Related to this: I have been presented an opportunity to have another African American with similar experience come talk at VCF East: Ed Smith. Ed Smith started out working for APF Electronics, Inc. which released The Imagination Machine, a hybrid video game. Would any of you be interested in hearing his story? So here's the catch. Ed Smith wants a speaker fee of $5000 and travel expenses. As far as I know the Vintage Computer Festival has never paid a speaker fee. We honestly can't afford such a large fee. It is beyond our budget. We have paid travel expenses for a select few speakers who can't afford it and/or are very important speakers. I'm contemplating doing a fundraiser for this. Just a straw poll. How many would donate towards this? I would love to hear his story. Thanks for your input! ========================================= Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President Vintage Computer Festival East Showrunner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/> jeffrey(a)vcfed.org

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Identifying head protector
by Bob Shuster 02 Dec '22

02 Dec '22

I found an old 3.5” floppy drive head protector, but there’s no manufacturer or product number ID whatsoever on it. Does it look familiar to anyone? Normally these are cardboard, so this was probably from a specific manufacturer. Really I’m just curious! https://drive.google.com/file/d/15W5_lGoYILF1RwrkIFdKp0fdrc3Ybiat/view?usp=… headvibprotector.jpg drive.google.com - Bob Shuster

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Gerry Lawson's 82nd birthday - Today's Google Doodle
by Dave McGuire 01 Dec '22

01 Dec '22

Yes. I said exactly that (though in a very slightly less politically-correct way) on the steering committee mailing list. -Dave On December 1, 2022 12:31:43 PM Peter Cetinski via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > ---------- > Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Gerry Lawson's 82nd birthday - Today's Google Doodle > From: Peter Cetinski pete(a)pski.net > Date: Dec 1, 12:31 PM > To: vcf-midatlantic vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org > > I’d love to hear his story as well. But, not sure a non-profit should pay over and above travel expenses. Doesn’t feel right. My $0.02. > >> On Dec 1, 2022, at 10:42 AM, Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: >> >> Today's Google Doodle is about Gerry Lawson who helped design the Fairchild >> F and on the team that pioneered the video game cartridge. Gerry has been >> deceased for 11 years. He is one of the few African Americans who have been >> inventors in the early vintage computer and vintage video game industries. >> >> Related to this: I have been presented an opportunity to have another >> African American with similar experience come talk at VCF East: Ed Smith. >> Ed Smith started out working for APF Electronics, Inc. which released The >> Imagination Machine, a hybrid video game. >> >> Would any of you be interested in hearing his story? >> >> So here's the catch. Ed Smith wants a speaker fee of $5000 and travel >> expenses. As far as I know the Vintage Computer Festival has never paid a >> speaker fee. We honestly can't afford such a large fee. It is beyond our >> budget. We have paid travel expenses for a select few speakers who can't >> afford it and/or are very important speakers. I'm contemplating doing a >> fundraiser for this. Just a straw poll. How many would donate towards this? >> >> I would love to hear his story. >> >> Thanks for your input! >> >> ========================================= >> Jeff Brace >> VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President >> Vintage Computer Festival East Showrunner >> Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity >> https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/> >> jeffrey(a)vcfed.org -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA

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Festivus Party Info - Dec 10 & 11, 2022
by Jeffrey Brace 01 Dec '22

01 Dec '22

Hello everyone, Sorry for the delay. Job situation has been keeping me busy since early September with less time for VCF stuff. Here is the info: COST: $15 per person. Options to pay: Cash or credit in person Send via PayPal paypal(a)vcfed.org To be added soon: Payments through vcded.org website DAY AND TIME: Saturday, December 10 at 10AM Burger Cooking: 6PM Town Hall: 8PM Sunday, December 11 Starting at 11AM Breakfast at OB diner: 9AM Ending at 6PM POTLUCK: Signup for what food and/or drinks that you will be bringing: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RYFWZX50h_wcuSWIF8JpwsZRDP8pVtIsHdo… VIDEO GAMES: We will be setting up the game room this year: Signup: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lb2QObhwbP2rqYFI8TFmN6ANZvJo5eK8sa7… SWAP MEET: Buying/Selling/Trading/Free Signup: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1i23VBX8AwsYA2FRH6eS8UlKvj73PN2gb4Wr… REPAIR WORKSHOP: I’m Sorry. Not this year. Last year there were complaints about the party being fractured. We want to keep everyone in the same building and focus on the social aspect. I didn’t reserve the CDL workshop this time. VCF SWAG: Let me know if you want anything before the party and I will put it aside. I will not be selling VCF swag like last time. I will be busy hosting and enjoying the party. ========================================= Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President Vintage Computer Festival East Showrunner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/> jeffrey(a)vcfed.org

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Specific reasons to give to VCF on Giving Tuesday
by Jeffrey Brace 30 Nov '22

30 Nov '22

Donations toward: 1) Warehouse renovations 2) New museum space renovations 3) General museum needs like power supply protectors and other supplies for curation and maintenance 4) General expenses for internal and external events. We have a specific account that is for the warehouse that we have been building up through surplus sales. We plan on using that for … the warehouse move and museum move project This project was created in large part by the negotiations of Tony Bogan with InfoAge and input by the Steering Committee. It is a great project plan. It was created in June 2021. For various reasons it was not started until I became the project manager in June 2022. We have achieved great progress in the first stage of the plan: clearing out the old warehouse. Through the efforts of myself, Dan Jacobs, Lee Duncan, Pat Flanagan and Sea Cadet volunteers most of the garbage was emptied from our new warehouse section and thrown away. In fact two 40 cubic yard dumpsters have been filled and emptied. There are still some items to be thrown away. Anyone who wants to help me throw out or move items, please contact me. We have an empty dumpster to fill. Most of the remaining items are owned by various InfoAge groups. We can’t move them. This is why there is a delay in this first step and is beyond our control. Efforts are being made through InfoAge management to urge these groups to remove their items quickly so that we can move onto the next step. The next step is to renovate the space for security, electrical, climate control, etc. Following that we can start moving our items from the old warehouse section to the new one. The third step involves renovating “Broadway” which is the hallway that connects the H buildings. This will connect to our new museum space. Which leads me to … the fourth step: clearing out our new larger museum space. This will require volunteers to clear out as well as InfoAge groups moving their stuff out. The fifth step is renovating the new museum space. Obviously this will cost big bucks. So we are making plans that will encourage large donors to help with this renovation. We are currently getting estimates from contractors to renovate. We are also consulting with museum design experts on the layout of the new museum space. Thanks for your time, support and donations! ==Jeff Brace -- ========================================= Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President Vintage Computer Festival East Showrunner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/> jeffrey(a)vcfed.org

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That strange message of mine from last night
by Gregg Levine 30 Nov '22

30 Nov '22

Hello! Group please do me a great favor and ignore that message. It most certainly was not meant to be delivered to the list-droid for consumption by all of us. It definitely was meant for Jeff B directly, as he has reminded. Last night I was not at my best. That's what I get for trying to send a meaningful email out after being up for two straight days and nights with a sick computer. ----- Gregg C Levine gregg.drwho8(a)gmail.com "This signature fought the Time Wars, time and again."

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World of Commodore 2022
by Jeffrey Brace 30 Nov '22

30 Nov '22

Anyone going to World of Commodore this year? I’m going. It’s my first time. Been wanting to go for years now! I will be driving up there on Friday. Coming back Monday. It’s a two day show December 3 & 4. More info here: https://www.tpug.ca/world-of-commodore/world-of-commodore-2022/ I heard that Bill Degnan is doing a virtual talk for the show. I think Amiga Bill will be doing something too. I was asked to give a talk too. At first, I was like who am I to give a talk at a show? I’m nobody important. What would I talk about? Then they said talk about Vintage Computer Festival East and Vintage Computer Federation history. I said I can do that! Should be a fun event. I look forward to enjoying a show where I don’t have the responsibility of running or volunteering for a show. They will celebrate the C64’s 40th anniversary. I have gotten to know some of the Toronto Pet Users Group over the last three years through their Zoom meetings which started with Covid-19. It will be nice to meet them in person. -- ========================================= Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President Vintage Computer Festival East Showrunner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/> jeffrey(a)vcfed.org

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IBM 1130 fundraiser - DONE!
by Jeffrey Brace 30 Nov '22

30 Nov '22

Just wanted to report that the IBM 1130 Fundraiser is officially done! I closed the donation page as of today 11/30/22. We have raised $9080! This is way past our goal of $6000. We had a large donation of $3000 that put us way over the top. We had 41 donors. 32 of these were $150 or less. The next step is to wait for the delivery vehicle to be available. The current estimate is the end of December. ========================================= Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President Vintage Computer Festival East Showrunner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/> jeffrey(a)vcfed.org

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Winter Festival and membership dues
by Gregg Levine 30 Nov '22

30 Nov '22

Hello! I just examined the website and saw that this weekend, (December 11 and 12) are not shown on the site. Also I see that the membership activity is also shown there as a certain price for two years. Jeff do you want me to do that again for the shown price there for Two Years? This message is jointly sponsored by the Millenium Falcon and the TARDIS because both know each other. ----- Gregg C Levine gregg.drwho8(a)gmail.com "This signature fought the Time Wars, time and again."

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Former Building Liebert A/C controller to be a display in CDL
by Neil Cherry 29 Nov '22

29 Nov '22

I think this falls under vintage computer, although it is a controller rather than what folks normally consider a computer. For those not aware, we've torn out the old unused Liebert A/C unit of the CDL. From that I stole the controller which is based on the Motorola 6803 processor (my favorite family). I'm in the process of reverse engineering and I really need to document that. I want to repurpose (Hack!) the controller to blink lights, controller some motors, drive analog cand make noise. I am thinking about getting a SPO256 but all I've got so far are 2 CTS256A-AL2. I might get a better chip. It will have a command line interface as I've got Humbug for the 6801 (We don't need to stinking GUIs!). Peter Stark gave permission to share the ROM monitor before he passed away. This will be on display in the CDL. Any other interesting ideas? -- Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry kd2zrq(a)linuxha.com http://www.linuxha.com/ Main site http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog Author of: Linux Smart Homes For Dummies KD2ZRQ

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Today in history …
by Jeffrey Brace 29 Nov '22

29 Nov '22

Atari released Pong in 1972. It’s also Giving Tuesday. VCF has some big projects coming up as well as day to day operations that can use support. Please support our mission and donate today: https://vcfed.org/donate/ Thank you and have a great day! -- ========================================= Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President Vintage Computer Festival East Showrunner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/> jeffrey(a)vcfed.org

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NABU
by Duane Craps 29 Nov '22

29 Nov '22

NABU article on HACKADAY today -- https://hackaday.com/2022/11/28/nabu-pc-a-1984-z-80-computer-you-can-buy-to… DuaneCraps sdɐɹɔ ǝuɐnp

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Introduction, Position and Information
by Alexander Jacocks 28 Nov '22

28 Nov '22

For those who I have not met, hello, my name is Alexander Jacocks, and I am a current member of the VCF Mid-Atlantic steering committee. I joined what was then called MARCH back in 2011, and was given a tour of the much-smaller museum by Evan Koblentz, one of our founders. I quickly met Jeff Brace, and Bill Degnan, at the first event that I attended. Joining VCF was a watershed moment for me, since I had not been previously aware that many other people were interested in computer history, or the collecting of vintage equipment. Meeting the other members immediate expanded the number of folks that I count as friends, and greatly expanded my knowledge of the work going on with the preservation of our shared computing history. The things that I am most passionate about, and have worked the hardest to accomplish, while being a member of the steering committee include: 1) expansion of the hobby, history and profession of computing to include those often left out, including women, and people of color. 2) expansion of the ranks of VCF to people who have been previously unaware of us through community outreach and public speaking 3) outreach to other computing museums, both locally, and further afield 4) support of the Vintage Computer Forums as an administrator for VCF Thanks very much! - Alex Jacocks

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Wang Writer 5503
by Jeffrey Brace 28 Nov '22

28 Nov '22

Some of you may have seen Usagi Electric try to get his Wang Writer 5503 working: https://www.youtube.com/c/Nakazoto So VCF had a donation about a year ago from someone. It isn't working, but we have the system disks. If anyone is interested in getting this system working, then let me know. A good chance to do this is at the next repair workshop. I'm also looking to archive and copy these disks for Usagi Electric to get his system working. ========================================= Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President Vintage Computer Festival East Showrunner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/> jeffrey(a)vcfed.org

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Steering Committee Voting is in Progress!
by Chris Fala 27 Nov '22

27 Nov '22

After less than two days, I was told that we have already had a good response from the voters. Many thanks to all of you who have already participated! If you haven't voted yet, I encourage you to take an active role in selecting the leadership of our great organization. Help decide who will direct the growth of our museum. Voting will close at 11:59pm on December 7th. Get to know your candidates here: https://vcfed.org/steering-committee-nominee-position-statements/ Vote at the link below. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdqnOZddYcoHTc59HLVn4QxWaEAdNehGL3… Thank you for your participation and support of VCF-MA! Chris Fala

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Steering Committee
by Bill Degnan 27 Nov '22

27 Nov '22

Hi all, I have made it a policy for the past year to keep a low profile when it comes to matters related to Kennett Classic on this mailing list, but I thought I'd comment on the upcoming Steering Committee election because I think there's important work being done there. Although I have good relationships with all Steering Committee members and candidates, I wish to endorse Adam Michlin's candidacy for the Steering Committee in particular. In addition to his partnership with Kennett Classic, Adam fosters collaborative relationships with a number of other groups and individuals to the benefit of the VCFed. I think that this is good for the overall hobby and it puts the VCFed into a leadership position. Adam also has a good eye for building a positive social media presence and he consistently promotes both internal and external hobby events and activity. Electing Adam to the Steering Committee will help bring to fruition the goals you have set for this group. I look forward to strengthening the relationship between Kennett Classic and the VCFed by working with the new Steering Committee on projects and events over the next year. Good luck to you all and I see great things coming in 2023. Best Regards, Bill Degnan Current President Kennett Classic Co-founder of MARCH / original VCFed VP @billdeg / kennettclassic.com vintagecomputer.net

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"RARE interview that has remained hidden for 40 years Roberta Williams talks Colossal Cave"
by Adam Michlin 27 Nov '22

27 Nov '22

Hi All, Just made avaiable, but recorded decades ago! "RARE interview that has remained hidden for 40 years Roberta Williams talks Colossal Cave" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePthFD-3X9Q -Adam

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Ethan's Steering Committee statement
by Ethan O'Toole 27 Nov '22

27 Nov '22

Hello, I probably know most people by now but figured I should write out a bit. Background wise I have been involved in events for a number of years. Helped with the HOPE conference in NYC doing streaming and special projects for a number of years. Helped in the early launch times of a sci-fi con called ROFCon in Virginia Beach. Helped heavily with a video game music and video gaming event called MAGFest (peak attendence 23,500.) Have done AV work (With help of others!) more recently for VCF and some other events. Co-ran a few mini Makerfaires in Norfolk Virginia and a number of other events. I also ran a hackerspace in Norfolk for a few years (it's a makerspace with a different name.) I have seen the back ends of a number of events. Helped with marketing, some slight fundraising and other bits. Good chance this could be useful to VCF as we look to grow! Of course I am involved in the hobby and have been for many years. Also have hobbies that involve lighting, power control, AMX automation, and a bunch of other things that could be useful for the museum. I tend to be pretty creative. Fun times, have a good one! - Ethan

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VOTING NOW OPEN - Steering Committee Election is Live
by Chris Fala 26 Nov '22

26 Nov '22

Cast your vote now! Please remember there are three seats to fill, so you may vote for up to three candidates. For identification on the voting form, use the e-mail address that you are subscribed to this mailing list with. Voting will close at 11:59pm on December 7th. Get to know your candidates here: https://vcfed.org/steering-committee-nominee-position-statements/ Vote at the link below. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdqnOZddYcoHTc59HLVn4QxWaEAdNehGL3… Thank you for your participation!

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Position Statement, Steering Committee
by Douglas Crawford 26 Nov '22

26 Nov '22

Greeting VCF members. This is Doug Crawford coming to you regarding nomination for the 2022 Steering Committee elections. I have been serving as an appointed member to the committee since last spring when Tony Bogan had to step out for personal reasons. I have learned a lot getting thrust into the organization. Allow me a moment to tell you what I have experienced, and done, and hope to accomplish if I remain on the committee. Here’s my primer on what being a Steering Committee members means. The Steering Committee is a governmental body concept, one that is credited to Adam Michin for proposing, and designed to bring our best minds to bear on all of the activities of the Mid-Atlantic chapter of VCF. As such the committee’s decisions often have to do with the museum, the warehouse, and relations with InfoAge. This was an innovation that has led to a lot of healthy direction since its inception. Steering Committee candidates mainly serve to lend their minds, and don’t have to be the most talented technically or most available. They are lending their practical judgment, passion, and interest. It seems to me these are some important attributes for Steering Committee members: caring about the health of the hobby, caring about the artifacts, caring about effective relationship with InfoAge, caring that projects in progress, and a vision for the future of what VCF Mid Atlantic can accomplish. Here’s an example. It had always been a working assumption that the only way to run the Mid-Atlantic VCF efforts was having one person in charge of managing all the aspects. Chris Fala was the first to suggest that this wasn’t necessarily the case. This turned into a proposal by me defining a set of manager roles under the direction of the Steering Committee. Behind the scenes interested parties refined the plan and then it was presented to the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee like the idea, refined it further, and passed it. Things are running pretty well like this now, and the burdens are distributed. And the "jobs" are transferable in the future. Its sustainable. Perhaps some of this background info will help in framing what you are voting for and your expectations. Now having been deeper inside “the machine” than ever before, and additionally serving under the new manager roles as Museum Manager and Warehouse manager, I began forming an assessment of where we have been and where we might go. In short I see a whole host of yet-to-be-realized potential created by all the effort that has come before. I think we are not yet capitalizing enough on the retro craze and making it count on our campus. Chiefly, we do not get as much of the general public coming to see the exhibits of VCF East, not near enough traffic coming to the museum, and too little growth to the membership. In a response to these observations, I crafted an expanded Mission Statement with details that I believe will inspire action to make practical improvements in these areas. The Steering Committee recently reviewed, refined and voted to adopt it. Working this mission statement in earnest should lead to some good results. My primary focus with the museum is to grow the Museum‘s stature to become a well-known, “must see” destination. *** the very health of InfoAge and our continued presence there, it turns out, depends on our development of traffic to the complex *** As such we must cultivate visitor in categories like these and more: - general public curious about computer history - students that might need inspiration to develop an interest in technology - budding STEM students that will would be encouraged by an infusion computer tech and concepts that build upon what they know. I believe our crew of “veterans of the computer revolution” can provide a thoroughly excellent experience to visitors. And it would be great if we could have a program that encourages visitor that we inspire to have a continuing relationship with VCF. And last, here are some of my technical background and vintage computer work: - https://abitoutofplace.wordpress.com/ - some restorations and my “about me” - The Spreadsheet "Killer App" VCF exhibit - Kermit Exhibit - with the Superbrain building an early executable of CP/M Kermit VCF Exhibit - Computers with multiple personalities Exhibit with Chris Fala and Todd George - C64 assembly language introduction VCF class - A docent going back to the MARCH days. - Taking vintage computer exhibits to science fairs with Chris Fala and Todd George. So if elected to a set I will be in a position to keep the integrity of the initiatives spawning from the new Mission Statement. I look forward to carrying the torch! -DC

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VCF-MA UPDATES - Museum News and Steering Committee Report
by Chris Fala 26 Nov '22

26 Nov '22

Dear VCF Members, I am very pleased to share with you that there have been amazing improvements in our museum recently. Since joining the Steering Committee, and subsequently being voted as the Museum Manager, Doug Crawford has been unstoppable! He is regularly at the museum, both to perform docent duties, and to work on various projects/improvements. Here are just some of the many recent accomplishments that have resulted from his actions and leadership. - A testimonial video for our Wang 4000 was made with Ramsey Mahadeen and published on YouTube. - The HP 1000 power has been wired, the machine repaired, documented, and is now operable by docents. - Our PDP-8 was repaired by David G. at the last workshop. - A Microvax II is installed in the museum and is usable. It is attached to the DEC Robin as an AUX terminal. - Detailed museum opening and closing procedure checklists have been written and are in use. This ensures consistent handling of artifacts and makes it easier for new docents to perform these duties correctly. - A better description of the museum, updated and approved by the Steering Committee, has been provided to InfoAge for inclusion in their new handouts. - Unused floor space under computer exhibit racks were fitted with curtains to allow that area to be used for storage, in conditioned space, for some artifacts previously housed in the warehouse, as well as to clear space in the docent area to provide more workspace. - Doug acquired three, good quality, used medical carts. They will be outfitted with tools, and have wheels so they can be easily moved where needed to assist in working on equipment in the museum and warehouse. _____________________________ In other exciting news, the Steering Committee has voted to approve an official Mission/Vision Statement for our Wall, NJ museum. Inspired by our host, InfoAge, and in partnership with them as a learning center, we believe it is important to have a clear goal, mission, and vision for our museum. This Mission Statement will be incorporated into the Steering Committee's by-laws, will be proudly displayed in our museum, and will be used (as appropriate) in publications and advertisements. Until we have the opportunity to post it on our website, the content is provided below. I hope you agree with me that this is a very meaningful addition to our charter. Since becoming affiliated with VCF several years ago, I have witnessed exceptional growth in all aspects of the organization. Between the museum, VCF-East, events like workshops and swap-meets, member participation, artifacts, organizational structure, etc., I feel that we have grown and improved far from where we started, while still holding onto the things that make us great, foremost of which is our awesome community. I have high hopes that we can continue this trend with the help of all our brilliant members. Sincerely, Chris Fala Chairman of the Mid-Atlantic Steering Committee of the Vintage Computer Federation _____________________________ *The Mission and Vision of* *the Vintage Computer Federation Museum in Wall, NJ* *A Computer History Learning Center* *MISSION* To honor and propagate the history of computer innovation by preserving and exhibiting artifacts in a uniquely hands-on experience for the education of the public, edification of our membership, and inspiration of a new generation of thinkers, dreamers, and visionaries. *VISION* *Develop* a growing museum and knowledgeable docent staff. Rescue, preserve, and restore artifacts. Create interesting, educational, functional, and interactive exhibits. *Establish* educational tours, demonstrations, talks, and hands-on learning opportunities around the multi-faceted technological evolutions in computer subjects. These include hardware, operating systems, programming languages, applications/software, user interfaces, communications and networking, and gaming. *Instill* an appreciation of the evolution of technology by connecting tech of the past to tech of today. *Illuminate* our artifacts with information about the people, events, culture, and trivia in computer history. *Inspire* youth to continue the quest; help them realize that they are the future and give them a vision for that future. Provide avenues for them to get started learning electronics and programming. *Cultivate* a community of vintage technology enthusiasts by engaging them with the VCF in its mission, and provide opportunities to get involved. *Grow *the museum by promoting far and wide its value and educational experience. Increase attendance and revenue to InfoAge, encourage the increase in donations to the VCF. Establish that we are worthy of being the beneficiaries of significant, notable, or important artifact donations and monetary support, in particular from industry and influential entities. *ASPIRATIONS* ● To be regarded as a premier computer history learning center and museum ● To be regarded as a must-see destination for all levels of interest, from those casually intrigued with computer history to students studying technology to technology industry veterans to vintage computer hobbyists ● To embody these goals both in our current museum even more so in our future expanded museum

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Steering Committee Position Statement for Jeff Salzman
by Jeff S 26 Nov '22

26 Nov '22

My own personal history, experiences, curiosity, and affinity toward vintage computing has set me firmly in a hobby that I enjoy. I believe in the goals of the Vintage Computer Federation (VCF), not only for the preservation of vintage computer systems, but for the opportunities the organization provides to the public for those who want to discover and learn about the history of computing. It would be an honor to be a committee member, putting forth an effort as part of the process that helps to define the operation and future vision of the VCF. I have been an aficionado of vintage computing systems, even long before they were ever classified as vintage. My personal experiences since my childhood and young adulthood have always been along the home computing line, 8-bit and above. VCF introduced me to other forms of computing that had an impact throughout the world over the ages. Sometime around 2004, I learned about M.A.R.C.H. and what the organization was all about. I was even asked to design the organization’s logo. It was then that I discovered I wasn’t the only one who (even secretly) held a fondness for vintage computing, thus re-energizing my hobby from simply collecting vintage computing systems, toward the appreciation and preservation of vintage computing in general. I eventually found myself attending the VCF East event as an exhibitor so I could show off what I had in my collection and demonstrate to others, young and old, what computing was like for my generation. Since that time, I have been doing a completely different exhibit each year to show a variety of vintage computers, along with examples of how they were used back in the day. I also started engaging in behind-the-scenes activity of the organization’s events and general operations. I became increasingly involved with events like the Workshops and Festivus. You would (and still could) find me at almost every Workshop, if not working on my own stuff, I’m generally working through items on behalf of the warehouse and museum to meet their respective needs. I hate to see broken vintage computer systems. The Workshops give us an opportunity to do our part in keeping these systems alive, and even more so, allow us to share that experience with others bearing the same interests. Those are just a few of the many reasons VCF exists for the avid hobbyist, or for the piqued interest of a museum visitor, or with whatever insight the organization discovers can be used to promote the knowledge and history of computing to the public. That is a primary goal of mine if elected to the Steering Committee. To put a finger on the pulse of the hobby and help to find ways to effectively and thoroughly promote the intent of the Vintage Computer Federation, defined by the “Corporate Purpose” as written in the organization’s by-laws. Needless to say, I frequently and deeply engage in VCF activities. I shall engage in my duties as a member of the VCF Steering Committee with no less effort than I already put in for the good of the organization. On behalf of the other candidates and myself, I thank you for your fair consideration of everyone’s Position Statement before you vote for the Steering Committee members you feel will properly support and advise the VCF on its operations and charter. Jeff Salzman

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*** VOTING STARTS TOMORROW!!! *** - YOU Will Select the Next Steering Committee Members
by Chris Fala 25 Nov '22

25 Nov '22

Hello VCF Members! Nominations closed on Wednesday night. The candidates are set. Voting opens tomorrow morning! Cast your vote using the link that will be provided at that time. Remember, there are three vacancies, so you can vote for up to three candidates. Be an informed voter. Follow the link below to learn more about the candidates. Also, feel free to reach out and ask questions. https://vcfed.org/steering-committee-nominee-position-statements/ Candidate nominees are: Doug Crawford - nominated by Chris Fala Chris Fala - nominated by Tony Bogan Alexander Jacocks - nominated by Jeff Salzman Adam Michlin - nominated by Dean Notarnicola Dean Notarnicola - nominated by Doug Crawford Ethan O'Toole - nominated by Alexander Jacocks Jeff Salzman - nominated by Jeff Brace Your participation is appreciated! VCF *IS* ITS MEMBERS! Sincerely, Chris Fala Chairman of the Mid-Atlantic Steering Committee of the Vintage Computer Federation

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One more day for the party survey
by Jeffrey Brace 25 Nov '22

25 Nov '22

55 respondents so far. The survey is anonymous. It's only 5 questions. It takes 2 minutes of your time. 1 days left to go. If you haven't already done so. Please fill out the survey: https://bit.ly/vcfEoY2022pre Thank you for your time! ========================================= Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President Vintage Computer Festival East Showrunner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/> jeffrey(a)vcfed.org

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Help needed fixing my Commodore 128DCR keyboard
by Joseph Giliberti 24 Nov '22

24 Nov '22

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! The other day I was rearranging some of my collection and I dropped the keyboard for my Commodore 128 DCR about 3 ft onto a concrete floor. I really wasn't expecting the plastic case to shatter like it did. It didn't actually break into many different pieces because all of the little shards are being held together by the outermost layer of the casing. The keyboard itself still works. Can anyone recommends how I might go about repairing the case? I will share some photos either later today or tomorrow. Keyboard is also in severe need of retrobrite treatment. Thanks and happy holidays! Joe Giliberti

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Getting the Word Out!
by Chris Fala 24 Nov '22

24 Nov '22

I just noticed that Hackaday's latest e-mail newsletter mentioned TCF and VCF-East. Let's hope for a huge turnout. Thanks Hackaday!

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Happy Thanksgiving
by Christian Liendo 24 Nov '22

24 Nov '22

I hope this is a good day for everyone. I also hope that we can all meet in a few weeks. I can't wait for the smells of food, drink and blown capacitors in the air. So again Happy Thanksgiving, to you and your families. Take care fellas

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Position Statement of Chris Fala for the Steering Committee Election
by Chris Fala 24 Nov '22

24 Nov '22

Greetings VCF Members, I am Chris Fala, and for over two years I have been a member of the VCF Mid-Atlantic Steering Committee and the Chairman of the Committee for the past year. Below is a brief self-introduction, and my thoughts on the future of VCF and why I feel I’m worthy of your vote to stay on the Steering Committee. I hope you read further. and I look forward to receiving your confidence and vote as we move forward with the improvement and expansion of VCF. I grew up in the 1970s-80s in southern New Jersey. My first exposure to the world of computing was as a teenager in school on a TRS-80 model 1 (the only computer in the school) which I used to teach myself how to program in BASIC. Later, my sister who was a Commodore employee gave me a VIC-20 for Christmas that she got with her "employee discount" which I recently discovered was actually $0 (Bil Herd confirmed to me that this was a legitimate thing at Commodore!). I spent hundreds of hours programming that computer, trying to create games and other software, as I did not own any official software. I also learned to directly access the hardware thanks to the wonderful Programmer's Reference Guide book. In college, I learned Pascal and FORTRAN on the Apple IIe computers that were in the very small computer lab, and learned C at a different school on a VAX system. I have many other parallel experiences in my young days where I learned about electronics, experiences which were very impactful to me. Without further extending this document, suffice it to say that these experiences built a foundation that firmly rooted my interests in technology. While some who know me may think of me as a "Commodore guy", rest assured I have a deep appreciation for, and interest in promoting, all computer innovations wherever and whenever they may have occurred in history. While my personal history has some interesting events that have directed my life's path to where it is today, I feel my history is less relevant than my vision for the future. With the wonderful events that VCF makes available to its members at the InfoAge campus, such as workshops, swap-meets, our Holiday Membership Party, etc., we have a place to hang out, have fun, get to know people, and play/work with our toys. These gatherings make VCF-MA much more than just a museum and festival. We are a community of like-minded appreciators of creativity, preservation, history, and technology. I doubt that this dynamic will ever change, and I feel that it can only be enhanced by the growth that I believe we need and deserve. I have huge aspirations for the future of VCF. Since my first Vintage Computer Festival, I have been in awe at the literal genius that has been displayed at our tables. The skill and creativity that I have seen, I feel, has been sadly underrated based on the size of the event. Instead of being exposed to hundreds of people, I believe the great creations of our members and exhibitors should be seen by thousands, if not millions. The level of genius that I describe appears (in my opinion) to be better expressed at VCF-East than at other events. I have not had the luxury of attending many other related events, and I intend no insult or criticism of them. However, I have heard many testimonies and seen many videos that have painted a clear enough picture to help me firmly believe that what we have here at East is very special. Recently, in conversation where VCF-East was being compared to the other VCFs, I have heard the term "science fair" attributed to our festival. At face value, I feel this description can be construed as an insult. A science fair by definition is usually a children's event. Our festival is a science treasure trove! Our exhibitors don't just say, "here, look at this cool old computer". We present fully functional demonstrations of how they were used in their heyday, dig into the innovations that were foundations for later technology, promote appreciation for historic creativity that was derivative of nothing, and invent modern ways to tap into the old technology while honoring the history. The high caliber of speakers that have presented at VCF-East speak for themselves (literally!). If you don't know, go check out our YouTube channel and see the many historical figures who have been at our campus. We have an embarrassment of riches. Our host, InfoAge, possesses history that is unmatched by most other venues. While logistics can be challenging when putting on an event, those challenges don't compare with more significant facts. For example: 1. Marconi himself worked here. 2. The communications dish was significant in early space exploration. 3. Other museums on campus are exceptional, relevant, and unique. These are just a few reasons why the home of our museum is also a great home to our biggest public event! We have in our museum several extremely rare artifacts. The UNIVAC, which is one of very few that is still FUNCTIONAL. The Philbrick Researches tube based analog computer (that we affectionately refer to as "George") which we have been told was assembled to be a teaching computer and likely never existed elsewhere in this configuration. Our IBM 1130. Our Wang 4000. Our PDP "straight" 8. The list goes on. Are we the best computer museum? The most complete? The most convenient? The most attractive? The most well known? The easy answer to those questions is no. However, we have an opportunity to change that last one. We need to be foremost in people's thoughts when they think of a great place to learn about computer history. We should make every effort to make VCF-MA well known to anyone who is at all interested in technology. If elected to remain a member of the Mid-Atlantic Steering Committee, I will continue to promote the growth of all the great things I mentioned above. If you agree with me that these should be our priorities, I respectfully ask for your vote. Sincerely, Chris Fala Chairman of the Mid-Atlantic Steering Committee of the Vintage Computer Federation

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My Candidancy for Steering Commitee
by Adam Michlin 24 Nov '22

24 Nov '22

Hi All, For those who may not know, my experience with the MA Steering Committee (SC) began as a founding member and co-author (with Dean Notarnicola) of the by-laws. When approached to join the newly created committee, my initial answer was no as I believe a healthy non-profit organization needs to have leadership chosen by the membership and checked by the membership. I was convinced to join with the understanding that the initial committee would work to create the necessary infrastructure to allow members to have a say in governance and I am so thrilled to have the chance to run for office. If elected, one of my first priorities will be to work towards all members of VCF, paid or unpaid, having a vote in all leadership positions at all levels of VCF. I left my SC term early as a pandemic related work issue required me to move to South Carolina and felt I would be too far away to do the job I wanted to do. Happily, I was able to move back to NJ and, in fact, live only about 10 miles north (Eatontown, NJ) of the museum and warehouse at InfoAge in Wall, NJ. One of my biggest priorities is to continue my work towards improving the treatment of volunteers. Volunteers should be working on things that they *enjoy* working on and should never feel obligated to do something they do not enjoy working on. It takes more time to connect projects with people's interests, but I am absolutely willing to put in that time and several exhibits in the museum right now show the benefits of that approach. Volunteers should also always have at least their own vote over any people in charge. All this creates an organization which thrives with volunteers. Another priority is getting quality VCF artifacts proper homes, including displayed in other museums. VCF has loaned a wonderful working Canon Cat to Kennett Classic, as one example of a deal I engineered. It just isn't the case that the best place for equipment is always the InfoAge warehouse. To that end, I want to codify a check out process for members to borrow equipment and will be the first person to vote yes if it is determined an artifact is better off with either another museum or member (IRS laws observed, of course, hi Corey!). An artifact given or sold to a caring member is often given a better lease on life than sitting in the warehouse and the more artifacts we put in the world, the more karma we are building should we ever need something for display in the museum. VCF MA should be a part of a larger community of museums and hobbyists, not an island unto itself. Bringing me to my last priority which is to take back local control of the stalled warehouse move and get it done. My experience with VCF MA is as someone with big ideas who is also the first to follow up with the boots on the ground to get them done in practice. No excuses, the buck stops here. My ideas and accomplishments include: General Warehouse Manager, including sorting and making available surplus equipment. If you have gotten a good deal on VCF surplus equipment in the last 5-6 years, I likely had some hand in it. My first volunteer job, way back when, was sorting Atari 2600 cartridges in the warehouse. How far we have come! Co-Runner, with Dean Notarnicola, of possibly the largest VCF East exhibit in the history of the event, The World of IBM. Co-Runner of the "Software Store", with Tony Bogan, a special event at VCF 2019. This not only included coming up with the idea, but weeks spent in the warehouse collecting, sorting, and pricing boxed software. Thousands of dollars were raised at this event alone. Co-Runner of the Apple II Classroom, again with Tony Bogan, a very successful proof of concept to have classes running not just on Friday, but on Saturday and Sunday at VCF East. Word has it the Commodore people are working on keeping this a tradition for East 2023. Atari people, maybe 2024? Or perhaps the Tandy people? My implemented ideas for exhibits in the museum include: The video game systems before Atari 2600 exhibit (on hiatus) The 6502/65816 video games exhibit in honor of the visit by Bill Mensch (on hiatus) The history of modems exhibit (now on display at LSSM) The history of mice exhibit (currently on display) The Atari MegaSTe MIDI exhibit (with particular help from Bill Lange and Pete Fletcher) The 1992 Exhibit (with particular help from Alex Jacocks and Jonathan Sturges - Linux .99 is a head trip!) I hope to continue progress to get a working SGI Indigo 2 to demonstrate early high end graphics and get more examples of larger computers working, whether through emulation or things like a DEC MicroVAX (a worthy exhibit unto to itself, hi Dave!). The key goal is to not just focus only on the hardware, but give people hands-on experience using software like IRIX, VMS and OS/360 etc. I also hope to continue to create exhibits that emphasize more variety of what our beloved computers once did, like our MegaSTE MIDI exhibit. Perhaps a Mac IIsomething or SE/30 running Aldus PageMaker and a LaserWriter, maybe? And, of course, working towards getting everything in the musuem working all (well, most) of the time. Along those lines, as you might guess, I am a believer in changing up the museum on a regular basis, which I feel is an important part of keeping the musuem fresh for vistitors. I am a career computer science teacher with a specialty in the integration of computer history in computer science. I teach at Red Bank Regional High School in Red Bank, NJ and work as an adjunct professor at Drew University in Madison, NJ. Some of you may know me as the teacher who uses 6502 and MIPS assembly to teach computer architecture. Others may know about the vintage computers and video games in my classroom for hands on use and teaches video game program through classic 8 bit games (mainly Atari Adventure and Space Invaders). Even others may know about my BS in Computer Science from the University of California, Santa Cruz, a Masters in Music from California State East Bay, and that I am finishing a Masters in Computer Science with emphasis in Cybersecurity at Monmouth University. I am directly connected to the education scene in Monmouth County and computer science teachers through the Computer Science Teachers Association in NJ (CSTANJ) and even served for a while as the President of the Central Jersey Chapter of CSTANJ. It is my hope to get VCF MA much more involved with the NJ education scene. My father was, among other things, a Bell Labs, Exxon, Zilog, and Amdahl guy, so I can say my first computer access was with a terminal to an IBM 370 (Hunt the Wumpus!). It also means I have a very soft spot for all things big iron including my personal Amdahl paraphernalia collection which just might become an exhibit one day or, maybe just maybe, save someone a million dollars! I grew up in NJ and was very lucky to move to Silicon Valley in 1984, just in time to own one of the first one thousand Mac 128Ks and attend the Stanford Macintosh User Groups (SMUGS) meetings at Stanford with my father to see people like Bill Atkinson and Guy Kawasaki talk. I also ran a x86 PC BBS for years (Remote Access) and served as a FidoNet Net Echo Coordinator in Silicon Valley proper (good old 143). Interestingly enough, my experiences at Silicon Valley computer swap meets (De Anza and Lawrence Livermore Labs) were the inspiration to suggest our current very succesful swap meets. I hope you will consider me for membership in the MA Steering Committee and welcome all questions, public or private, you have. After all, there is little to steer without the wonderful work done by each and every one of you in the mission of spreading vintage computer wonderfulness throughout the world. Thanks for reading! -Adam * *

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Party survey - Three days left
by Jeffrey Brace 23 Nov '22

23 Nov '22

https://bit.ly/vcfEoY2022pre The survey is anonymous. It's only 5 questions. It takes 2 minutes of your time. 53 respondents so far. 3 days left to go. If you haven't already done so. Please fill out the survey: https://bit.ly/vcfEoY2022pre Thank you for your time! ========================================= Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President Vintage Computer Festival East Showrunner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/> jeffrey(a)vcfed.org

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LATEST UPDATE - Steering Committee Candidate Nominations
by Chris Fala 23 Nov '22

23 Nov '22

We have another addition to the list. Seven candidates! Thanks to everyone for your interest in serving our organization. Today is the last day for nominations! Voting opens on Saturday!!! There are three positions to fill, so remember that eligible voters may cast *three* votes. Doug Crawford - nominated by Chris Fala Adam Michlin - nominated by Dean Notarnicola Jeff Salzman - nominated by Jeff Brace Ethan O'Toole - nominated by Alexander Jacocks Chris Fala - nominated by Tony Bogan Dean Notarnicola - nominated by Doug Crawford Alexander Jacocks - nominated by Jeff Salzman Once a candidate submits a position statement (or "campaign speech" ;-) as I like to call it), it will appear here: https://vcfed.org/steering-committee-nominee-position-statements/ I hope that everyone will get to know the candidates. Cast your votes for the people who you feel will steer VCF-MA to great success. Sincerely, Chris Fala Steering Committee Chairman

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Steering Committee Nomination UPDATE
by Chris Fala 22 Nov '22

22 Nov '22

Since we only have a couple days left, I will continue to send updates at least once per day or when there is a new nominee. See up-to-the-minute update below! Doug Crawford - nominated by Chris Fala Adam Michlin - nominated by Dean Notarnicola Jeff Salzman - nominated by Jeff Brace Ethan O'Toole - nominated by Alexander Jacocks Chris Fala - nominated by Tony Bogan Dean Notarnicola - nominated by Doug Crawford

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One week left to go for the ??? Party - Please fill out survey.
by Jeffrey Brace 21 Nov '22

21 Nov '22

The survey is anonymous. It's only 5 questions. It takes 2 minutes of your time. 36 respondents so far. One week left to go. It determines what we will call our party in December. If you haven't already done so. Please fill out the survey: https://bit.ly/vcfEoY2022pre Thank you for your time! ========================================= Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President Vintage Computer Festival East Showrunner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/> jeffrey(a)vcfed.org

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*** NOMINATION UPDATE *** - Steering Committee Election
by Chris Fala 21 Nov '22

21 Nov '22

Hello again VCF members! Listed below are the current nominations for Steering Committee candidates. Additional nominations are still being accepted, but please hurry! Nominations will close this Wednesday, November 23. To the nominees: please submit a short "campaign speech" which will be posted on our website and shared on this mailing list. Help the voters learn who you are and what your goals are for the Steering Committee and the Vintage Computer Federation. Doug Crawford - nominated by Chris Fala Adam Michlin - nominated by Dean Notarnicola Jeff Salzman - nominated by Jeff Brace Ethan O'Toole - nominated by Alexander Jacocks Chris Fala - nominated by Tony Bogan - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dear VCF Membership, It is time once again for the VCF-MA annual Steering Committee member election! There are three seats becoming vacant; Alex Jacocks and myself have reached the end of our terms, and Doug Crawford was a temporary appointment following Tony Bogan's resignation and is automatically up for election as per the by-laws. Nominations are now open. The election will be held according to section 4 and 5 of our published by-laws (copied below, full document available here: https://vcfed.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/VCFMA-Charter-Jul2022.pdf) Anyone who directly received this message is eligible to vote. Current members of this mailing list in good standing are eligible to submit nominations for Committee member candidates. Nominations can be made by simply communicating the nomination via e-mail to a current Committee member: Alexander Jacocks - alex.jacocks(a)vcfed.org, Dave McGuire - dave.mcguire(a)vcfed.org, Douglas Crawford - douglas.crawford(a)vcfed.org, Jason Perkins - jason.perkins(a)vcfed.org, or Chris Fala - chris.fala(a)vcfed.org) Members may also self-nominate. To be eligible for the election, the prospective nominee must then accept the nomination by replying in the affirmative to the nomination email. One nomination per member can be made. Nominations will close on November 23th. An updated list of eligible nominees will be published regularly. Voting will commence on November 26th, and will close at 11:59pm on December 7th. Winners will be announced on December 10th during the Town hall event at our annual VCF Holiday celebration. *This is your chance to help steer the direction of VCF Mid-Atlantic! Nominate someone and vote in the upcoming election!* Sincerely, Chris Fala Chairman of the Mid-Atlantic Steering Committee of the Vintage Computer Federation - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4. COMMITTEE ELECTIONS Steering committee membership includes representation of VCF membership, as determined by the VCF governing board and VCF-MA sponsored elections. - The committee membership will be determined by elections to be held on a yearly basis (currently November). - Committee membership is ideally comprised of five people but may vary due to changing circumstances. Any committee vote to determine an increase in committee members shall be held within six months after a new election cycle. - A minimum of one seat will be up for election in every cycle, unless additional vacancies create the need for additional seats to be filled, in which case all vacant seats will be up for election in that cycle. - In the event of a tie, a two-week runoff election will be held. - If a tie still exists after the runoff, the non-running committee members will determine a winner. - In the event of a committee tie, the current chairperson or chair delegate will determine the winner. - Nominations for committee members can be made by current members in good standing simply by communicating the nomination to a committee member. One nomination per member can be made. Said members may also self-nominate. - In the case of off-cycle vacancies, the committee may move, without a public election, to appoint by simple majority vote new committee members to fill the seats until the next scheduled election. - A committee chairperson will be appointed by the committee members within 30 days of each completed election cycle. At that time a recording secretary will be selected. - Prospective committee members should be knowledgeable in some aspect of computing, preferably vintage computers, and show a demonstrated interest in vintage computing, computing history, and museum management and governance. - In order to be sufficiently aware and have proper perspective of museum and warehouse issues, prospective committee members should be able to physically attend VCF events at least quarterly and attend meetings regularly. 5. VCF MEMBERSHIP VCF general membership is open and granted to anyone who joins the mailing list. Voting rights will be granted to active list members who join no less than 30 days before an election.

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Photos of David Walden at VCF East 2018
by Jeffrey Brace 20 Nov '22

20 Nov '22

Does anyone have any photos of the late David Walden from VCF East 2018? Here was his talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZMEqTsSnMI&authuser=0 Someone from Computer World is writing an article and is looking for photos of him. Thanks! ========================================= Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President Vintage Computer Festival East Showrunner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/> jeffrey(a)vcfed.org

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Vintage Computer Center is closing.
by Christian Liendo 18 Nov '22

18 Nov '22

https://www.vintagecomputercenter.com/ Store Closing We are very sorry to announce the closing of the Vintage Computer Center by the end of the year. What started as a hobby and a way to help the vintage computer community has grown into something we can not manage part-time at the level of customer service we demand. This little side business has served customers worldwide for almost five years, and we have loved every moment. We will close the business when sufficient inventory has been sold out. We will not be replenishing anything at this point, so if you have been waiting to get something, we suggest you get it now before it is too late. We want to thank everyone for your support over the last few years, and we genuinely appreciate all of you! Please feel to reach out to us if you have any questions, and again, thank you so much for your years of support!

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Fred Brooks manager for the development of the IBM System/360 and OS/360 has passed
by Christian Liendo 18 Nov '22

18 Nov '22

https://twitter.com/stevebellovin/status/1593414068634734592

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Work at CDL
by Martin Flynn 18 Nov '22

18 Nov '22

CDL is the recipient of three Vidmar parts cabinets. Here’s one in its current greasy glory. The plan for these is twofold: First is to get the makerspace small parts inventory into some semblance of order That’s where VCF comes in - I have a small budget to add consumables and components. Need a shipping list from VCF on what small parts would improve workshops Second is we are setting them up as if it was a radio shack. If VCF has any retail related material (signs and the like, can CDL borrow it? Sent from my iPhone

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ATTENTION - Steering Committee News - ELECTION TIME!
by Chris Fala 15 Nov '22

15 Nov '22

Dear VCF Membership, It is time once again for the VCF-MA annual Steering Committee member election! There are three seats becoming vacant; Alex Jacocks and myself have reached the end of our terms, and Doug Crawford was a temporary appointment following Tony Bogan's resignation and is automatically up for election as per the by-laws. Nominations are now open. The election will be held according to section 4 and 5 of our published by-laws (copied below, full document available here: https://vcfed.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/VCFMA-Charter-Jul2022.pdf) Anyone who directly received this message is eligible to vote. Current members of this mailing list in good standing are eligible to submit nominations for Committee member candidates. Nominations can be made by simply communicating the nomination via e-mail to a current Committee member: Alexander Jacocks - alex.jacocks(a)vcfed.org, Dave McGuire - dave.mcguire(a)vcfed.org, Douglas Crawford - douglas.crawford(a)vcfed.org, Jason Perkins - jason.perkins(a)vcfed.org, or Chris Fala - chris.fala(a)vcfed.org) Members may also self-nominate. To be eligible for the election, the prospective nominee must then accept the nomination by replying in the affirmative to the nomination email. One nomination per member can be made. Nominations will close on November 23th. An updated list of eligible nominees will be published regularly. Voting will commence on November 26th, and will close at 11:59pm on December 7th. Winners will be announced on December 10th during the Town hall event at our annual VCF Holiday celebration. *This is your chance to help steer the direction of VCF Mid-Atlantic! Nominate someone and vote in the upcoming election!* Sincerely, Chris Fala Chairman of the Mid-Atlantic Steering Committee of the Vintage Computer Federation 4. COMMITTEE ELECTIONS Steering committee membership includes representation of VCF membership, as determined by the VCF governing board and VCF-MA sponsored elections. - The committee membership will be determined by elections to be held on a yearly basis (currently November). - Committee membership is ideally comprised of five people but may vary due to changing circumstances. Any committee vote to determine an increase in committee members shall be held within six months after a new election cycle. - A minimum of one seat will be up for election in every cycle, unless additional vacancies create the need for additional seats to be filled, in which case all vacant seats will be up for election in that cycle. - In the event of a tie, a two-week runoff election will be held. - If a tie still exists after the runoff, the non-running committee members will determine a winner. - In the event of a committee tie, the current chairperson or chair delegate will determine the winner. - Nominations for committee members can be made by current members in good standing simply by communicating the nomination to a committee member. One nomination per member can be made. Said members may also self-nominate. - In the case of off-cycle vacancies, the committee may move, without a public election, to appoint by simple majority vote new committee members to fill the seats until the next scheduled election. - A committee chairperson will be appointed by the committee members within 30 days of each completed election cycle. At that time a recording secretary will be selected. - Prospective committee members should be knowledgeable in some aspect of computing, preferably vintage computers, and show a demonstrated interest in vintage computing, computing history, and museum management and governance. - In order to be sufficiently aware and have proper perspective of museum and warehouse issues, prospective committee members should be able to physically attend VCF events at least quarterly and attend meetings regularly. 5. VCF MEMBERSHIP VCF general membership is open and granted to anyone who joins the mailing list. Voting rights will be granted to active list members who join no less than 30 days before an election.

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Reached our goal for the IBM 1130 fundraiser!
by Jeffrey Brace 15 Nov '22

15 Nov '22

Hello everyone, As of November 14, 2022, we have reached our goal of $6000! Thank you so much to everyone that donated! We will leave the fundraiser open until the end date of November 30. Anything over our goal will be used for any unexpected expenses as well as getting the peripherals connected to it working such as the card reader and card puncher. Thanks again everyone. I will keep you updated as to when we are able to ship the machine down to Florida for restoration. ========================================= Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President Vintage Computer Festival East Showrunner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/> jeffrey(a)vcfed.org

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CDL says thanks Alex Jacocks!
by Neil Cherry 14 Nov '22

14 Nov '22

I'd like to thank Alex Jacocks for the donation of a Windows 10 all-in-one touch screen PC. I'll set that up at the front with the 3D printer and OctoPrint so we can use that to send gcode to the printer. -- Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry kd2zrq(a)linuxha.com http://www.linuxha.com/ Main site http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog Author of: Linux Smart Homes For Dummies KD2ZRQ

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The VCF party that we have at the end of the year
by Jeffrey Brace 14 Nov '22

14 Nov '22

So the party that VCF has at the end of the year which has been called Festivus in years past is coming up on December 10 & 11. We have created a survey which I want everyone to fill out. The survey will be active for two weeks until November 26. One of the questions in the survey is the name of the event. We want to see if everyone wants to keep the name of the event as Festivus or change it to something else. Whether you are coming to the event or not, whether you have attended the event in the past or not, please fill out this survey: https://bit.ly/vcfEoY2022pre More details and signups for the event will be coming over the next week or so. Thanks so much! ========================================= Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President Vintage Computer Festival East Showrunner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/> jeffrey(a)vcfed.org

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] LPG-30
by Jeffrey Jonas 14 Nov '22

14 Nov '22

> Why can't I ever find things like this? I had a similar experience finding my high schools abandoned LGP-21. One day, I wondered "where does all the line printer paper come from?" since it magically appeared when needed. I discovered the supply room with then-current supplies (greenbar tractor-feed line printer paper and tab cards from JTC, paper tape and roll paper for teletypes). In the back was a long abandoned LGP-21 with some manuals and such. One of the manuals was signed out by a friend's older sister! I had no clue how to use the boot-loader so I spent a week or 2 just poking at the console learning the instruction set and running really small programs. Using the oscilloscope (to view the registers) and Flexowriter was FUN! The LGP-21 is the transistorized version of the LGP-30 with a fixed-head disk (not drum), but functionally equivalent. *THAT* is when I groked why my dad was ecstatic when SOAP was available (the self optimizing compiler for drum machines: kinda optimized the placement of variables vs. doing it totally manually like MEL A REAL PROGRAMMER!) -- jeff jonas

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OT - Surplus Domains
by Martin Flynn 14 Nov '22

14 Nov '22

I am disposing of domains that were registered for projects and never used. If you have an interest in any of them for free (just what it costs to move the domain to your registrar) , please reply off-list quarternet.net 12/31/2023 mars.support 8/11/2023 n2mo.support 8/11/2023 wifi-am.com 8/14/2023 Martin Flynn

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Someone is letting go of a lot of Apple Equipment
by Christian Liendo 14 Nov '22

14 Nov '22

Someone will need a VAN or Truck https://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/sys/7553887147.html

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Wanted: Tandy 2000 keyboard
by Mike Loewen 14 Nov '22

14 Nov '22

I have a hard drive controller for a Tandy 2000. Will trade for a Tandy 2000 keyboard. Please reply off-list. Mike Loewen mloewen(a)cpumagic.scol.pa.us Old Technology http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Someone is letting go of a lot of Apple Equipment
by Jeff S 13 Nov '22

13 Nov '22

LOL at the Turbo Future link for reference pricing... I'm also surprised the person didn't mention that the $20 bills must not be in serial number sequence. On Sun, Nov 13, 2022 at 9:10 AM Sentrytv via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > I contacted this person and this was the response. > > Hello MIKE AT SENTRYTV > > Thank you for your interest in the old Apple and Macs & software I’m > selling via Craigslist. > > I’m using this source as a suggested pricing guide: > https://turbofuture.com/computers/vintagemacintosh > > I will be selling Apple Hardware & accompanying Software from my storage > facility on Saturday, November 19th from 12:00 - 4:30 PM: > Manhattan Mini Storage > 135 Street & Riverside Drive > NYC, NY 10031 > (1 block east of Hudson River) > > If you intend to come, you must please email me with your number. If I > already have your number I will call to confirm your entry. > > Payment will be CASH only with no bills larger than $20’s. > > I posted a lot of inventory of storage room at these 3 Craigslist posts: > > newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/sys/d/new-york-80s-90s-apple-macintosh/755388714… > > > newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/sys/d/new-york-apple-mac-software/7553893149.html > > > newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/sys/d/new-york-apple-macs-printerskeyboards/7556…

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