September 2022 - vcf-midatlantic

OT / Equipment pickup
by Martin Flynn 12 Jan '25

12 Jan '25

Anyone on list in proximity to Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania? There's a Winsted equipment rack that's a cosmetic match for what we have deployed already that I am considering purchase of Before arranging shipping / freight, anyone nearby that might be headed to VCF East or the swap meet? Martin

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] OT: time to downsize
by Bob Shuster 08 Jun '23

08 Jun '23

Just added: Besides the TRS-80 Model 1 systems, Model 4, Color Computer 2 systems, plus related software and documentation that I added the other day, I’ve also now added all the TRS-80 Model 1/3/4 books that I have. I’ve had a lot of inquiries about the Model 4 - yes, it’s still available until someone commits to coming and getting it! I think I’m going to have to put it back into storage, as I’ve now been using it for days and I don’t want to get drawn back in! ;) I think once I get all the TRS-80 stuff stowed back away I’ll go back and add the assorted items that I found in my closet in the other categories *after* I did the listings. I've been regularly marking the sold and sale pending items, thank you guys so much! And once again - many thanks to those who have adopted some of my babies so far. Please let me know if I can clarify anything or if any more photos are needed. The link: http://www.theshusters.com/bobvintage.html <http://www.theshusters.com/bobvintage.html> Please don't share without asking me. Currently just open to this group - my contact info is intentionally missing from the webpages. If you can read this, you have my email. Email me with questions or offers! Please don't make offers on the list, but if you want to discuss my process and feel the group would benefit, then by all means knock yourself out! :) Bob Shuster (Original message below) ---- Well, folks, I've gotten to the age where I need to seriously downsize my hobbies and collections, not wanting to leave it to my children to have to deal with in later years. (I had to do that recently for a relative.) On the electronics side, I've decided to concentrate on my vintage video game systems - and therefore sell off most of my vintage computer stuff. My collection includes mostly 8-bit stuff: TRS-80 Models I, IV, M100, etc. - Atari 400, 800, Portfolio, ST, etc. - C64/VIC20 - T/S1000 (including an unbuilt kit), Apple II, II+, IIe, IIe Platinum, IIgs - Wang WLTC - Mattel Aquarius - TI-99/4A - many others that I still have to dig out - plus lots of peripherals, disks, manuals, etc. Also have some newer Macs starting with a Mac Plus in an Apple carrying bag. I'm starting with you guys before trying to list elsewhere, although I may hit some of the dedicated FaceBorg pages (such as for Aquarius and Apple II.) I'm willing to ship some of the smaller items, but in general systems or monitors will need to be picked up here (near the Fort Washington exit of the PA Turnpike) or nearby, and cash or PayPal for payment. I may also consider trades for some of the video game stuff I'm looking for. It pains me to do this, but the clutter is getting out of hand, and I haven't touched most of these in years. It's time for someone else to enjoy. Bob Shuster

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Commodore 1702 door
by svcatitc＠aol.com 21 Apr '23

21 Apr '23

Jeffrey Brace jeffrey at vcfed.org Writes:Wed Sep 2 13:48:24 EDT 2020 Sounds like an Outer Limits episode where the world was taken apart and remade every moment and sometimes they made mistakes which is why when you lose your keys you find time in a place that you already searched. I thought this was a Spielberg "Amazing Stories" episode, obviously not. The episode is: "A Matter of Minutes" is the third segment of the fifteenth episode from the first season (1985–86) of the television series The Twilight Zone. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Matter_of_Minutes I remember that scene where the couple is in the "Void of White Space" and the "Supervisor of the Maintenance of Time" says: (paraphrasing) "Ya know how you go back to look for something you know is supposed to be there multiple times and then it finally is where you thoughtit should be? That's us. We forgot something. We are now working on moving Christmas!" I personally call them the "Minute-Ahead" men and you may hear me at a workshop cursing at them!!!! I DOOO BELIEVE! Bill Inderrieden

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8-bits and 80 columns
by John Heritage 17 Dec '22

17 Dec '22

Hey all -- Which (popular) 8-bit computers gained "easy" or even "standard" 80 column support? I know there are a ton more 8bits than I'll list below, but my understanding is: Atari 8bit -- XEP80 official accessory but almost no one bought it; used joystick ports.. slow and limited 80 column (black and white?). Atari did have a 60 column graphics/text mode IIRC. there is a software hack that uses narrow characters for '80 columns' but hard to read, and came out after the machine was no longer commerically sold. Apple II - supported via cards. If 80 column support became common, when did it become common? what was normal for color count, etc? C64 - C128 mode natively offered 80 column support; millions of these sold. So maybe common later on? 16 colors. PET - no 80 column? C Plus/4 - software hack? ZX Spectrum -- available via some clones only, not common? BBC Micro - Looks like a native mode for 80 column support? TRS-80 - no native 80 column support? Thanks! John

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The Swap Meet is Coming - October 8
by Jeffrey Brace 03 Oct '22

03 Oct '22

About 2 weeks left to go. *Info*: https://vcfed.org/vcf-swap-meet/ *Vendor Signup*: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeMNS0XBHc2enjQjhTYiFON-T0v2YTYAw4… Added: *For Sale Google Sheet*: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-uhM1m136qfgO_ad4zE-hd8fl25QuGug8sT… *Want to Buy Google Sheet*: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OZAJt-hEPX-vbkkVzkxDjHnSso7PKtalz1M… ========================================= 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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VCF Swap Meet October 8, 2022
by Jeffrey Brace 02 Oct '22

02 Oct '22

*I have updated the web page*: https://vcfed.org/vcf-swap-meet/ *This is the signup form*: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeMNS0XBHc2enjQjhTYiFON-T0v2YTYAw4… *This is the flyer:* https://vcfed.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2022-VCF-Swap-Meet-Flyer-1.pdf This time we are charging $5 general admission per person to cover our costs. ========================================= 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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Fwd: Swapmeet confirmation email
by Sentrytv 30 Sep '22

30 Sep '22

Sent from: My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device. Begin forwarded message: > From: Sentrytv <sentrytv(a)yahoo.com> > Date: September 27, 2022 at 11:06:13 AM EDT > To: Jeffrey Brace <jeffrey(a)vcfed.org> > Subject: Swapmeet confirmation email > > Jeff I signed up, paid PayPal , 2spaces $30, but I haven’t received a confirmation in anyway, > can you tell me what I should be looking for? > > Sent from: > My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device.

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Development of the MOS Technology 6502: A Historical Perspective
by Christian Liendo 29 Sep '22

29 Sep '22

I figure this would be of interest to some https://www.embeddedrelated.com/showarticle/1453.php

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Help needed- watchers- at the VCF Museum Oct 12 & 13
by Douglas Crawford 29 Sep '22

29 Sep '22

There is a mass of people coming both days from the Lakewood community, families that are off for a Orthodox Jewish holiday. Its a Wednesday and Thursday. So this request is for people who have freedom on weekdays. 10am to 5pm. Probably heaviest visitor load after noon. We are having an "open house" of sorts. We will not be giving tours, we will be letting people walk through the museum. In and out. One loop. They come in the door, turn right, go around the room and out again. No touching, nothing powered on. (we will have computers in the hallway that are there for kids, running simple games) Our ideal staffing for this is a person in the four corners of museum to insure the safety of the exhibits. These are the watchers. At most you will point things out of interest and answer questions if you can. We'll compromise on # of watchers if we get less help and work with as few as two. Plus we have a door person and someone helping kids with the game computers in the hall. View/update the document here, and send me a direct email, thanks! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1uFK-OA-frIheNkGsGivFB2uQ21b-DEk-fPW… ------------------------------------ (Our plan) Date & Time Wed Oct 12 10am-5pm Thu Oct 13 10am-5pm Eight step plan: 1. All artifacts inside the museum are planned to be kept off. 2. Four Commodore computers will be in the hallway. They will have monitors and game controllers and one cartridge game installed. No game changing. I'll have an 8x10 instruction card for each game on display. I expect contention for the machines. We'll do the best we can. I'll try to leverage games that give a player 3-tries-and-you-are-out" so that no one is hogging the machines. Doug will work on getting the equipment ready and set up. 3. A person greets the people at the door to tell them a bit about the museum, then admit them and throttle the flow as required. Our fire code head-count limit is 25. 4. Watchers are stationed to safeguard the artifacts and be helpful. 5. Visitors walk around the museum to the right and around at their own pace unguided. They just follow one after the other. They look at stuff as they walk & talk and read as they pass by exhibits. They go around the circle and exit. 5a. If we run at full capacity, the door person will keep the next visitors clear of the door until a group exits, then admit the next one. 6. Creature comforts This is a long gig. We will use our stools and chairs at our stations. The guy at the Atari gets to sit at the office chair. Or stand when you want to. We will switch around duties and ideally have one spare staff so we can rotate people out. Otherwise, we'll just drop out and the rest have a little more to cover. I'll arrange food, some extra drinks. Ice, etc. Creature comforts. I think I'll generally be the GAME HOST guy, as I can probably afford to occasionally leave my post and deal to check on things. 7. Remove loose items to prevent children from grabbing them. 8. Coordinate with the model train guys (GSC) down the hall. DETAILS, headcounts, etc. This plan depends on recruiting on quite a few new helpers. No experience required for watchers. Bring a friend? We can tell them a line to say like "these are the 90's micro." "This one started the internet" * I will call for help on the message board. * The ideal configuration is for 6 on floor floor and at least one alternate to fill in for relief for eating and resting. If I can get 14 people to help, we can have two crews. I'm probably dreaming, but it might be possible since 8 don't have to know much. If the headcount is sufficient, and no one but me has to do both days I'll probably be making a staffing chart that is a little different than the docent schedule. Put trash can in the hallway. We have an extra black one that we can use. Ideal staffing: 1. 4 WATCHERS a. A person at each end of the Micros b. A person at each end of the Minis. 2. 1 DOOR PERSON 3. 1 GAME HOST 4. 1 SPARE that can rotate in when someone has to rotate out. Manpower Fallback - if I can't get as many volunteers as I'd like, I'll consider cutting down to 2 watchers. One at each end one looking down the micros one looking down the Minis. Total of 10 staff, 5 people per day. At the end of the first day we'll move the game computer tables into the museum and close up. At the end of the second day, I'll need some folks to stick around and help take stuff back to the warehouse.

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Swapmeet - no friends and family paypal?
by Ethan O'Toole 28 Sep '22

28 Sep '22

Trying to reserve space and paypal -- don't see a friends and family option for sending to vcf? I am assuming paypal took that away? - Ethan

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