On Thu, Dec 1, 2022 at 2:07 PM Randall Kindig <randall.kindig@gmail.com> wrote:
I interviewed Ed for the Floppy Days Podcast a couple of years ago ( https://floppydays.libsyn.com/floppy-days-100-ed-smith-developer-of-apf-mp10...). Neat story. He didn’t ask for a fee to be on my podcast. Just sayin’
That may be because the perception that VCF East has big bucks to spend on speakers. We do not. It has grown big enough with many big and/or popular speakers in vintage computer speakers. He had emailed me out of the blue. I called him on the phone. He mentioned a speaker fee. I explained that we are a non-profit, that we have never paid a fee and that is way beyond our budget. That's when he offered $2000 for a virtual talk. He already has a book, so I don't know why he is asking for money. I would think it would be better for him to just plug his book at our show.
Randy Kindig Host Floppy Days Podcast floppydays.com
Sent from my iPad
On Dec 1, 2022, at 10:43 AM, Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@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@vcfed.org