We have been planning to have a mobile museum for a long time and Covid-19 has inspired us to implement this plan faster. At first we were looking into getting a bus inexpensively because a lot of the schools needed the extra cash, but we found a great partnering program in our investigation. We have partnered with Tesla for funding so we were able to get an electric bus. So will be renovating our new bus into a mobile vintage computer museum! We still have to decide on which computers we will have in this museum and periodically change them out. This is a great chance to be able to take our museum *to* the schools instead of the other way around. Plus it is Covid-19 regulation compliant with a limited number of students on the bus at one time. Many schools will be having more cash available for programs like this due to the Covid-19 relief package passed by Congress, so they will have money available for extra programs like ours. Over the next few months we will be retrofitting our bus and hope to have it ready by September. Other fun ideas are that we will serve period specific snacks to visitors including pop rocks, kool aid and twinkies, etc. ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
That is so awesome! Can I drive it? On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 8:54 AM Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
We have been planning to have a mobile museum for a long time and Covid-19 has inspired us to implement this plan faster. At first we were looking into getting a bus inexpensively because a lot of the schools needed the extra cash, but we found a great partnering program in our investigation. We have partnered with Tesla for funding so we were able to get an electric bus. So will be renovating our new bus into a mobile vintage computer museum!
We still have to decide on which computers we will have in this museum and periodically change them out. This is a great chance to be able to take our museum *to* the schools instead of the other way around. Plus it is Covid-19 regulation compliant with a limited number of students on the bus at one time. Many schools will be having more cash available for programs like this due to the Covid-19 relief package passed by Congress, so they will have money available for extra programs like ours. Over the next few months we will be retrofitting our bus and hope to have it ready by September.
Other fun ideas are that we will serve period specific snacks to visitors including pop rocks, kool aid and twinkies, etc.
========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
-- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
No, no, no! Never ASK! Always *reluctantly *agree. If they catch on you *wanna *do it you'll never get the chance. True story AFAIK: Back about 30 years I knew a guy who knew a guy who had one of those RR track service vehicles -- a little powered car with both tires and flanged track wheels that is used by RR's to haul employees and small equipment along the tracks. They would drive on the roads to some little-used RR tracks, then go off joyriding along the tracks, having the time of their lives. Whenever they came to a road, one or two of them would get out with flags, stop traffic, and flag the vehicle across before hopping back on. He reported that once a cop even helped stop traffic for them. The *key *was that they had to look *bored* while doing this, so their body language would say, "*This is just my job. I'd rather be anywhere else.*" Bruce NJ On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 9:05 AM Bill Degnan via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
That is so awesome!
Can I drive it?
On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 8:54 AM Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
We have been planning to have a mobile museum for a long time and Covid-19 has inspired us to implement this plan faster. At first we were looking into getting a bus inexpensively because a lot of the schools needed the extra cash, but we found a great partnering program in our investigation. We have partnered with Tesla for funding so we were able to get an electric bus. So will be renovating our new bus into a mobile vintage computer museum!
We still have to decide on which computers we will have in this museum and periodically change them out. This is a great chance to be able to take our museum *to* the schools instead of the other way around. Plus it is Covid-19 regulation compliant with a limited number of students on the bus at one time. Many schools will be having more cash available for programs like this due to the Covid-19 relief package passed by Congress, so they will have money available for extra programs like ours. Over the next few months we will be retrofitting our bus and hope to have it ready by September.
Other fun ideas are that we will serve period specific snacks to visitors including pop rocks, kool aid and twinkies, etc.
========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
-- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
The most exciting part is the that the Tesla will be powered by a very secretive, little known unlimited energy source with origins in vintage computing. The Osborne Perpetual Hype Engine was seized by the government and buried, sinking the company. It has only recently resurfaced in Apple’s iPhone marketing, but with help help of an insider, VCF has acquired this for use in our mobile museum. But I’ve said too much. When the men in black come to take me away, tell my story... On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 9:28 AM Bruce via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
No, no, no! Never ASK! Always *reluctantly *agree. If they catch on you *wanna *do it you'll never get the chance.
True story AFAIK: Back about 30 years I knew a guy who knew a guy who had one of those RR track service vehicles -- a little powered car with both tires and flanged track wheels that is used by RR's to haul employees and small equipment along the tracks. They would drive on the roads to some little-used RR tracks, then go off joyriding along the tracks, having the time of their lives. Whenever they came to a road, one or two of them would get out with flags, stop traffic, and flag the vehicle across before hopping back on. He reported that once a cop even helped stop traffic for them. The *key *was that they had to look *bored* while doing this, so their body language would say, "*This is just my job. I'd rather be anywhere else.*"
Bruce NJ
On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 9:05 AM Bill Degnan via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
That is so awesome!
Can I drive it?
On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 8:54 AM Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
We have been planning to have a mobile museum for a long time and Covid-19 has inspired us to implement this plan faster. At first we were looking into getting a bus inexpensively because a lot of the schools needed the extra cash, but we found a great partnering program in our investigation. We have partnered with Tesla for funding so we were able to get an electric bus. So will be renovating our new bus into a mobile vintage computer museum!
We still have to decide on which computers we will have in this museum and periodically change them out. This is a great chance to be able to take our museum *to* the schools instead of the other way around. Plus it is Covid-19 regulation compliant with a limited number of students on the bus at one time. Many schools will be having more cash available for programs like this due to the Covid-19 relief package passed by Congress, so they will have money available for extra programs like ours. Over the next few months we will be retrofitting our bus and hope to have it ready by September.
Other fun ideas are that we will serve period specific snacks to visitors including pop rocks, kool aid and twinkies, etc.
========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
-- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
The most exciting part is the that the Tesla will be powered by a very secretive, little known unlimited energy source with origins in vintage computing. The Osborne Perpetual Hype Engine was seized by the government and buried, sinking the company. It has only recently resurfaced in Apple’s iPhone marketing, but with help help of an insider, VCF has acquired this for use in our mobile museum. But I’ve said too much. When the men in black come to take me away, tell my story...
Dean, I can’t believe you sent that info out publicly. You know they monitor us in real time since we signed the NDA. I’m surprised they haven’t already banged down our doors to take us awa.;$;$;;$347. G Rgb F Delivery error: Transmission terminated at the source.
More like little green men, where is your tinfoil hat? Sent from: My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device.
On Apr 1, 2021, at 9:41 AM, Dean Notarnicola via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
The most exciting part is the that the Tesla will be powered by a very secretive, little known unlimited energy source with origins in vintage computing. The Osborne Perpetual Hype Engine was seized by the government and buried, sinking the company. It has only recently resurfaced in Apple’s iPhone marketing, but with help help of an insider, VCF has acquired this for use in our mobile museum. But I’ve said too much. When the men in black come to take me away, tell my story...
On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 9:28 AM Bruce via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
No, no, no! Never ASK! Always *reluctantly *agree. If they catch on you *wanna *do it you'll never get the chance.
True story AFAIK: Back about 30 years I knew a guy who knew a guy who had one of those RR track service vehicles -- a little powered car with both tires and flanged track wheels that is used by RR's to haul employees and small equipment along the tracks. They would drive on the roads to some little-used RR tracks, then go off joyriding along the tracks, having the time of their lives. Whenever they came to a road, one or two of them would get out with flags, stop traffic, and flag the vehicle across before hopping back on. He reported that once a cop even helped stop traffic for them. The *key *was that they had to look *bored* while doing this, so their body language would say, "*This is just my job. I'd rather be anywhere else.*"
Bruce NJ
On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 9:05 AM Bill Degnan via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
That is so awesome!
Can I drive it?
On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 8:54 AM Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
We have been planning to have a mobile museum for a long time and Covid-19 has inspired us to implement this plan faster. At first we were looking into getting a bus inexpensively because a lot of the schools needed the extra cash, but we found a great partnering program in our investigation. We have partnered with Tesla for funding so we were able to get an electric bus. So will be renovating our new bus into a mobile vintage computer museum!
We still have to decide on which computers we will have in this museum and periodically change them out. This is a great chance to be able to take our museum *to* the schools instead of the other way around. Plus it is Covid-19 regulation compliant with a limited number of students on the bus at one time. Many schools will be having more cash available for programs like this due to the Covid-19 relief package passed by Congress, so they will have money available for extra programs like ours. Over the next few months we will be retrofitting our bus and hope to have it ready by September.
Other fun ideas are that we will serve period specific snacks to visitors including pop rocks, kool aid and twinkies, etc.
========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
-- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
On Apr 1, 2021, at 9:04 AM, Bill Degnan via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
That is so awesome!
Can I drive it?
Tesla is providing all the driving AI upgrades at zero cost. There is no driver for the bus as I understand it. That space (drivers seat) is being used for a workingPDP-11. -andy
We just have to worry about the bus rear-ending a tractor trailer. Sent from: My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device.
On Apr 1, 2021, at 10:16 AM, Andrew Diller via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On Apr 1, 2021, at 9:04 AM, Bill Degnan via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
That is so awesome!
Can I drive it?
Tesla is providing all the driving AI upgrades at zero cost. There is no driver for the bus as I understand it. That space (drivers seat) is being used for a workingPDP-11.
-andy
Well, with enough vintage DEC gear in the bus I think the tractor trailer needs to worry.... -andy
On Apr 1, 2021, at 10:34 AM, Sentrytv <sentrytv@yahoo.com> wrote:
We just have to worry about the bus rear-ending a tractor trailer.
Sent from: My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device.
On Apr 1, 2021, at 10:16 AM, Andrew Diller via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On Apr 1, 2021, at 9:04 AM, Bill Degnan via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
That is so awesome!
Can I drive it?
Tesla is providing all the driving AI upgrades at zero cost. There is no driver for the bus as I understand it. That space (drivers seat) is being used for a workingPDP-11.
-andy
On 4/1/21 10:16 AM, Andrew Diller via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
On Apr 1, 2021, at 9:04 AM, Bill Degnan via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
That is so awesome!
Can I drive it?
Tesla is providing all the driving AI upgrades at zero cost. There is no driver for the bus as I understand it. That space (drivers seat) is being used for a workingPDP-11.
Hmm, don't we have a Lisp machine? I think this would be more appropriate than a PDP11. Now will the driver need to plugged into the bus to work with the AI? We could then network everything together on the same bus. Might need Martin's help. I do have an old AT&T Brouter that might support the protocols. :-) -- Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry ncherry@linuxha.com http://www.linuxha.com/ Main site http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog Author of: Linux Smart Homes For Dummies
We do! we can get the VCF TI Explorer connected to the OBD-II we'd be about 90% of the way there.... -andy
On Apr 1, 2021, at 10:40 AM, Neil Cherry <ncherry@linuxha.com> wrote:
On 4/1/21 10:16 AM, Andrew Diller via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
On Apr 1, 2021, at 9:04 AM, Bill Degnan via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
That is so awesome!
Can I drive it? Tesla is providing all the driving AI upgrades at zero cost. There is no driver for the bus as I understand it. That space (drivers seat) is being used for a workingPDP-11.
Hmm, don't we have a Lisp machine? I think this would be more appropriate than a PDP11. Now will the driver need to plugged into the bus to work with the AI? We could then network everything together on the same bus. Might need Martin's help. I do have an old AT&T Brouter that might support the protocols.
We were going to use a ZX-80 but it kept wanting to drive on the left. On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 10:49 AM Andrew Diller via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
We do! we can get the VCF TI Explorer connected to the OBD-II we'd be about 90% of the way there.... -andy
On Apr 1, 2021, at 10:40 AM, Neil Cherry <ncherry@linuxha.com> wrote:
On 4/1/21 10:16 AM, Andrew Diller via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
On Apr 1, 2021, at 9:04 AM, Bill Degnan via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
That is so awesome!
Can I drive it? Tesla is providing all the driving AI upgrades at zero cost. There is no driver for the bus as I understand it. That space (drivers seat) is being used for a workingPDP-11.
Hmm, don't we have a Lisp machine? I think this would be more appropriate than a PDP11. Now will the driver need to plugged into the bus to work with the AI? We could then network everything together on the same bus. Might need Martin's help. I do have an old AT&T Brouter that might support the protocols.
On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 10:16 AM Andrew Diller via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On Apr 1, 2021, at 9:04 AM, Bill Degnan via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
That is so awesome!
Can I drive it?
Tesla is providing all the driving AI upgrades at zero cost. There is no driver for the bus as I understand it. That space (drivers seat) is being used for a workingPDP-11.
Yes, in fact we do have the driverless option and our idea was to have docents follow behind the vehicle in a period appropriate Pinto. However Corey squashed that idea because of liability reasons. Since it's electric we can use the batteries to run the exhibits. The bus will shut down the computers and kick the kids out when the batteries get low so it can still make it home.
-andy
What would really be cool is to get one of those car shows on TV that do rebuilds, upgrades and Restorations to get involved. Getting it on TV would be great. A Tesla mobile vintage computer museum. Could be free advertising for the group. Wouldn’t hurt InfoAge either. Maybe the “learning channel”? Or the history channel - A&E ? “American Pickers”meet VCF? 2 coins worth Sent from: My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device.
On Apr 1, 2021, at 6:24 PM, Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 10:16 AM Andrew Diller via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On Apr 1, 2021, at 9:04 AM, Bill Degnan via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
That is so awesome!
Can I drive it?
Tesla is providing all the driving AI upgrades at zero cost. There is no driver for the bus as I understand it. That space (drivers seat) is being used for a workingPDP-11.
Yes, in fact we do have the driverless option and our idea was to have docents follow behind the vehicle in a period appropriate Pinto. However Corey squashed that idea because of liability reasons.
Since it's electric we can use the batteries to run the exhibits. The bus will shut down the computers and kick the kids out when the batteries get low so it can still make it home.
-andy
On 4/1/21 08:54, Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
Other fun ideas are that we will serve period specific snacks to visitors including pop rocks, kool aid and twinkies, etc.
So the plan is to kill off anyone that might become competition to acquire vintage computers. Very interesting. And also a great idea, at least for the bus museum. With kids starting back to schools this will help with them probably not being able to do school trips but still wanting experiences for their students. Since it is in part sponsored by Tesla when you have these trips in the future you can probably get support from local Tesla owner clubs. There are several now in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Mark
On 4/1/21 8:54 AM, Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
bus. So will be renovating our new bus into a mobile vintage computer museum!
License plate? SCSI? SASI? GPIB? ;-) -- Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry ncherry@linuxha.com http://www.linuxha.com/ Main site http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog Author of: Linux Smart Homes For Dummies
VCF Sent from: My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device.
On Apr 1, 2021, at 9:25 AM, Neil Cherry via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On 4/1/21 8:54 AM, Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
bus. So will be renovating our new bus into a mobile vintage computer museum!
License plate? SCSI? SASI? GPIB?
;-)
-- Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry ncherry@linuxha.com http://www.linuxha.com/ Main site http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog Author of: Linux Smart Homes For Dummies
On 4/1/21 9:35 AM, Sentrytv wrote:
VCF
Not familiar with that bus, serial, parallel, 8 bit, 16 bit? Is there a wiki .... ;-) -- Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry ncherry@linuxha.com http://www.linuxha.com/ Main site http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog Author of: Linux Smart Homes For Dummies
Courtesy no-fee plates!! Non-profits do not pay a bunch of DMV fees. Sent from my iPhone
On Apr 1, 2021, at 9:25 AM, Neil Cherry via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
On 4/1/21 8:54 AM, Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
bus. So will be renovating our new bus into a mobile vintage computer museum!
License plate? SCSI? SASI? GPIB?
;-)
-- Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry ncherry@linuxha.com http://www.linuxha.com/ Main site http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog Author of: Linux Smart Homes For Dummies
Benton Harbor? S-100? OSI-48? -----Original Message----- From: vcf-midatlantic [mailto:vcf-midatlantic-bounces@lists.vcfed.org] On Behalf Of Neil Cherry via vcf-midatlantic Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2021 9:26 AM To: vcf-midatlantic Cc: Neil Cherry Subject: Re: [vcf-midatlantic] VCF Museum on Wheels! On 4/1/21 8:54 AM, Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
bus. So will be renovating our new bus into a mobile vintage computer museum!
License plate? SCSI? SASI? GPIB? ;-) -- Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry ncherry@linuxha.com http://www.linuxha.com/ Main site http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog Author of: Linux Smart Homes For Dummies -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus
VCF HERO Sent from: My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device.
On Apr 1, 2021, at 11:15 AM, William Sudbrink via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Benton Harbor? S-100? OSI-48?
-----Original Message----- From: vcf-midatlantic [mailto:vcf-midatlantic-bounces@lists.vcfed.org] On Behalf Of Neil Cherry via vcf-midatlantic Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2021 9:26 AM To: vcf-midatlantic Cc: Neil Cherry Subject: Re: [vcf-midatlantic] VCF Museum on Wheels!
On 4/1/21 8:54 AM, Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
bus. So will be renovating our new bus into a mobile vintage computer museum!
License plate? SCSI? SASI? GPIB?
;-)
-- Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry ncherry@linuxha.com http://www.linuxha.com/ Main site http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog Author of: Linux Smart Homes For Dummies
-- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus
This sounds like awesome news, in fact I have had a similar idea of doing something here in VA for a few years now. Schools, fairs, collaborations with science and children's museums, etc. However, given the date of the of the news release I will, for now, remain politely skeptical 😊 Meanwhile, this... https://youtu.be/fltOyddlnOE -----Original Message----- From: vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic-bounces@lists.vcfed.org> On Behalf Of Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2021 8:55 AM To: vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> Cc: Jeffrey Brace <jeffrey@vcfed.org> Subject: [vcf-midatlantic] VCF Museum on Wheels! We have been planning to have a mobile museum for a long time and Covid-19 has inspired us to implement this plan faster. At first we were looking into getting a bus inexpensively because a lot of the schools needed the extra cash, but we found a great partnering program in our investigation. We have partnered with Tesla for funding so we were able to get an electric bus. So will be renovating our new bus into a mobile vintage computer museum! We still have to decide on which computers we will have in this museum and periodically change them out. This is a great chance to be able to take our museum *to* the schools instead of the other way around. Plus it is Covid-19 regulation compliant with a limited number of students on the bus at one time. Many schools will be having more cash available for programs like this due to the Covid-19 relief package passed by Congress, so they will have money available for extra programs like ours. Over the next few months we will be retrofitting our bus and hope to have it ready by September. Other fun ideas are that we will serve period specific snacks to visitors including pop rocks, kool aid and twinkies, etc. ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
Time to get a bunch of Weepuls made up. On Thu, Apr 1, 2021, 8:54 AM Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
We have been planning to have a mobile museum for a long time and Covid-19 has inspired us to implement this plan faster. At first we were looking into getting a bus inexpensively because a lot of the schools needed the extra cash, but we found a great partnering program in our investigation. We have partnered with Tesla for funding so we were able to get an electric bus. So will be renovating our new bus into a mobile vintage computer museum!
We still have to decide on which computers we will have in this museum and periodically change them out. This is a great chance to be able to take our museum *to* the schools instead of the other way around. Plus it is Covid-19 regulation compliant with a limited number of students on the bus at one time. Many schools will be having more cash available for programs like this due to the Covid-19 relief package passed by Congress, so they will have money available for extra programs like ours. Over the next few months we will be retrofitting our bus and hope to have it ready by September.
Other fun ideas are that we will serve period specific snacks to visitors including pop rocks, kool aid and twinkies, etc.
========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
-- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
On 4/1/21 1:33 PM, Jeff Salzman via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
Time to get a bunch of Weepuls made up.
"Do you got any other cute little buggers like this one? I like to stick 'em all in a row on my control console." -- Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry ncherry@linuxha.com http://www.linuxha.com/ Main site http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog Author of: Linux Smart Homes For Dummies
In all seriousness, yes, this was an April Fool's joke, but it had some truth to it. Erik Klein, the VCF president, has contemplated this idea and brought it up a few times and we joke about it, but he really wants to do it and I feel like the rest of the national board does too. The idea does have its merits with "bringing the artifacts to the people". The difficulty of course is the cost, building and maintaining of such a vehicle. We would love to do something like this, but we don't realistically see it happening without a lot of time, effort, money and dedication. ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 8:54 AM Jeffrey Brace <jeffrey@vcfed.org> wrote:
We have been planning to have a mobile museum for a long time and Covid-19 has inspired us to implement this plan faster. At first we were looking into getting a bus inexpensively because a lot of the schools needed the extra cash, but we found a great partnering program in our investigation. We have partnered with Tesla for funding so we were able to get an electric bus. So will be renovating our new bus into a mobile vintage computer museum!
We still have to decide on which computers we will have in this museum and periodically change them out. This is a great chance to be able to take our museum *to* the schools instead of the other way around. Plus it is Covid-19 regulation compliant with a limited number of students on the bus at one time. Many schools will be having more cash available for programs like this due to the Covid-19 relief package passed by Congress, so they will have money available for extra programs like ours. Over the next few months we will be retrofitting our bus and hope to have it ready by September.
Other fun ideas are that we will serve period specific snacks to visitors including pop rocks, kool aid and twinkies, etc.
========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
-- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
Jeff: Consider scaling back the idea. Instead of any sort of vehicle (the major cost, especially considering insurance, licensing, maintenance, storage, repairs, etc.), consider putting together some portable containers or crates, possibly modeled upon the ones used by professional musicians on road tours. There are lots of ways to do this, but one way would be to have two displays in one crate, connected by hinges on one side and clasps on the other. (Putting this hardware on the corners would offset the displays by 90 degrees, should that matter.) Place the crates on folding tables, trestles, or intrinsic fold-out legs to raise them to a useful height. Now you just need a vehicle to carry them in, and if nobody in the club has one, rent it. All the complications of a club owning a vehicle (and they may be considerable) are avoided this way. Bruce NJ On Fri, Apr 2, 2021 at 8:03 AM Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
In all seriousness, yes, this was an April Fool's joke, but it had some truth to it. Erik Klein, the VCF president, has contemplated this idea and brought it up a few times and we joke about it, but he really wants to do it and I feel like the rest of the national board does too. The idea does have its merits with "bringing the artifacts to the people". The difficulty of course is the cost, building and maintaining of such a vehicle. We would love to do something like this, but we don't realistically see it happening without a lot of time, effort, money and dedication.
========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 8:54 AM Jeffrey Brace <jeffrey@vcfed.org> wrote:
We have been planning to have a mobile museum for a long time and Covid-19 has inspired us to implement this plan faster. At first we were looking into getting a bus inexpensively because a lot of the schools needed the extra cash, but we found a great partnering program in our investigation. We have partnered with Tesla for funding so we were able to get an electric bus. So will be renovating our new bus into a mobile vintage computer museum!
We still have to decide on which computers we will have in this museum and periodically change them out. This is a great chance to be able to take our museum *to* the schools instead of the other way around. Plus it is Covid-19 regulation compliant with a limited number of students on the bus at one time. Many schools will be having more cash available for programs like this due to the Covid-19 relief package passed by Congress, so they will have money available for extra programs like ours. Over the next few months we will be retrofitting our bus and hope to have it ready by September.
Other fun ideas are that we will serve period specific snacks to visitors including pop rocks, kool aid and twinkies, etc.
========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
-- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
Sometimes, an old bus can be bought for little money. One could easily be gutted and fitted with anything we could arrange to showcase in it. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/180150850286348/ On Fri, Apr 2, 2021, 8:45 AM Bruce via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Jeff:
Consider scaling back the idea.
Instead of any sort of vehicle (the major cost, especially considering insurance, licensing, maintenance, storage, repairs, etc.), consider putting together some portable containers or crates, possibly modeled upon the ones used by professional musicians on road tours.
There are lots of ways to do this, but one way would be to have two displays in one crate, connected by hinges on one side and clasps on the other. (Putting this hardware on the corners would offset the displays by 90 degrees, should that matter.) Place the crates on folding tables, trestles, or intrinsic fold-out legs to raise them to a useful height.
Now you just need a vehicle to carry them in, and if nobody in the club has one, rent it. All the complications of a club owning a vehicle (and they may be considerable) are avoided this way.
Bruce NJ
On Fri, Apr 2, 2021 at 8:03 AM Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
In all seriousness, yes, this was an April Fool's joke, but it had some truth to it. Erik Klein, the VCF president, has contemplated this idea and brought it up a few times and we joke about it, but he really wants to do it and I feel like the rest of the national board does too. The idea does have its merits with "bringing the artifacts to the people". The difficulty of course is the cost, building and maintaining of such a vehicle. We would love to do something like this, but we don't realistically see it happening without a lot of time, effort, money and dedication.
========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 8:54 AM Jeffrey Brace <jeffrey@vcfed.org> wrote:
We have been planning to have a mobile museum for a long time and Covid-19 has inspired us to implement this plan faster. At first we were looking into getting a bus inexpensively because a lot of the schools needed the extra cash, but we found a great partnering program in our investigation. We have partnered with Tesla for funding so we were able to get an electric bus. So will be renovating our new bus into a mobile vintage computer museum!
We still have to decide on which computers we will have in this museum and periodically change them out. This is a great chance to be able to take our museum *to* the schools instead of the other way around. Plus it is Covid-19 regulation compliant with a limited number of students on the bus at one time. Many schools will be having more cash available for programs like this due to the Covid-19 relief package passed by Congress, so they will have money available for extra programs like ours. Over the next few months we will be retrofitting our bus and hope to have it ready by September.
Other fun ideas are that we will serve period specific snacks to visitors including pop rocks, kool aid and twinkies, etc.
========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
-- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
I "spoke" up because, over the decades, I've come across a number of cases where such plans have fizzled. The experience of a friend of mine was one such case, but for privacy reasons I won't detail his case. This would not be my decision. I'm really a lurker here, interested but not involved. I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but I suggest you do your "due diligence" before committing yourselves. Considerations you should make: - Price of the vehicle - Repairs to make the vehicle roadworthy -- especially the tires which dry-rot on stored vehicles - Budget for maintenance and repairs - Official ownership of the vehicle, and possible complications (taxes, etc.) thereof - License and registration for vehicle - License required for driver(s) (CDL may be required) Would the driver be a volunteer or (I shudder to consider) an employee? - Storage location, security, and costs - Insurance for vehicle and contents. (Two distinct policies likely needed -- and how do you insure irreplaceable antique computers anyway?) - Effect of owning/operating a vehicle on the club's general liability insurance premium - Administration and control of the bus, including dealing with storage, drivers, maintenance and repairs, and dealing with unforeseen issues. (Who takes responsibility? It can't be ad hoc.) I have volunteered for a number of clubs over the decades and from time to time have seen enthusiasm wax for the possible ownership of a vehicle for purposes like this. Fortunately, none of those came to fruition. The closest actual experience I've had was when an employee organization I belonged to decided to purchase a bus to transport employees the one-hour drive from a major city to the relatively rural lab where we worked. It was a nightmare. I was closely involved with some of it but somehow missed out on many of the complications, like licensing, hiring the drivers from amongst the employees of the site, etc. I *was *involved when the bus broke down on the highway, full of passengers, possibly due to the diesel engine not being broken in properly by the inexperienced drivers. About the time I was leaving that employ, I believe the decision was made to sell that bus and buy a few commuter vans instead. Less relevant was the case when our local ABANA Affiliate (blacksmithing) chose to fit out a trailer for hauling our equipment to demonstrations state-wide. We avoided the ownership and insurance questions by leaving the registration in the name of the original owner -- who thereby took all the risk for the thing, a fact that was driven home when one volunteer failed to couple the trailer to his truck properly and the trailer *passed him* on the (fortunately small) roadway. We had to equip the trailer with brakes due to its potential maximum weight. The towing vehicle had to have the mass and capacity to pull such a load and had to be equipped to actuate the trailer's brakes. Fortunately, the trailer's owner was a highly competent mechanic and did this work (with help) for free. The whole matter devolved upon the actual owner of the trailer and one or two of us. Ultimately we abandoned the trailer and came up with an alternative solution. My point is that any sort of vehicle, be it bus or even trailer, could prove a major headache for the group. Headaches like this can cause friction within a volunteer group and lead to totally unnecessary divisions. Do what you will, but think it through first and address all possible issues before purchasing the thing. Bruce NJ On Fri, Apr 2, 2021 at 9:01 AM Jeff Salzman via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Sometimes, an old bus can be bought for little money. One could easily be gutted and fitted with anything we could arrange to showcase in it.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/180150850286348/
On Fri, Apr 2, 2021, 8:45 AM Bruce via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Jeff:
Consider scaling back the idea.
Instead of any sort of vehicle (the major cost, especially considering insurance, licensing, maintenance, storage, repairs, etc.), consider putting together some portable containers or crates, possibly modeled upon the ones used by professional musicians on road tours.
There are lots of ways to do this, but one way would be to have two displays in one crate, connected by hinges on one side and clasps on the other. (Putting this hardware on the corners would offset the displays by 90 degrees, should that matter.) Place the crates on folding tables, trestles, or intrinsic fold-out legs to raise them to a useful height.
Now you just need a vehicle to carry them in, and if nobody in the club has one, rent it. All the complications of a club owning a vehicle (and they may be considerable) are avoided this way.
Bruce NJ
There is a giant military 'trailer' as in tractor-trailer right next to VCF museum. If we find someone w/ a CDL and a tractor we could outfit that tralier and maybe use it. -andy
On Apr 2, 2021, at 9:44 AM, Bruce via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
Less relevant was the case when our local ABANA Affiliate (blacksmithing) chose to fit out a trailer for hauling our equipment to demonstrations state-wide. We avoided the ownership and insurance questions by leaving the registration in the name of the original owner -- who thereby took all the risk for the thing, a fact that was driven home when one volunteer failed to couple the trailer to his truck properly and the trailer *passed him* on the (fortunately small) roadway. We had to equip the trailer with
On 4/2/2021 7:44 AM, Bruce via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
Jeff:
Consider scaling back the idea.
Instead of any sort of vehicle (the major cost, especially considering insurance, licensing, maintenance, storage, repairs, etc.), consider putting together some portable containers or crates, possibly modeled upon the ones used by professional musicians on road tours.
There are lots of ways to do this, but one way would be to have two displays in one crate, connected by hinges on one side and clasps on the other. (Putting this hardware on the corners would offset the displays by 90 degrees, should that matter.) Place the crates on folding tables, trestles, or intrinsic fold-out legs to raise them to a useful height.
Now you just need a vehicle to carry them in, and if nobody in the club has one, rent it. All the complications of a club owning a vehicle (and they may be considerable) are avoided this way.
I like the crate idea, as it's very portable and allows one to pick and choose which exhibits to bring. If that idea is too small, there may be a middle ground that still supports Bruce's ideals (which, I agree with. Even for personal use, maintaining a periodically used vehicle is a major hassle Ask any non full time Class A or Class C RV owner.). Consider a walk-in crate/box. The unit could be 8ft wide, tall enough to walk through, and loadable onto a flat trailer, as if the unit was a vehicle. Again, rent the trailer if needed. As for moving the unit to the trailer and off, I invite you to look at videos of electric truck camper jacks. Happijac electric jacks can handle 2800# per jack, meaning a 11K# box with computers inside can be accommodated with 4 corner jacks, lifted onto and off a trailer, but constructed quickly with 2x4 construction and lightweight exterior sheeting, with a simple flat roof overhead. If there's a place to store the unit, full exterior weatherproofing need not be implemented. If the jacks are scary, at least a trailer option (buy a cheap old 30ft travel trailer and just gut the interior) would be a easier to maintain than a vehicle. There'd still be licensing, insurance, and maintenance costs, so that's not a win, but each of those costs is significantly cheaper than the vehicle route. I like Bruce's smaller crate idea the best, though. Jim
Mike Lee had his mobile museum he used to travel with it I believe. Not a tour inside thing but a have museum will travel thing. Its like being in a rock band. We used to have a large trailer and travel with it, lots of cables wires and set ups. On Fri, Apr 2, 2021, 8:03 AM Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
In all seriousness, yes, this was an April Fool's joke, but it had some truth to it. Erik Klein, the VCF president, has contemplated this idea and brought it up a few times and we joke about it, but he really wants to do it and I feel like the rest of the national board does too. The idea does have its merits with "bringing the artifacts to the people". The difficulty of course is the cost, building and maintaining of such a vehicle. We would love to do something like this, but we don't realistically see it happening without a lot of time, effort, money and dedication.
========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 8:54 AM Jeffrey Brace <jeffrey@vcfed.org> wrote:
We have been planning to have a mobile museum for a long time and Covid-19 has inspired us to implement this plan faster. At first we were looking into getting a bus inexpensively because a lot of the schools needed the extra cash, but we found a great partnering program in our investigation. We have partnered with Tesla for funding so we were able to get an electric bus. So will be renovating our new bus into a mobile vintage computer museum!
We still have to decide on which computers we will have in this museum and periodically change them out. This is a great chance to be able to take our museum *to* the schools instead of the other way around. Plus it is Covid-19 regulation compliant with a limited number of students on the bus at one time. Many schools will be having more cash available for programs like this due to the Covid-19 relief package passed by Congress, so they will have money available for extra programs like ours. Over the next few months we will be retrofitting our bus and hope to have it ready by September.
Other fun ideas are that we will serve period specific snacks to visitors including pop rocks, kool aid and twinkies, etc.
========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
-- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey@vcfed.org
participants (14)
-
Andrew Diller -
Bill Degnan -
Bruce -
Dean Notarnicola -
Jeffrey Brace -
jsalzman＠gmail.com -
madodel -
Martin Flynn -
Neil Cherry -
RETRO Innovations -
Sentrytv -
Tony Bogan -
W. Bryan Caudle -
William Sudbrink