If I have to choose, I’d rather see the free pile go to the Hackathon. On Sat, Sep 6, 2025 at 2:44 PM Sentrytv via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:

So here’s a question At 6 PM or there after What is to be done with all of the “ junk “ That was used for this “contest” Are you telling the people who entered the contest with all this junk junk? They have to take it all home. Which is not a bad thing However Will you have enough stuff left from the free pile at the end of the swap meet? Or will there not be enough for others during the swap meet?

To make it short If everybody else takes the junk, then there won’t be anything left for the contest And if people take everything for the contest that there won’t be anything for the people at the swapmeet

Just curious to see if anybody thought Or maybe I’m just analyzing it too much

Sent from: My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device.

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On Sep 6, 2025, at 2:03 PM, Bill Degnan via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:

that's a good plan :-) they used to do this at the HOPE festivals a long time ago, and there was even a guy there to sell basic IC's so you could get parts. Bill

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On Sat, Sep 6, 2025 at 11:31 AM Jeff Salzman via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vcfed.org> wrote:

OK... we're trying this again. Setting up a Hack-a-Thon event at the next VCF/MARCH Workshop.

Some of the feedback from the last attempt fell on the lines of the last Hack-a-Thon proposal being too complicated. So... this one will be simple.

Since the October Workshop coincides with the VCF Swapmeet, the Hack-a-Thon challenge is:

"Free Pile Fabrication!"

Should you accept the challenge, grab stuff from the free pile at the VCF Swapmeet on October 18, 2025. Bring it to the Workshop at InfoAge in the 9032A room by 2PM on that Saturday, then make something useful out of that stuff. The contest will run until 6PM on that Saturday.

The rules are simple... release your creativity! You can't bring something and simply turn it on and expect a win. You should do your best to renew or repurpose everything you grab from the free pile and make something better from it.

We know the kind of stuff that ends up on the free pile, so we will be scrutinizing the end results. based on creativity and purpose. Sometimes "junk" can be made into something better. This is your chance to prove it.

Don't worry, there will be a winner. The judges so far are ME. Other judges may volunteer, but the Judges will not be allowed to participate in the Hack-a-Thon challenge. So if you want to win, you must impress ME and any other volunteer judge. I (we) cannot be paid off in beer, but I (we) will certainly accept any that you give me (us). :)

We're still working on a suitable prize. For now, the only prize is bragging rights. But there is a high degree of probability that the winner will receive a working Commodore VIC-20. I know, that's not a precious prize, but the prize correlates to the contest difficulty. I did say this contest would be simple, right?

No matter. The contest is designed to invoke fun and camaraderie. Please consider and enjoy the spirit of the event for what it is... a chance to make something new from something old. Let your imagination shine!

Jeff Salzman VCF Steering Committee member MARCH Workshop Manager