[vcf-midatlantic] Let's add value to the club, and have fun doing it!!!

[Joseph Oprysko]

Here is a list of things that I feel the Vintage Computer Federation can do to add value to their name, and to add value for their members.

Add Value to their name:
Offer grading services to their members for their vintage equipment.  As well as grading our own equipment in the library and coming up with standards for grading for vintage systems.

Have members in various areas do membership drives at various events (Hamfests/Electronic Shows/Other computer club meetings/Etc.)

While as far as I know, we don’t charge a membership fee, maybe we should look into other ways to fund club activities, or to be able to purchase parts we need to repair machines, so they can be kept as close to original as possible.  Since we’re doing educational activities, if anyone has experience in applying for grants, that’s one route we could explore.

Find additional organizations to solicit donations from either in the form of funds or equipment or services.  I would recommend contacting companies that have been in business for many years, from Verizon, ATT, Lockheed, Sperry, IBM, as well as school districts, etc.

Have a “portable” museum.  Lets be honest, besides a few people who live close to central NJ or the shore, most of our members travel at least an hour.  But this isn’t about us, it’s about our NAME and getting it out there.  If we took a small trailer/mobile home, either attached to decent generators, or to connect to a couple power lines at the site when we would get where we’re going.  No, we likely wouldn’t be hauling big-iron around in it, but if we brought around a trailer of the PC’s of the 80’s to various schools, scout meetings, etc.  We would be educating the young, spreading our name, and having a hell of a time doing it.

Add Value for their members:
Offer FREE (not Ad supported) webpages to members to show off their vintage collections

Offer online social network (or member’s only/private group on Facebook)

Offer online/web based emulation of many vintage systems with demos and programs to help introduce millennials to vintage computing.

Replace/update the mail-list to one with a web-based interface.  I feel like we took a HUGE step backwards 

Have an members only auction/sales site


I’m sure other there are plenty of other things that people would come up with, and likely these are things that would come up in more of a board/key-business type meeting.  But I felt it’s important to bring up now that we’re a legal NPO as opposed to just a “club” of hobbyists.