[vcf-midatlantic] VCF East Swap Meet - Save the Date - Saturday November 7 (Rain: Sunday November 8)

[Jeff Galinat]

Evan,
  You feel this is out of context but I had even mentioned having a swap
separate from VCF but your response was as I previously quoted. You had
your vision on the way things should be done which worked but your initial
reaction to outside input is to say "No".  I probably only worked with you
at the museum 5 or 6 times but spent quite a bit of time arguing with you
as you are not exactly receptive to any ideas that differs from yours.
Believe me, I do appreciate on what you accomplished but sometimes talking
to you was like talking to a brick wall.  When your mind is made up there
is no room for discussion.
That's my opinion on our discussions perhaps you have a different view.  I
am sure in your mind I am totally wrong.
Regards,
Jeff

On Sun, Sep 13, 2020, 11:28 AM Evan Koblentz <evan at snarc.net> wrote:

> >> In years past, I pushed for a swap meet with previous management but
> the response was "It would be too much like a hamfest and hamfests are
> dying".
>
> That's out of context.
>
> Several people in the group asked for a swap meet * during * VCF East. I
> declined, because many of these people wanted to have a swap meet table
> instead of exhibiting. That would have damaged the exhibit hall and
> replaced much of it with something attractive only to people who are
> already in the hobby.
>
> It would have contributed to shrinking the hobby. My goal was to grow the
> hobby by introducing it to the public.
>
> Consignment was a (very successful) compromise. It let everyone sell stuff
> without taking away from the exhibit hall and also making some extra money
> for the group.
>
> I was right about that, and I was right about hamfests. How many families
> and kids excitedly go to a hamfest? Swapmeets are incestuous, and that
> makes communities wither and go extinct.
>
> You're able to have a swapmeet this year only because management is not
> bogged down running the real show.
>
> VCF's success is because of my earlier decisions, not in spite of them.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Sep 13, 2020, Jeff Galinat via vcf-midatlantic <
> vcf-midatlantic at lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
>>
>> Hi Adam,
>> Excellent! Even though I am a little bummed as I live in AZ now instead
>> of NJ, this is great news! Swap meets have been a large part of the vintage
>> computer and ham radio communities for years. I still find occasional
>> vintage computer items at hamfests but a vintage computer swap meet would
>> be great for the hobby.  In years past, I pushed for a swap meet with
>> previous management but the response was "It would be too much like a
>> hamfest and hamfests are dying".
>>
>> One of the largest draws for TCF was the flea market and I had many great
>> finds over the years but they effectively killed the flea market by moving
>> it in to a small room.
>>
>> I still have a good amount of vintage equipment in NJ so maybe I can
>> participate in a future
>> event if it happens next year.
>>
>> Best of luck with the event,
>> Jeff
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Sep 13, 2020, 9:32 AM Adam Michlin via vcf-midatlantic <
>> vcf-midatlantic at lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
>>
>> Hi Everyone,
>>>
>>> Alas, there will be no consignment at our hybrid VCF East coming up, but
>>> we have decided to try something new and have an *outdoor* Swap Meet.
>>> Vendors (which can be individuals) will be able to rent space and people
>>> will be able to attend the event for the very modest fee of $5. All VCF
>>> surplus will also be on sale at this event.
>>>
>>> DATE: Saturday, November 7, with Rain Date Sunday, November 8
>>> TIME: 9AM TO 6PM
>>> Location: InfoAge, 2201 Marconi Road Wall, NJ 07719
>>>
>>> $20 for vendors for first space, $10 for each additional space. 4 spaces
>>> max - BRING YOUR OWN TABLES/BLANKETS/WHATEVER
>>>
>>> $5 for admissions for general public
>>>
>>> We want to emphasize this will be an *outdoor* event
>>
>>
>>
>> I'm particulary excited about this because, back in the 1990s, my first
>>
>>> stint (habit, if you prefer) of vintage computer collecting was
>>> supported by attending regular computer swap meets in Silicon Valley at
>>> De Anza College and Lawrence Livermore Labs. The enthusiam at
>>> consignment each year tells me we are ripe to bring something like this
>>> back on a regular basis, but, of course, COVID make things trickier than
>>> usual.
>>>
>>> Best wishes,
>>>
>>> -Adam
>>
>>
>>