Author: Erik Klein

VCF West 2020 will be a virtual event.

Posted on by Erik Klein Category: Events, Vintage Computer Festival

Since it appears that we won’t be allowed to host “large gatherings” in the state of California for the foreseeable future, it is time to plan for keeping the spirit of VCF West alive without the physical gathering.

To do that we want to host the same basic format.  Exhibits, speakers and classes along with the “social” aspects of getting hobbyists together.

The only way to effectively do that is to put as much of the effort in advance as possible.  That means that contributors are being asked to “virtualize” their contributions with shareable videos, slide shows, etc.  Speakers and class trainers as well as any exhibitors willing will be asked to allow for an online Q&A session after the video is aired.

We will also host virtual meetups throughout the day, hopefully with special guests encouraged to visit at predetermined times.

The entire event will be scheduled for 6-8 hours on Saturday August 1st with all of the videos completed, post processed, uploaded and held by the prior weekend (July 26th.)

What we will need:

  1. Committed exhibitors to produce 5 minute (+/-) videos of the systems(s) they would have liked to exhibit.  These should be submitted to the VCF West team by early July, at the latest. Sooner is always better!

  2. At least a couple of keynote speakers willing to do 30 minute recorded talks and willing to host a Q&A Hangouts/Meetings call.

  3. Hopefully a classroom teacher or two to do a training video of 15-30 minutes and willing to host a Q&A Hangouts/Meetings call.

Again if you would like to participate in one of the above categories (exhibitor, presenter, educator) please let me (erik@vcfed.org) know as early as possible and please get your video done as quickly as possible.

Some video suggestions:

  • Please have your recording device in Landscape mode.

  • Introduce yourself and your exhibit to start.

  • Please ensure that you have appropriate lighting for your video.  Remember that different parts of the video may need different lighting.  Filming screens is usually done in a darker environment while speakers should find as much light as possible.

  • Audio is just as important as video.  Consider an external microphone, if possible.  Find a suitable space to do the recording with a minimum of ambient noise, echo, etc.

  • If you are speaking while in the video please speak into the camera rather than while looking away, if at all possible.

  • Play back your work and make sure you like it before submitting it!  Our editors will clean up some stuff, but we can’t add things that aren’t there, etc.

I created a sample video.

My raw one is here: https://youtu.be/amSyI3t6JWk

The cleaned up version is here: https://youtu.be/_1GKSVyuLRk
Update 6/24/2020

We currently have 12 exhibits, 2 presentations and 2 classes and the list is growing daily. The deadline of July 7 is coming soon, so submit your video quickly if you want to be included!

VCF West 2020

Posted on by Erik Klein Category: Events
With due consideration for the current Corona virus situation, our hopes are that The Vintage Computer Festival West 2020 will take place, as usual, at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA on August 1st and 2nd.
 
This year, however, we’ve decided to take over the entire second floor of the CHM.
 
This will give us a real auditorium and stage for our presentations away from the hustle, bustle and noise of the exhibit area. It also allows us to put Consignment in a contained area nearer the freight elevator and, by doing so, free up the classrooms for, well, classes.
 
I’ve opened exhibit registration on the vcfed website and have posted our preliminary schedule, exhibitors guide, FAQ and so on, all linked from here.
 
Please feel free to sign up for exhibits as soon as you are able. Please tell your friends, family, coworkers, acquaintance and random people you meet on the street about the event. Especially those in the vintage computing community or related areas who might be interested in exhibiting or presenting.
 
We have a much bigger space to fill and I’m looking forward to a huge, awesome show.
 
But we still need lots of things:
 
  1. Speakers – If you know someone working on a special project, with a connection so some bit of history, with a passion for something in our field, etc. please let me know and let’s get them signed up to share!
  2. Classes – If you have a talent or skill that you can teach others about, please consider conducting a class. Anything in the restoration, vintage software, preservation and other hobby areas is encouraged!
  3. Exhibitors – we need lots. We’ll be expanding beyond the traditional VCF focus on just computers and related gear. We’re looking for collectors of slide rules, mechanical and early electronic calculators and other “computing” equipment from days gone by.
  4. Volunteers – This show requires a lot of work and we’re looking for anyone interested in lending a hand. Responsibilities include running the front desk, consignment, the AV boards, running mics for presentations, helping with setup and tear-down and more. Students in need of volunteer hours will get letters for credit.
We will, of course, continue to monitor the Corona Virus situation closely and we will make timely decisions on how that might impact this show. The hope is that things settle down significantly in the intervening 6 months, for the world’s sake, and that we can proceed.
 
We’ll keep you posted. Please let me know if you have any comments, concerns, questions or whatever.
 
Thank you!