Author: Jeffrey Brace

VCF East 2021 – Rescheduled!

Posted on by Jeffrey Brace Category: Uncategorized

Hello everyone,

I hope that everyone is safe, healthy and still able to enjoy our vintage computer hobby these days.
As you can see Covid-19 persists across the country and vaccines are not yet at the levels that we want them to be. Large crowds will not be possible in April and likely not be for at least a few months.
So I am rescheduling VCF East to October 8, 9, 10, 2021. I’m hoping that 8 months from now we will be in a place where we can have an in-person event. I will make a final decision by August 1 whether we will stay in-person or go virtual.
I will be starting to make plans for this event with the hope that we will have an in-person event. There will be some exciting and welcome changes to the event that will make it epitomize the fun nature of it’s namesake “festival”, which I see as a once a year coming together and celebration of vintage computers where everyone will share their enjoyment of this hobby.
Take care everyone, be safe, and be well!
Jeff Brace

Giving Day and Donating to VCF

Posted on by Jeffrey Brace Category: Uncategorized

Today is Giving Day, so I’d like to remind everyone that VCF is a 501c3 non-profit. We are always open to donations of money. We always need funding especially in a year where the largest sources of our funding, our Vintage Computer Festivals, were cancelled due to Covid-19.

Here are the ways that you can send us cash donations:

  1. Check by Mail:  P.O. Box 417, Eatontown, NJ, 07724
  2. PayPay: paypal@vcfed.org
  3. Amazon Smile: smile.amazon.com/gp/ch/list/47-4133714

An unrestricted donation is best for us to fund the most needed project.

Here are current projects that we are working on:

  1. Warehouse organizing materials
  2. Warehouse climate control materials
  3. Warehouse climate control equipment
  4. Museum artifact display improvements
  5. Museum office supplies

VCF Swap Meet

Posted on by Jeffrey Brace Category: Uncategorized

The Vintage Computer Federation is having its first Swap Meet event. This swap meet is for vintage computers, radios, TVs, ham radios and related items.

FREE FOR BUYERS!

Vendors: $20 for 1st space, $10 for each additional space.

DATE: November 7, 2020 (RAIN DATE: November 8, 2020)
TIME: 9AM to 6PM
LOCATION: Huge Parking lot on Monmouth Boulevard between Watson Road and Taft Street in Wall, NJ

Across from InfoAge Museum and Brookdale College
GPS location: 40.1848793,-74.0630848
Google Maps: Click Here
Satellite Map Click Here
Flyer – PNG
Flyer – PDF

WEBSITE: https://vcfed.org/vcf-swap-meet
EMAIL: swapmeet@vcfed.org
PHONE: 732-722-5015

If you are interested in renting a space, please fill out this Reservation Form

November Repair Workshop at System Source

Posted on by Jeffrey Brace Category: Uncategorized

The Vintage Computer Federation and the System Source Computer Museum are hosting a vintage computer workshop on Saturday November 14th and Sunday November 15th 2020 at:

System Source Computer Museum

338 Clubhouse Road,

Hunt Valley, MD  21031

Plenty of free parking, short walk from Baltimore’s light rail (Gilroy Road Stop)

Saturday November 14th, 2020 we will open at 9:00 AM on and will lock up by 7:30 PM.

We will go to dinner afterwards. Details to follow soon.

Sunday November 15th we will open at 9:00 AM and lock up at 5:00 PM

All social distancing restrictions must be followed such as wearing a mask and staying 6 feet apart. There is plenty of space in the workshop areas.

Accommodations:  Try https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g41196-Hunt_Valley_Maryland-Hotels.html

Feel free to talk with others about sharing a room.

Food:   There are plenty of restaurants within a short drive.   We will have a catered Indian buffet on Saturday at cost ($12.00?) and catered Barbecue ($12.00?) on Sunday for those who sign up.

We will feature tours of the museum throughout both days and several mini-workshops:

  • Retrobright workshop (bring your yellowed plastics)
  • Pre-industrial computing class –  Learn to use a slide rule, and various types of Abaci
  • Hot Metal Typesetting (3500 lb word processor)

If you need a machine to work on, please let me know.  We have lots of computers awaiting restoration!

If you have unusual needs, (220 Volts, fork lift, etc please email Bob Roswell at museum@syssrc.com

Bob Roswell

broswell@syssrc.com

https://museum.syssrc.com

410-771-5544 x 4336

Sign up for the repair workshop is here: <https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Z72yC72x5PmN4jb0Aw8uK3x0sQwMAk-0Opuee_zYu5Y/edit?usp=sharing>

VCF East 2020 Virtual Only – Oct 10 & 11

Posted on by Jeffrey Brace Category: east, Events, Vintage Computer Festival

VCF East will be a virtual only show for 2020.

The dates for the live show will be October 10 & 11. Time will be from 9AM to 6PM.

We will be streaming to YouTube with the schedule to be released soon.

Exhibitors can submit a 5 to 10 minute video or show their exhibit in-person at InfoAge.

Sign up here: https://forms.gle/24CeNpKFDwVmLeMR9

Class Instructors can submit a 30 minute video on their how-to class.

Sign up here: https://forms.gle/kFhoGKuPBcSAWRHKA

I know that this will be a great disappointment to many. I had hoped that after 4 months that conditions would have improved to the point that the show could be in-person, but limitations in indoor capacity makes the effort to organize an in-person show prohibitive. We considered the time, effort, money and safety to make an in-person show.

But don’t despair! Our virtual hybrid show will still be a lot of fun!
We can still make the show great despite being a virtual hybrid.

VCF West, K-Fest and HOPE have shown that a fun show can still be created while being virtual.
THE GENERAL PUBLIC ISN’T ALLOWED AT THE SHOW.
Only staff and a handful of exhibitors will be there in-person

I will be sending out more details about our plans as we develop them.

VCF Museum reopening August 1, 2020

Posted on by Jeffrey Brace Category: Vintage Computer Federation Museum

The Vintage Computer Federation Museum will reopen starting August 1, 2020 as per InfoAge’s plan to reopen. InfoAge has a plan for everyone wearing masks, providing hand sanitizer, social distancing and controlling the volume of visitors, etc. They are following all the state and local guidelines for safety in regards to Covid-19. If you have any questions, then please let me know.

VCF West wrap-up

Posted on by Jeffrey Brace Category: Uncategorized

THANK YOU to all who attended and supported Vintage Computer Festival West last weekend! It was a huge success. Dozens of amazing exhibits, great lectures, and 18 of the world’s approximately 70 remaining original Apple 1 computers in the building. Special thanks to all of the attendees and exhibitors, plus our awesome loyal supporters: the staff of the Computer History Museum, Hackaday, the Association for Computing Machinery, Commodore’s Bil Herd, Apple’s Dan Kotte, RR Auctions, and Apollo Guidance Computer expert Frank O’Brien. Visit our YouTube channel to watch video of the event.

We’re livestreaming from VCF West

Posted on by Jeffrey Brace Category: Uncategorized

Vintage Computer Festival West (#vcfwest) is underway. In addition to the exhibit hall, there’s a full slate of lectures, panels, and special demonstrations. There’s nothing like being there in person, but this year we are experimenting with our first live stream — please forgive us if the quality isn’t fully professional. Make some popcorn and click over to our YouTube channel to watch all weekend. Enjoy the show!