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Maker Faire Bay Area 2010

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Erik

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I'm a bit slow in posting this - mainly because I've been spending way too much free time pulling stuff together for the event but. . .

I am pleased to announce that I am a Maker at this year's Maker Faire.

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For those not familiar, the Maker Faire is basically a Geeks Gone Wild event for creative/constructive types. The website has lots more info about the faire in general but I will be displaying several vintage machines for folks to play with.

In 2007 and 2008 I was a guest of Microsoft and displayed different machines in conjuction with their booth. Last year I didn't show anything and this year is my first "solo."

As a Computer History Museum Docent-in-training I am tying the CHM in to my display and will also have a bunch of other Docent trainees "working" the booth.

I'll try to remember to post a picture of the pile, but as of yesterday I've pulled the following:
  1. Commodore 64
  2. Apple //e
  3. Atari 800
  4. PCjr
  5. MITS Altair 8800
  6. TRS-80 Model I (as a backup in case one of the others has issues.)
Friday I drive it all up to San Mateo and set up the display. Saturday and Sunday folks will be on hand to play! :)

It's well worth your time if you can make it - and sorry for the short notice - but look me up if you can!
 

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Very cool and nice of you to volunteer your time for the cause. I'm sure you'll be swamped with guests.. wish they still had the Makerfaire in Austin but lately it doesn't sound like they have the budget to carry on the newer fairs. I couldn't find it on the schedule but if you get a chance and they end up doing one definitely check out the combat robot games if they have one this year. I think it was ComBots or robot fighting league who brought it here in Austin. It was AWESOME to see in person. Noisy as heck but it's difficult to realize the scale these bots are built and weigh on TV vs in person. Then (probably more hush than policy) but talking to the folks that put it on they let me take a bolt and a piece of the bullet proof material the arena and some bots wear (vs a particular destructive robot) which was shattered by this bot during the match. Pretty damn awesome.. that and the vintage computers ;-) I was working the event here so I saw some stuff but not everything but either way it's fun to check out for those of you who haven't or just want to see it again.
 
Can you buy tickets at the door or do you need to get them on the website?

I am going to try to get down there since its not too far from me. Hopefully Saturday.
 
You can get tickets at the gate. I think they have discount coupons somewhere, too. Maybe. :)
 
Hi
I tried to get there this weekend at about 1 o'clock on Sunday.
I couldn't get within a 1/2 miles of the place. Was there some
other event going on or was there that much of a crowd for
the Make Fair??
Dwight
 
I'm nowhere near there but when it was here it would have been that much interest in the fair, but Austin has kinda crap road infrastructure so if there's anything to look at or only one lane traffic quickly gets backed up to a crawl for miles.
 
Dwight Elvey said:
Hi
I tried to get there this weekend at about 1 o'clock on Sunday.
I couldn't get within a 1/2 miles of the place. Was there some
other event going on or was there that much of a crowd for
the Make Fair??
Click to expand...
There were that many people there. The place was hopping and you're not the only one who got frustrated with the parking situation.

I think they estimated something north of 80,000 attendees this year.

The Maker Faire is worth getting up early for. You could spend the entire weekend, open to close both days, and still not see everything.

For those who missed it I've put a few pictures on Flickr.

Also, if you have time, I've started a discussion on Gravity in their Maker Faire area. If you can participate in that discussion (http://www.gravity.com/makerfaire/8477/vintage-computing-preserving-the-history) - even if you didn't attend - it might help me out.
 
Sadly we did not. The kids love their video and would have loved to see them play but there was just too much to do and no volunteer coverage at my booth for that timeslot.

Such is life. :(
 
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