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Vcf uk 2010

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Erik

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VINTAGE COMPUTER FESTIVAL - GREAT BRITAIN

For the first time in the UK:
Vintage Computer Festival
In and around the museum at Bletchley Park, this is a weekend event celebrating the history of computing.​
  • Exhibition of Private collections
  • Guest Lectures
  • Machine Demonstrations
  • Bring and Buy Sale
  • Vintage Challenge
Private collections are welcome and a secure area is planned to allow visitors to see and learn more about the history and restoration of computer systems.

The first Vintage Computer Festival
in Great Britain

June 19th and 20th, 2010
The National Museum of Computing
at Bletchley Park​
 
OK then... just me going?

OK then... just me going?

Surely there are some more of you going? Ah well, all the more flea market items for me then!
 
Perhaps most people like to go incognito? For that matter, I won't attend since none of my vintage computer collecting friends were interested or had the time to take a weekend trip to the UK.
<irony> If it had been a rock concert, I am sure several of them had booked tickets in advance, but computers are nothing you go abroad to see. </irony>
 
We seem to have 2 parallel threads going, I must have missed Erik's original post. So at least 3 of us are there at some point. (me from about 12 on Saturday)
 
VCF UK 2010 pictures

VCF UK 2010 pictures

Hi,

Here's my photos of the VCF GB from Saturday:

http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p151/john-a-s/VCF GB 2010/

and some of the Bletchley Museum:

http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p151/john-a-s/Bletchley Computer Museum 2010/

Enjoy!

I really enjoyed the day, photos can't really do justice to the atmosphere though. Most of the VCF exhibitors were in doors, but some were in two large marquees, which some said were a bit damp after Fridays rain.

Thanks to all those who took part, a lot of work went into the stands. I was particularly impressed by Chris Smith's reverse engineering of the Sinclair Spectrum ULA - an incredible piece of work (and he's written a book on it!).

Thanks also to Jim Austin, and the Acorn World crowd.

I was thinking of exhibiting, based on what I saw I would recommend bringing a partner, the one man exhibitors had a very long day - you need someone to cover for breaks and meals!

Regards,
John
 
Last edited:
Chris Smith had to be the hero of the event, that ULA was a remarkable acheivement. I have a few photos will put them on here on my last "10 bit" post.
 
1980s_john said:
Thanks also to Jim Austin
Click to expand...

Yes, he gave me a great talk-through of all the kit he had there. I said hello again to the mechanical calculator (I used to use a manual one, along with a slide rule, for number-crunching our results when I first worked in a lab in the mid-sixties) and got my first look at some of the insides of a Cray supercomputer. I was surprised by the size of the Altair - it looked a whole lot smaller in the adverts, not much bigger than a modern DAB radio.

No photos, I'm afraid.
 
Hey people

Just got back oop north and had a bit of a rest. Good to meet you Nige; and the badge worked! :) Unfortunately I didn't bump into retrohimpi or any other guys.. or did I? A photo might jog my memory.

Very good stuff at the event and a nice mix of familiar gear and 'oooh.. I've never seen one of those before'.

I got a Mac Classic for £10 for 'spares or repair' (and it certainly is... mega battery corrosion to the mainboard) and an Amiga external FDD but really wish there were more retro gear for sale.
Also, I found out that Jim is around 30 miles from me so I'll go up one day and take a look at his collection.
 
donutty said:
Unfortunately I didn't bump into retrohimpi or any other guys.. or did I?
Click to expand...

I had a 5"x3" exhibition badge with my name and my labyrinth avatar on it round my neck all the time, so you would have known if we'd crossed paths. I was only there for an hour or so on Saturday morning, and the only people I spoke to were demonstrating various bits of kit, so we probably missed each other.

Maybe next year :smile:
 
So did anyone see that new Commodore X1000 system that was supposed to be revealed there?(ooh.. ok I see it in the first pic) Did they talk about it much? Any opinions of the system or will it be another sold out hardware design then become an instant collectible?
 
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