Vintage Computer Festivals provide the community with a great place to convene, inspire, educate,
and a most importantly, have fun.
Each one is different, made up of a distinct portion of the community, primarily due to the geographic
isolation of each event, as well as the history of computer culture in that area.
That being said, each one is fantastic in its own way, and I enjoy each of the ones I've experienced for
what they are.
I've been involved in the community for a considerable part of my life, and have no intentions of stopping any time soon. I enjoy the exhibiting factor as well as exploring the other computer technology brought in by my fellow hobbyists. Many of them have become friends over the years, and have helped teach me the skills needed to repair and maintain my existing collection of computers. They've also provided me with networking opportunities to find the machines I want, and find homes for computers I've acquired but aren't right for my collection. I would much rather find a good home for a computer than let it languish, unloved in my collection. As best as I can, in turn I've passed along my skills and enthusiasm to others to perpetuate the best aspects of the hobby. That motivation has manifested itself most notibly in the Cactus, and I'm told that others have drawn inspiration from my work, which is such a nice thing to hear. I can say without question that my involvement in vintage computers wouldn't be nearly as strong if it weren't for events like these. I highly recommend visiting a VCF if you have the time and the slightest interest in old computer topics. You find such a rich community with overlapping talents from ham radio operators, vintage telephony geeks, modern computer experts, and far more. |