April 22, 2008

Fourth Vintage Computer Festival set for April 26-27

The fourth Vintage Computer Festival, an event at Purdue led by Patrick Finnegan, the university's Unix-Web system administrator, is Saturday (April 26) and Sunday (April 27) in Stewart Center, Room 218. Speakers are scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. both days, with 1-5 p.m. set aside for exhibits and demonstrations.

"We'll have computers dating back nearly to the beginning of computing to present-day," Finnegan said. "Our visitors will be able to see how technology has progressed and who and what made the modern computers that we have on our desk possible."

The event will feature keynote speaker Vince Briel, the inventor of the Replica 1 computer, at 11 a.m. Sunday. The replica 1 is a functional clone of the Apple 1 computer that Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak used to start Apple Computers.

Briel also will conduct a workshop at 2 p.m. Sunday on assembling the Micro-KIM and Replica 1.

Sellam Ismail, the founder of vintage computer festivals in California, will speak at 11 a.m. Saturday, and other speakers are scheduled.

Displays of vintage computers and video games will be set up in the "Geek Museum."

"The museum will provide kind of a timeline of computing from early on to where we are today," Finnegan said.

A Digital VAX 11/780, a popular minicomputer in the late 1970s and early 80s, will be displayed.

A marketplace section with a consignment sale also is planned, and display space remains open for anyone with vintage items. A vintage IBM PCjr computer system from 1983 will be given as a door prize.

The event is open to the public. Purdue students and anyone 17-under will be admitted for free. Cost is $5 for all others.

Refreshments will be served on both afternoons of the event.

Writer: Jim Bush, (765) 494-2077, jsbush@purdue.edu

Source: Patrick Finnegan, (765) 496-1752, vax@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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