My brother's video about our recent Vintage Computer Festival/Chicago trip is up! Lots of good times and enjoyable sights in this one: ua-cam.com/video/l3IXl7h6r4g/v-deo.html For those in the comments who've asked where to see the photos he took in the city and that whole process with film, look no further.
You know what would be funny instead of some holographic stickers those were cards like, were you just have to get them all lol each card a different computer that is not common or more common but odd in one way or an other or it is full of cigarette lighters lol, called the chain smokers computer. A bunch of funny shit even if the computer is modern... it would be neat. The Apple IIe maxed out open with a speech synthesizer, the computer used by the blind at one point in time in a shitty public school full of A holes, with a decent special ed classroom. All the slots are used up and it has more chips on the motherboard. Later an other card with the very noisy older Braille printer, that worked slower but fine. On the other end you have that laptop I once saw that was from Japan that was made with an older population in mind where their is a round circle below the keyboard to use the mouse and it had a ring around it with buttons so you can click... a smaller touch pad. I saw your stickers with the old pc you showed and it made me think if cards children collect.
This is a great video, as always. What really separates your channel from many others like it is that you don't just spit out facts and report what happened. You always manage to tell an engaging story. You are a credit to the hobby, Clint.
I think what it is, I am sure personally Clint is quite a character, but in his videos he doesn't play one. Too many influencers are just "personalities" and that's all they are. Just show.
That's why the people I'm subscribed to on youtube is very small. I stick with being subbed to people that are real actual people and arent playing a gag show. Fake laughing, fake reactions, fake stories, you know the drill. Let's just say if they ever had a dedicated computer museum (well there have been several already), Clint would be the perfect tour guide and exhibitor. @@poeticsilence047
I was fortunate enough to meet Clint at the show, and i have to say, he is one of the kindest and most attentive "personalities" I have ever been privileged to meet. He took the time to talk and seemed generally interested in everything that people had to talk to him about, and while the line was long, it was well worth the wait. Seriously - thank you for taking the time to meet and greet everyone. On a side note - I was talking to some of the VCF staff at the show, and they stated this is probably the last year at the Clarion. They are using the size of this, and the revenue pulled in as justification to move to a bigger and better place.
@@ferretyluvChicago isn’t as bad as people make it out to be. Less safe than the suburbs? Sure, but it’s really no worse than most major cities in America.
@@jackmarshall847 Yeah, as far as I remember, crime rates in the US are generally on the decline from 20-40 years ago. The idea that crime is "out of control" is really not supported by evidence, and is usually just rhetoric to push baseless "tough on crime" policies that don't solve anything other than keeping private prisons in business.
I understand Clint’s apprehension about lack of security, but the outdoor stuff that sprung up and the general vibe is all so organic and old school. There has to be a way to meet in the middle on this. Growth does mean more rules, but with this kind of community there definitely can be a way to keep a bit more order in the amazing chaos, but not kill the vibe or ruin the feel that this conference creates.
Really i think the suggestion given of exhibitor badges will go a long way, and even though its a free event maybe also making a free badge you get at a door or even some kind of stamp card would allow for attendance keeping to better plan for venue space in the future. Once things spill out outdoors theres only so much you can do though hah ;P
I don't see how security would kill the vibe or ruin the feel, it's just security Plus I don't see how which community it is is relevant. There are always bad actors
HOPE. (Hackers on Planet Earth) certainly tried to kill the vibe with security. The BS that went on was unnecessary. Especially the custom electronic badges that mostly didn't do anything but cost money. There didn't seem to be any accountability for cash at the gate. Guys just put cash in their pocket and no names or receipts for anything.
Honestly VCF has kind of outgrown its usual conference center. Like you mentioned, even with every room being utilized things were still absolutely packed and tables were spilling out of the building, and parking was chaos. If it continues growing like this a bigger location will be a must very soon. TYSM for signing my Thinkpad btw!
This reminds me of the only time that I got to go to Gen Con, in one of its final years in Milwaukee before it moved to Indy for more space and better traveller access.
Wasn't that awesome?! Really brought me back to the eighties. Walking into a Walden Software and seeing 5.25 floppies posted to a cork-board in sandwich baggies. That said, I really miss the artwork and various boxes of PC games. :( I fear that time has gone for good with digital downloading.
I get the impression that they've long outgrown their roots as a hotel con and may need to embrace a larger convention center. I don't think that's a bad thing! It's just the nature of the business.
How do you do this, without charging admission? You’d have to become a much more typical kind of convention; and the organizers would need a very large cash deposit up front; convention centers do not book you on good wishes and promises.
@@MichaelEilers IDK man the way I see it is either you start charging even minimal admission to the event or you cap admission into the current situation because any larger than this in its current set up and it is going to be a fire hazard. I don't have the answers, nor am I an event promoter, just someone who has vended at events for the past decade at this point.
Thank you for the shoutout to my OPL Archive exhibit! The show is definitely insane and I hope someday we'll get to talk more at length about that synthy goodness, but at least I was able to sneak an OPL sticker over to you. :)
"'Why? Why bother with all this old junk,' as they say. And well, as with so many niche hobbies, one person's trash is another person's weekend project that spiraled out of control and became a years-long obsession." ♥
I think that applies to all hobbies and not just niche ones. Wether it's a video game console, a model railroad, a garden, a farm, or a vintage computer, the normies won't understand... and we happily won't care! 😄
So glad we got to meet you. That's my wife and I at 15:10 getting a selfie (yes we waited in line haha). We made the 15 hour drive after watching VCFMF on your channel for the past few years and it was well worth it!
This is great. Imagine yourself reflecting on these "good ol" days in 20 years. I'm sure when this becomes larger and more commercial, you will miss these wild days. Bless the community and how it has grown.
It's the same way us furries feel about how the conventions grew from 100-200 comic book nerds in someone's house and hanging out as a big house party back in the 80s, to the massive multimillion dollar 5-star hotel trip it is now with over 10,000 + and you don't even remember everyone you see. Once a convention grows too big, it loses its personality, and it gets dangerous. Love the madness and embrace the crazy, this footage will become historical pretty rapidly.
Weird thing is I don't really have much of an interest in vintage computers or computers in general, yet this has remained one of my favorite channels for over a decade. I just really love how you make videos and there's this "universal" enthusiasm and nostalgia to them that translate no matter my level of interest in the actual subject.
I’m really glad to hear that, as I’ve always thought the same regarding excitement levels coming across through video. Lots of channels I watch myself I have no experience with the subject at all, I just love watching the enthusiasm/host!
TYSM for the hard work and care you put into the setup, I live all the way in Arizona and not experienced in vintage computing so I hope I find a similar community here in this state.
the show was super fun but super packed, but i'm so glad i was able to meet you for a second time! i'm the green haired girl at 16:05 and i cannot believe that face i made 😭
I loved the show. I had never been to one despite living close and I was shocked at how large of an event this was. I really enjoyed the vendors popping up in the parking lot. So much fun to browse. I'll be back next year for sure. Despite the issues with security, and space, this show is really incredible for being free and the organizers should be extremely proud.
I just discovered a vintage computer museum in my own country with hundreds if not thousands computers from 1970 onwards , many of which are working and even usable by the public. It gave me a vibe like this Festival of yours. I really hope I can visit it in the USA one day. I need one of those LGR badges. Oh, and your philosophical contemplation about museum fatigue (around 19:45 )is just what I felt... they had SOO many awesome rare computers that after a while you just run past the endless showings of more more more rare Ataris, Japanese MSXs and Apples because you want a coffee and donut.
Given how let down you sound about not being able to wander the floor I think VCF needs an exhibitor day, just a day so those who make the show possible can look around without being harassed or harangued and can actually enjoy the show. This would need to be in tandem with better security just to stop joe public from getting in.
The fact that exhibitors don't get much time to walk around the show they are exhibiting at is not a unique thing. I dabble in vintage motorcycles and get invited to show my various bikes & restorations, but am almost tied to my "spot" because so many spectators are inquisitive and/or looking for help and/or know me from UA-cam. I rarely get to see all that these shows have to offer, but that is part of being a "known" entity or exhibitor at a show. An exhibitor day/time would help that and is a great idea, especially for vintage computing.
This is what Friday is _supposed_ to be more or less, but since there is no consistent vetting of people at the door and there are no exhibitor/vendor badges, other visitors can simply walk in before the show. And even if it was just vendors and exhibitors, there's such a treasure trove of so much stuff to see and not enough time in one evening to do it. Plus a whole buncha folks simply set up their table and leave until the next day. Which is fine, I understand entirely!
@@LGR I find the a similar thing with exhibitors at the bigger show's and expo's I bring my motorcycles to. Other exhibitors leave because it is a lot of work just getting your own stuff setup and secure. However at least at my type of shows, they do vet who is in the exhibition area so rando's are less of a problem.
The bear PC was absolutely a highlight for me to see in person. Glad I had a table, got to talk to a LOT of people, it was a blast. Agreed on the checks on setup day. I’d also ask that exhibitors are allowed in earlier than the genpop the day of. I’ve heard one could get in somewhere hidden but never found or heard about it. I think it’s gotten big enough that it needs more formality now. As one that runs a meetup, I get how a pain it is, when it becomes work, it’s work. But… it’s there.
You're such a good storyteller! I'm not into vintage computing at all, but I always enjoy your stories (that's how I see them). You're special, Clint! ❤
@@Luke5100 Oh, I'm into FOSS coding as a hobbyist (mostly C)... I should have rephrased that better 😅 I meant I'm not into vintage systems, as I don't have any interest in *owning* any... I did grow up around some of the systems and software of the 90s so it's a bit of nostalgia for the era I guess. However most of the time he presents things that I didn't have contact with (e.g. MIDI cards or games...), yet I connect the dots with the experiences I had... and he tells compelling stories. Yeah, I should've explained myself way better in that last comment 😅😅😅
I will never question why people will go out of there way to restore old systems, I praise you guys. Not just for nostalgia purposes but to help us remember where it all started. The fact that a lot of the original equipment is still functional and alive out there makes me smile. You guys possess a talent that I'll never have...but wish I did. I'm going to come to one of these Festival one year and make it a point to see you, and to indulge in some retro computing business. This is definitely one of those events that I know I'd love from beginning to end...there's not much else I can think of that would make me excited than something like this. Problem is, I'm afraid I'd want to buy half the place...or take too many free items that I don't need or can't use. Still, I'm in Canada, in the Niagara Region so that's a bit of distance for me too...still, it would be worth it. So maybe next year I'll plan to come, who knows. Praying I don't forget (like I usually do with everything).
These videos are so cool. It reminds me of going to computer shows back in the late 1990s and early 2000s with my uncle. I was 10 when I started going to these shows and into my teens. Sadly, these shows don't exist anymore in my area. Beige plastic and huge CRT monitors as far as the eye can see. Good times.
Hey Clint (and Luke), Clark here, I'm the guy who had the restored Atari 2600 kiosk this year. Honestly quite surprised we were stationed right next to each other once again, haha. Absolutely love this show ever since I first started attending in (I think) 2019. The people we meet and the interesting/amazing stuff we get to see is no understatement, and a pleasure every time! I personally ended up coming home with more than I brought for once too, lol. Hopefully next year I can bring another impressive main display piece, and this time I'll make sure there's more room ahead of time as I actually got REALLY lucky that I was able to open up the wall to make a whole other pathway/space. That could have been even more of a nightmare in that corner with how many people piled up. Definitely agree that there needs to be a que line next time for all the content creators (especially you). One last thing, I will mention that I do still have the "LAN Party in a Box" aka the Cubix subsystem, so if you're still interested in that at all, let me know! Anyhow, I'm sure I'll se you again either next year or sometime in between at another event like MGC again. See ya!
Also, if Jason sees this comment... We need to figure out better parking! I couldn't park ANYWHERE on Saturday, and I still had some pieces of the kiosk to bring in. Took about an hour just to find a place to park down the road and cart that stuff over, not to mention how worried I was that I may get a ticket since I had to park on a side street. As a vendor/exhibitor, I hope that can be avoided in the future, such as reserved parking spaces. That's my main gripe, otherwise keep up the amazing work hosts!
More parking in general is going to solve the reserved-spaces problem. We were able to reserve a small set (like 10) for our truck and volunteers, but we'd need 100+ for exhibitors. Sounds like we need a whole new venue ;)
@@Silent700 Surprised you saw my comment and so soon too! It would be really hard to say goodbye to the Clarion so soon as its an amazing location, but if its for the best then I am not against it. Can't wait to see where things go! See ya around Mr. T!
So cool and important to document these meets and events as well ! Not just peoples phones but actual videography. I can see this vid being a super interesting time stamp in 15-20 years.
This is great but I cannot wait to watch the travel blog after this, 2 and half hours is gonna fly by, sometimes your content gets to me at just the right times, thank you for all the hard work and entertainment.
I (and my buddy) had the table that had 200+ Macs and I also couldn't ever really leave to see the rest of the exhibits. Thank goodness we were able to rehome everything except one lonely Mac Performa 600 that I took back home with me so that way next year I'll probably just do one table and set up a few things for people to play with and leave that poor Performa to it's own devices. Was good to see you, though! Oh, that Duo 280 at the end was from us as well.
Thanks again for cutting me a deal on that Trinitron. I swear to God I'm just a moron and wasn't trying to hustle you. But I REALLY needed a CRT, so it's doing me great
It's great to see you taking time and meeting all these people who watch your videos! Really makes me smile 😊 everyone travelling from wherever they watch them
I feel like if VCF Midwest charged like even 15-20 bucks for a mandatory badge/bracelet you had to have on to get inside I'd be completely ok with it, considering they're keeping interest in retro computing alive, but also having badges visible means its easier to keep track of people who don't actually have access to be inside, would help clean things up just a tad as well. Great job Clint!
Was thinking the same thing but then I started looking around.. and there's a bunch of 80s Macs over there.. and a dell xps 720 over there.. I'm turning into one of them..
It's about nostalgia for me. A little bit of collecting, and nostalgia, and playing the old games and software I remember. The sights, sounds, smells of a dusty old computer warming up. Irreplaceable feelings. And then the aspect of working on them, fixing up that discarded old POS tower PC from Windows XP that someone ruined and getting it back to showroom new again, it's very rewarding.
Mr. Clint wish you all the best, always happy to see another video of yours. Whoever attended that event may not know how lucky they are. I am making my own VCF at home in the little space I have though I don't have that kind of vintage stuff but am happy with what I have. I wish we could have such an event in the Middle East!
I really want to get to that con/show some day. I do love, while a little chaotic, that the show is soooo big there's a crazy flea market feel outside. Sounds like it's time to find a bigger venue and growing the show. This is amazing and I LOVE IT!
Smashing episode. Dude i totally get you, I went with a friend to the cambridge computer museum in the UK. After 1 hour I had to go for a nap in the toilet due to retro tech brain overload
12:50 I have the exact same HP monitor. It was my first TFT screen that I received as a Christmas present from my parents. 😊 Still using it today for my home server. Every time I see it it brings back so many memories.
It was a real treat meeting you at VCFMW, Clint! At the last minute, I gave you the Bureau 13 game CD and bought an LGR case badge from you. I hope to see you at another VCF event, possibly VCF Southwest 2024, in Dallas?
Looks like a great event! I often think that people 'our age' lived through a unique time, from Pong & Atari VCS through to 4K gaming. From 1.4 MB floppy disks to 2TB SSDs. The progress has been incredible, but there's something special about the retro stuff.
I really do appreciate both videos on the subject. I havent had the time to watch the full 2 hour video but wanted to get a more breakdown video. Thank you for this post, LGR youre so thoughtful! I plan to watch the full video in time
I get second hand exhaustion just thinking of prepping, loading up gear, driving or flying miles away, setup for 2 days and then undo and back home again. I kinda wish these things could be a week or something with the prospect of lower traffic days where you can enjoy without claustrophobia and being rushed, but I understand why they aren't.
The hotel makes a lot of money, but it is exceptionally costly to their business to host that many people for that long that book out every single room. They don't like hosting big events because of the fact that you have hundreds of people paying in lump sums of several nights rather than the same room to someone every single night getting paid. If one of these conventions would just buy an old warehouse to use as a hosting space for the lifetime of the convention, I'm sure it would alleviate all the issues and they could just have it for however long they want. Kind of like a pop up museum/convention. One of my uncles bought his old middle school when it was closed down and condemned and he uses it both to live in as a personal house, and as a storage building, and he's already made back what he paid for the school about 50 times over just by renting the classrooms out as storage units. He even lets the local 4H club use the old cafeteria as a show space for their events +dining which provides additional monies. He's really smart.
This year's VCFMW was the best. It was larger than the other VCF shows. To coin Ron's Computer Video channel, this was more like VCF National. I met so many like minded people and got to talk at length with Ben Heck. What a character. See ya'll at VCFMW 2024. Bring money lol.
You have somehow captured the essence of something so special. The moments of happiness and excitement that I experienced watching this must be compounded by those who were actually there in attendance. I love the floppy disks you made up, they looked fantastic! Keep up the good fight!
I got to enjoy walking around VCF Southwest this year. Got to meet 8-bitGuy, got to have a ton of nostalgia around Color Computers. Glad these events happen!
19:30 i recognized the box that guy pulled up instantly! asherons call was my first mmo and online social experience, it holds a special place in my heart. after several incidents and periods of my life i unfortunately dont own anything i had as a kid or teen anymore but im eager to buy some old pc game boxes and asherons call is top of the list
Looks like a retro tech paradise! Wish I could've gotten down there and grabbed some shareware from you. Would've given me another reason to get my own retro pc project finished finally. Keep up the great work!
I agree, I haven't seen anything this big on the West Coast and not sure if it happens elsewhere in Canada. This would be amazing and worth taking time off work to experience.
Hamfest? HAMFEST! I haven't heard that in ages. I remember going to them with my grandfather 35+ years ago. I gotta say, hearing that term made my day. Between the shot on highway near Ashville (I love that section), the shot dropping into cinci, and hamfest, lots of fun feels in this one (even more than the typical vintage compy386 stuff). Thanks.
Glad you had fun! Hopefully you're feeling better, after catching COVID (as did I and atleast 20 of my friends there). I know I had a blast, even with the unwanted viral souvenir.
Just recently discovered your channel as as someone who was born in 95 but was always a couple years behind when it came to pc hardware i love your content, i remember using windows 95,98,me amd 2k before i got into pcs around xp and my first good rig was a pentium 4 2.4ghz with 256mb ram and no gpu playing wow. Before i would make Age of empires or Command and conquer run on anything i could gwt my hands on even if it was a pentium 3 with 100mb of ram of whatever i had access to back then
super popular guy it looks like not sure what I would ask you in person, other than to say thanks but I dont need to waste your time to do that everything I need to know about and from you, are shared in these here video series. thanks for taking us along for the journey JB in Canada
I glad I went to VCFMW this year I got to meet you hack I in video at the end. Just want to say it was great meeting you and I really in joy your video. with that said VCFMW was a little crazy remind me of Comic con back in the day but no organization still fun
When I did shows all stall holders and companies has two ours grace before doors opened to wander around and get things. Made sense and worked out great. Oh I’m in 🇬🇧
Never relized how big this is . Id love to goto a show atleast once! Both my uncles were into computers in the 90s . Gave me my first C+ progamming book at 12 years old . My other uncle worked at IBM at the time. He had a whole server rack of stuff in his basement. Let me tell you i would FAFO on the weekends while at his house!
Kind of has a vibe that reminds me a bit of when I was a kid and I'd tag along with my brother to his Commodore Club meet-ups at the bingo hall that was a couple blocks from our house. Except multiplied a hundred fold.
I don't think Joosa Riekkinen, (a Finnish game programmer) was thinking in 1998 that he's game Liero is going being sold by an American youtuber in the year 2023. Amazing stuff Clint. 😄
I grew up just a few towns away from Elmhurst Illinois and didn't hear about it until last year, which was just after I moved a state away. Wish I could meet the "Vintage Tech Tubers" that got me back to my original aesthetic: Woodgrain (Even ended up applying some vinyl woodgrain to my first PC build, and even got custom wood trim for my first, new car! Yes, I could always just send images through Twitter or Email, but something about speaking in person, or showing the real thing, is like nothing else.
13:23 hey that's me! What I really enjoy about VCF is that I'm not terribly social but find it truly easy to talk to people about their passions and my own. Apart from the learning opportunities, the purchasing opportunities, it's a good social opportunity...
This looks like so much fun... Well for us the attendees. I'm sorry you didn't get to mill around, I can tell that it was agonizing. I didn't even know VCF existed until this year. Now I'm dying to get a few friends together for the next VCF PNW
My brother's video about our recent Vintage Computer Festival/Chicago trip is up! Lots of good times and enjoyable sights in this one: ua-cam.com/video/l3IXl7h6r4g/v-deo.html
For those in the comments who've asked where to see the photos he took in the city and that whole process with film, look no further.
Where can I buy some of your lgr pc case badges and a copy of the floppy disk
You know what would be funny instead of some holographic stickers those were cards like, were you just have to get them all lol each card a different computer that is not common or more common but odd in one way or an other or it is full of cigarette lighters lol, called the chain smokers computer. A bunch of funny shit even if the computer is modern... it would be neat. The Apple IIe maxed out open with a speech synthesizer, the computer used by the blind at one point in time in a shitty public school full of A holes, with a decent special ed classroom. All the slots are used up and it has more chips on the motherboard. Later an other card with the very noisy older Braille printer, that worked slower but fine. On the other end you have that laptop I once saw that was from Japan that was made with an older population in mind where their is a round circle below the keyboard to use the mouse and it had a ring around it with buttons so you can click... a smaller touch pad. I saw your stickers with the old pc you showed and it made me think if cards children collect.
Awesome video
You are one hell of a writer and narrator... it felt like I was watching a presentation at the Boston Museum of Science. Glad you had a good time!
Thank you!
This is a great video, as always. What really separates your channel from many others like it is that you don't just spit out facts and report what happened. You always manage to tell an engaging story. You are a credit to the hobby, Clint.
Thanks, I appreciate that
I think what it is, I am sure personally Clint is quite a character, but in his videos he doesn't play one. Too many influencers are just "personalities" and that's all they are. Just show.
That's why the people I'm subscribed to on youtube is very small. I stick with being subbed to people that are real actual people and arent playing a gag show. Fake laughing, fake reactions, fake stories, you know the drill. Let's just say if they ever had a dedicated computer museum (well there have been several already), Clint would be the perfect tour guide and exhibitor. @@poeticsilence047
I was fortunate enough to meet Clint at the show, and i have to say, he is one of the kindest and most attentive "personalities" I have ever been privileged to meet. He took the time to talk and seemed generally interested in everything that people had to talk to him about, and while the line was long, it was well worth the wait. Seriously - thank you for taking the time to meet and greet everyone. On a side note - I was talking to some of the VCF staff at the show, and they stated this is probably the last year at the Clarion. They are using the size of this, and the revenue pulled in as justification to move to a bigger and better place.
Seriously. They should go to a Chicago convention center. There’s also more hotels. Only problem is it’s less safe thanks to all the crime.
@@ferretyluvChicago isn’t as bad as people make it out to be. Less safe than the suburbs? Sure, but it’s really no worse than most major cities in America.
@@jackmarshall847 Yeah, as far as I remember, crime rates in the US are generally on the decline from 20-40 years ago. The idea that crime is "out of control" is really not supported by evidence, and is usually just rhetoric to push baseless "tough on crime" policies that don't solve anything other than keeping private prisons in business.
I understand Clint’s apprehension about lack of security, but the outdoor stuff that sprung up and the general vibe is all so organic and old school. There has to be a way to meet in the middle on this. Growth does mean more rules, but with this kind of community there definitely can be a way to keep a bit more order in the amazing chaos, but not kill the vibe or ruin the feel that this conference creates.
Really i think the suggestion given of exhibitor badges will go a long way, and even though its a free event maybe also making a free badge you get at a door or even some kind of stamp card would allow for attendance keeping to better plan for venue space in the future. Once things spill out outdoors theres only so much you can do though hah ;P
I don't see how security would kill the vibe or ruin the feel, it's just security
Plus I don't see how which community it is is relevant. There are always bad actors
HOPE. (Hackers on Planet Earth) certainly tried to kill the vibe with security. The BS that went on was unnecessary. Especially the custom electronic badges that mostly didn't do anything but cost money. There didn't seem to be any accountability for cash at the gate. Guys just put cash in their pocket and no names or receipts for anything.
Honestly VCF has kind of outgrown its usual conference center. Like you mentioned, even with every room being utilized things were still absolutely packed and tables were spilling out of the building, and parking was chaos. If it continues growing like this a bigger location will be a must very soon.
TYSM for signing my Thinkpad btw!
My pleasure!
This reminds me of the only time that I got to go to Gen Con, in one of its final years in Milwaukee before it moved to Indy for more space and better traveller access.
So much care you spent on those floppies. What a great person you are. I’m glad to know you, Clint.
Wasn't that awesome?! Really brought me back to the eighties. Walking into a Walden Software and seeing 5.25 floppies posted to a cork-board in sandwich baggies. That said, I really miss the artwork and various boxes of PC games. :( I fear that time has gone for good with digital downloading.
Yes, I got so excited when I saw the Hugo one.
I get the impression that they've long outgrown their roots as a hotel con and may need to embrace a larger convention center. I don't think that's a bad thing! It's just the nature of the business.
How do you do this, without charging admission? You’d have to become a much more typical kind of convention; and the organizers would need a very large cash deposit up front; convention centers do not book you on good wishes and promises.
@@MichaelEilers IDK man the way I see it is either you start charging even minimal admission to the event or you cap admission into the current situation because any larger than this in its current set up and it is going to be a fire hazard. I don't have the answers, nor am I an event promoter, just someone who has vended at events for the past decade at this point.
Thank you for the shoutout to my OPL Archive exhibit! The show is definitely insane and I hope someday we'll get to talk more at length about that synthy goodness, but at least I was able to sneak an OPL sticker over to you. :)
Heck yeah, and best of luck with the project, I love it!
"'Why? Why bother with all this old junk,' as they say. And well, as with so many niche hobbies, one person's trash is another person's weekend project that spiraled out of control and became a years-long obsession." ♥
Been there quite literally, with parts of my 08 retro machine including a primo GeForce 8800GT straight up coming from the dump
I think that applies to all hobbies and not just niche ones. Wether it's a video game console, a model railroad, a garden, a farm, or a vintage computer, the normies won't understand... and we happily won't care! 😄
"Well, why bother with TikTok or whatever you're into?" would be a rather snotty, but applicable, retort.
I think Finn Mertens had the perfect response to this type of question: "Why does anyone do anything?"
When someone asks me about why I’m interested in the things I am (and they’re somewhat niche), I just balk and say “Why does anyone love anything?”
Wow, a room full of computer nerds and geeks, I've never seen so many!! definitely my happy place!! I wish I lived in the US,😊
So glad we got to meet you. That's my wife and I at 15:10 getting a selfie (yes we waited in line haha). We made the 15 hour drive after watching VCFMF on your channel for the past few years and it was well worth it!
Woot! My chonky Heathkit H10 paper tape punch showed up! Thanks for the mention! :D
Thanks for showing it to me, it punched out a nice little souvenir!
@@LGR Absolutely! Unfortunately, it stopped working right at the last hour of the show, but at least it got the job done! :D
This is great. Imagine yourself reflecting on these "good ol" days in 20 years. I'm sure when this becomes larger and more commercial, you will miss these wild days. Bless the community and how it has grown.
100%
Even with the chaos and growing pains, I absolutely love this show and have no doubt I’ll look back at the chaos fondly, eventually!
Yeah, I'll be 78 then
It's the same way us furries feel about how the conventions grew from 100-200 comic book nerds in someone's house and hanging out as a big house party back in the 80s, to the massive multimillion dollar 5-star hotel trip it is now with over 10,000 + and you don't even remember everyone you see. Once a convention grows too big, it loses its personality, and it gets dangerous. Love the madness and embrace the crazy, this footage will become historical pretty rapidly.
Weird thing is I don't really have much of an interest in vintage computers or computers in general, yet this has remained one of my favorite channels for over a decade. I just really love how you make videos and there's this "universal" enthusiasm and nostalgia to them that translate no matter my level of interest in the actual subject.
I’m really glad to hear that, as I’ve always thought the same regarding excitement levels coming across through video. Lots of channels I watch myself I have no experience with the subject at all, I just love watching the enthusiasm/host!
These con videos are so comfy for me. Thank you Clint, Luke and all the other nerds for their hard work!
For A Few Moments, I Was Back In The '90's. Thank You.
Yeah like when they used to have big computer shows at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds in Pomona, CA!
The passion, love, respect and dedication you show for vintage hardware is truly inspiring. good for you Clint.
Really appreciate how much effort you put into everything Clint, wish you could make it to the UK one day!!
Your attention to detail blows my mind! Very entertaining to watch you put everything together in meticulous fashion.
Thanks, it’s a pile of work but so much fun!
TYSM for the hard work and care you put into the setup, I live all the way in Arizona and not experienced in vintage computing so I hope I find a similar community here in this state.
the show was super fun but super packed, but i'm so glad i was able to meet you for a second time! i'm the green haired girl at 16:05 and i cannot believe that face i made 😭
You look so styling! 💚
@@mariopartylover10 aw thank you!
I loved the show. I had never been to one despite living close and I was shocked at how large of an event this was. I really enjoyed the vendors popping up in the parking lot. So much fun to browse. I'll be back next year for sure. Despite the issues with security, and space, this show is really incredible for being free and the organizers should be extremely proud.
I just discovered a vintage computer museum in my own country with hundreds if not thousands computers from 1970 onwards , many of which are working and even usable by the public. It gave me a vibe like this Festival of yours. I really hope I can visit it in the USA one day. I need one of those LGR badges.
Oh, and your philosophical contemplation about museum fatigue (around 19:45 )is just what I felt... they had SOO many awesome rare computers that after a while you just run past the endless showings of more more more rare Ataris, Japanese MSXs and Apples because you want a coffee and donut.
I never get museum fatigue. What always ends up happening with me is the museum ends up closing so I have to run!
lol be like that night at the museum movie and just be locked in there @@ferretyluv
Given how let down you sound about not being able to wander the floor I think VCF needs an exhibitor day, just a day so those who make the show possible can look around without being harassed or harangued and can actually enjoy the show. This would need to be in tandem with better security just to stop joe public from getting in.
The fact that exhibitors don't get much time to walk around the show they are exhibiting at is not a unique thing. I dabble in vintage motorcycles and get invited to show my various bikes & restorations, but am almost tied to my "spot" because so many spectators are inquisitive and/or looking for help and/or know me from UA-cam. I rarely get to see all that these shows have to offer, but that is part of being a "known" entity or exhibitor at a show. An exhibitor day/time would help that and is a great idea, especially for vintage computing.
This is what Friday is _supposed_ to be more or less, but since there is no consistent vetting of people at the door and there are no exhibitor/vendor badges, other visitors can simply walk in before the show.
And even if it was just vendors and exhibitors, there's such a treasure trove of so much stuff to see and not enough time in one evening to do it. Plus a whole buncha folks simply set up their table and leave until the next day. Which is fine, I understand entirely!
@@LGR I find the a similar thing with exhibitors at the bigger show's and expo's I bring my motorcycles to. Other exhibitors leave because it is a lot of work just getting your own stuff setup and secure. However at least at my type of shows, they do vet who is in the exhibition area so rando's are less of a problem.
You would think it would be standard practice to issue exhibition/vendor lanyards. Would give that peace of mind.
@LGR Vetting is something that I've been thinking more about, given the times. But at the end of the day it can't be checked.
The bear PC was absolutely a highlight for me to see in person. Glad I had a table, got to talk to a LOT of people, it was a blast.
Agreed on the checks on setup day.
I’d also ask that exhibitors are allowed in earlier than the genpop the day of. I’ve heard one could get in somewhere hidden but never found or heard about it.
I think it’s gotten big enough that it needs more formality now. As one that runs a meetup, I get how a pain it is, when it becomes work, it’s work. But… it’s there.
You're such a good storyteller! I'm not into vintage computing at all, but I always enjoy your stories (that's how I see them). You're special, Clint! ❤
@@Luke5100 Oh, I'm into FOSS coding as a hobbyist (mostly C)... I should have rephrased that better 😅 I meant I'm not into vintage systems, as I don't have any interest in *owning* any... I did grow up around some of the systems and software of the 90s so it's a bit of nostalgia for the era I guess. However most of the time he presents things that I didn't have contact with (e.g. MIDI cards or games...), yet I connect the dots with the experiences I had... and he tells compelling stories.
Yeah, I should've explained myself way better in that last comment 😅😅😅
11:20 I am amazed at the wide range of people and ages in this line that are into vintage computers and stuff.
I will never question why people will go out of there way to restore old systems, I praise you guys. Not just for nostalgia purposes but to help us remember where it all started. The fact that a lot of the original equipment is still functional and alive out there makes me smile. You guys possess a talent that I'll never have...but wish I did.
I'm going to come to one of these Festival one year and make it a point to see you, and to indulge in some retro computing business. This is definitely one of those events that I know I'd love from beginning to end...there's not much else I can think of that would make me excited than something like this. Problem is, I'm afraid I'd want to buy half the place...or take too many free items that I don't need or can't use. Still, I'm in Canada, in the Niagara Region so that's a bit of distance for me too...still, it would be worth it.
So maybe next year I'll plan to come, who knows. Praying I don't forget (like I usually do with everything).
He came from North Carolina, way farther than Niagara Falls!
@@ferretyluv I never denied that lol.
These videos are so cool. It reminds me of going to computer shows back in the late 1990s and early 2000s with my uncle. I was 10 when I started going to these shows and into my teens. Sadly, these shows don't exist anymore in my area. Beige plastic and huge CRT monitors as far as the eye can see. Good times.
Hey Clint (and Luke), Clark here, I'm the guy who had the restored Atari 2600 kiosk this year. Honestly quite surprised we were stationed right next to each other once again, haha. Absolutely love this show ever since I first started attending in (I think) 2019. The people we meet and the interesting/amazing stuff we get to see is no understatement, and a pleasure every time! I personally ended up coming home with more than I brought for once too, lol. Hopefully next year I can bring another impressive main display piece, and this time I'll make sure there's more room ahead of time as I actually got REALLY lucky that I was able to open up the wall to make a whole other pathway/space. That could have been even more of a nightmare in that corner with how many people piled up. Definitely agree that there needs to be a que line next time for all the content creators (especially you). One last thing, I will mention that I do still have the "LAN Party in a Box" aka the Cubix subsystem, so if you're still interested in that at all, let me know! Anyhow, I'm sure I'll se you again either next year or sometime in between at another event like MGC again. See ya!
Also, if Jason sees this comment... We need to figure out better parking! I couldn't park ANYWHERE on Saturday, and I still had some pieces of the kiosk to bring in. Took about an hour just to find a place to park down the road and cart that stuff over, not to mention how worried I was that I may get a ticket since I had to park on a side street. As a vendor/exhibitor, I hope that can be avoided in the future, such as reserved parking spaces. That's my main gripe, otherwise keep up the amazing work hosts!
More parking in general is going to solve the reserved-spaces problem. We were able to reserve a small set (like 10) for our truck and volunteers, but we'd need 100+ for exhibitors. Sounds like we need a whole new venue ;)
@@Silent700 Surprised you saw my comment and so soon too! It would be really hard to say goodbye to the Clarion so soon as its an amazing location, but if its for the best then I am not against it. Can't wait to see where things go! See ya around Mr. T!
@@Silent700 McCormick Place! VCF takes over downtown!
So cool and important to document these meets and events as well ! Not just peoples phones but actual videography. I can see this vid being a super interesting time stamp in 15-20 years.
Looked like fun strolling through all that vintage 'puter history! The first computer I had was a TRS-80 model 3 with 48k ram and casette!
This is great but I cannot wait to watch the travel blog after this, 2 and half hours is gonna fly by, sometimes your content gets to me at just the right times, thank you for all the hard work and entertainment.
I (and my buddy) had the table that had 200+ Macs and I also couldn't ever really leave to see the rest of the exhibits. Thank goodness we were able to rehome everything except one lonely Mac Performa 600 that I took back home with me so that way next year I'll probably just do one table and set up a few things for people to play with and leave that poor Performa to it's own devices. Was good to see you, though! Oh, that Duo 280 at the end was from us as well.
Thanks again for cutting me a deal on that Trinitron. I swear to God I'm just a moron and wasn't trying to hustle you. But I REALLY needed a CRT, so it's doing me great
@@TrackZeroFutzin glad it's doing well for you!
Holy crap, those look better than the shareware disk I used to buy back in the day.
It was beary nice to meet you in person
God dammit, Sean.
That joke was bearly tolerable.
It's great to see you taking time and meeting all these people who watch your videos! Really makes me smile 😊 everyone travelling from wherever they watch them
I feel like if VCF Midwest charged like even 15-20 bucks for a mandatory badge/bracelet you had to have on to get inside I'd be completely ok with it, considering they're keeping interest in retro computing alive, but also having badges visible means its easier to keep track of people who don't actually have access to be inside, would help clean things up just a tad as well. Great job Clint!
I think the canvas hat really gives the bear computer more character!
Caring about old obsolete computers and other tech can also be just as simple as Marge Simpson potato meme, I just think they're neat.
That’s me. I just like watching the show and love his passion. I think it’s neat.
Was thinking the same thing but then I started looking around.. and there's a bunch of 80s Macs over there.. and a dell xps 720 over there.. I'm turning into one of them..
It's about nostalgia for me. A little bit of collecting, and nostalgia, and playing the old games and software I remember. The sights, sounds, smells of a dusty old computer warming up. Irreplaceable feelings. And then the aspect of working on them, fixing up that discarded old POS tower PC from Windows XP that someone ruined and getting it back to showroom new again, it's very rewarding.
Mr. Clint wish you all the best, always happy to see another video of yours.
Whoever attended that event may not know how lucky they are. I am making my own VCF at home in the little space I have though I don't have that kind of vintage stuff but am happy with what I have. I wish we could have such an event in the Middle East!
I really want to get to that con/show some day. I do love, while a little chaotic, that the show is soooo big there's a crazy flea market feel outside.
Sounds like it's time to find a bigger venue and growing the show. This is amazing and I LOVE IT!
Smashing episode. Dude i totally get you, I went with a friend to the cambridge computer museum in the UK. After 1 hour I had to go for a nap in the toilet due to retro tech brain overload
Thanks for including the making of the floppy games. I have my own business and know the fiddly nature of these things, but you did a stellar job 👍
12:50 I have the exact same HP monitor. It was my first TFT screen that I received as a Christmas present from my parents. 😊 Still using it today for my home server. Every time I see it it brings back so many memories.
It was a real treat meeting you at VCFMW, Clint! At the last minute, I gave you the Bureau 13 game CD and bought an LGR case badge from you. I hope to see you at another VCF event, possibly VCF Southwest 2024, in Dallas?
Hey thanks again for that, I’ll add a note that it came from you! Southwest is one I’m highly considering :)
That backdrop is gorgeous. Love the racks of computers.
Looks like a great event! I often think that people 'our age' lived through a unique time, from Pong & Atari VCS through to 4K gaming. From 1.4 MB floppy disks to 2TB SSDs. The progress has been incredible, but there's something special about the retro stuff.
Oh those shareware floppies are such a cool idea! If thats not the spirit of using retro and vintage pcs in modern times I don't know what is.
What once was a big conference room PC showcase to now a PC museum + flea market. Wow. Holy cow. That Inn needs an expansion then.
i hope that one day i can go see this vintage computer festival for myself as living in london and being a 14yr old teen.
I really do appreciate both videos on the subject. I havent had the time to watch the full 2 hour video but wanted to get a more breakdown video. Thank you for this post, LGR youre so thoughtful! I plan to watch the full video in time
Love seeing this! Thank you! 😊
I get second hand exhaustion just thinking of prepping, loading up gear, driving or flying miles away, setup for 2 days and then undo and back home again. I kinda wish these things could be a week or something with the prospect of lower traffic days where you can enjoy without claustrophobia and being rushed, but I understand why they aren't.
The hotel makes a lot of money, but it is exceptionally costly to their business to host that many people for that long that book out every single room. They don't like hosting big events because of the fact that you have hundreds of people paying in lump sums of several nights rather than the same room to someone every single night getting paid.
If one of these conventions would just buy an old warehouse to use as a hosting space for the lifetime of the convention, I'm sure it would alleviate all the issues and they could just have it for however long they want. Kind of like a pop up museum/convention.
One of my uncles bought his old middle school when it was closed down and condemned and he uses it both to live in as a personal house, and as a storage building, and he's already made back what he paid for the school about 50 times over just by renting the classrooms out as storage units. He even lets the local 4H club use the old cafeteria as a show space for their events +dining which provides additional monies. He's really smart.
This year's VCFMW was the best. It was larger than the other VCF shows. To coin Ron's Computer Video channel, this was more like VCF National. I met so many like minded people and got to talk at length with Ben Heck. What a character. See ya'll at VCFMW 2024. Bring money lol.
VCF National, I like that.
What a neat hobby this is, thanks for not forgetting why you go through all this effort.
Thanks for showing the OPL Archive. I didn't know about that - very cool.
For sure, it’s a sweet project
You have somehow captured the essence of something so special. The moments of happiness and excitement that I experienced watching this must be compounded by those who were actually there in attendance. I love the floppy disks you made up, they looked fantastic! Keep up the good fight!
Thank you, I’m happy to hear!
I got to enjoy walking around VCF Southwest this year. Got to meet 8-bitGuy, got to have a ton of nostalgia around Color Computers. Glad these events happen!
19:30 i recognized the box that guy pulled up instantly! asherons call was my first mmo and online social experience, it holds a special place in my heart. after several incidents and periods of my life i unfortunately dont own anything i had as a kid or teen anymore but im eager to buy some old pc game boxes and asherons call is top of the list
Looks great, wish I could visit. Going the Blackpool Play Expo UK next week, love to see an impromptu retro car boot sale spring up!
I'm considering that show myself next year, hope you have a good time!
Looks like a retro tech paradise! Wish I could've gotten down there and grabbed some shareware from you. Would've given me another reason to get my own retro pc project finished finally. Keep up the great work!
Thanks for the awesome report.
Late to the party but those LGRware disks, oh man! You had so many classics, I would've bought 'em all! Great job.
Congratulations! Excellent Video! Thank You! 👍
so jealous you could go to things like this!! i haven't seen anything similar to this in canada and would 100% love to find something like this here!!
I agree, I haven't seen anything this big on the West Coast and not sure if it happens elsewhere in Canada. This would be amazing and worth taking time off work to experience.
Hamfest? HAMFEST! I haven't heard that in ages. I remember going to them with my grandfather 35+ years ago. I gotta say, hearing that term made my day. Between the shot on highway near Ashville (I love that section), the shot dropping into cinci, and hamfest, lots of fun feels in this one (even more than the typical vintage compy386 stuff). Thanks.
Hey being from the UK 🇬🇧 and I get the frustrations Clint, but that show looks friggin AWESOME!! Wish we had that this side of the pond
Tbh I think Id pass out from being overwhelmed 😂 I love technology so seeing all these awesome vintage computers would overload my brain haha
Glad you had fun! Hopefully you're feeling better, after catching COVID (as did I and atleast 20 of my friends there). I know I had a blast, even with the unwanted viral souvenir.
Just recently discovered your channel as as someone who was born in 95 but was always a couple years behind when it came to pc hardware i love your content, i remember using windows 95,98,me amd 2k before i got into pcs around xp and my first good rig was a pentium 4 2.4ghz with 256mb ram and no gpu playing wow. Before i would make Age of empires or Command and conquer run on anything i could gwt my hands on even if it was a pentium 3 with 100mb of ram of whatever i had access to back then
It was awesome to meet you! And I am proudly displaying my cool crab Keychain everywhere!
Great to meet you as well, and heck yeah Key Crabs!
super popular guy it looks like
not sure what I would ask you in person, other than to say thanks but I dont need to waste your time to do that
everything I need to know about and from you, are shared in these here video series.
thanks for taking us along for the journey
JB in Canada
13:30 is like shakedown street but for computers!! 😂😂
I glad I went to VCFMW this year I got to meet you hack I in video at the end. Just want to say it was great meeting you and I really in joy your video. with that said VCFMW was a little crazy remind me of Comic con back in the day but no organization still fun
When I did shows all stall holders and companies has two ours grace before doors opened to wander around and get things. Made sense and worked out great. Oh I’m in 🇬🇧
Never relized how big this is . Id love to goto a show atleast once! Both my uncles were into computers in the 90s . Gave me my first C+ progamming book at 12 years old . My other uncle worked at IBM at the time. He had a whole server rack of stuff in his basement. Let me tell you i would FAFO on the weekends while at his house!
Thanks for another great video, Clint!
YAY! It's @AmigaOfRochester (and, me I guess) at 22:42! 🙂
Kind of has a vibe that reminds me a bit of when I was a kid and I'd tag along with my brother to his Commodore Club meet-ups at the bingo hall that was a couple blocks from our house. Except multiplied a hundred fold.
That's exactly what we're going for!
I don't think Joosa Riekkinen, (a Finnish game programmer) was thinking in 1998 that he's game Liero is going being sold by an American youtuber in the year 2023. Amazing stuff Clint. 😄
Good thing seeing Leeloo from Fifth Element visit you table 15:09
I actually had to crank down the footage saturation while editing to compensate for that awesome color 😄
I got there around 1PM on Saturday and all of the badges were already gone. It was wild; I'll be better prepared next time. Nice meeting you there!
6:54 Liero is so fun! I went from original to later modded games and then even Soldat.
I had a great time and fully expect to return next year!
I grew up just a few towns away from Elmhurst Illinois and didn't hear about it until last year, which was just after I moved a state away. Wish I could meet the "Vintage Tech Tubers" that got me back to my original aesthetic: Woodgrain (Even ended up applying some vinyl woodgrain to my first PC build, and even got custom wood trim for my first, new car! Yes, I could always just send images through Twitter or Email, but something about speaking in person, or showing the real thing, is like nothing else.
I'm sitting here with a big grinning face and watching your video. Greetings from Germany =)
That was funny about the long-winded broad range announcements at the show being so loud. Nice review of the show, thanks.
13:23 hey that's me! What I really enjoy about VCF is that I'm not terribly social but find it truly easy to talk to people about their passions and my own. Apart from the learning opportunities, the purchasing opportunities, it's a good social opportunity...
If you ever did an LGR store with limited runs such as your shareware floppys, I'd totally love to buy one as a way to help support the channel some!
This looks like so much fun... Well for us the attendees. I'm sorry you didn't get to mill around, I can tell that it was agonizing.
I didn't even know VCF existed until this year. Now I'm dying to get a few friends together for the next VCF PNW
Thanks!
I always look forward to this. Thank you.
A very insightful and heartfelt video. Great stuff, Clint. Thank you!
The Pyramid, The Bear and The Tower of Oddness was a fun PD adventure game back in the day. :p
Love your video. I came for the Sims reviews, stay for the content you have.
I do love your stuff. I look forward to it. If I see a video from you, I click the play button.
Absolutely beautiful video. I so wish I could take the trip from Australia!
Maybe one day! I actually met some folks visiting the show from Australia this year. Also Norway, Germany, the UK and others :)
Looks like the con is ready to make the transition into the big time, very similar to GENCON back in the 80's.