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The exhibit at the Vintage Computer Festival is a chance for hobbyists to show off interesting or unique items in their computer collections, or original re-creations and simulations of vintage computers or vintage computer operating systems. The ambition of this competition is to advance the hobby of collecting, preserving and documenting vintage computers. If there's one bit of sagely advice we can give you, it's don't procrastinate! Get going as early as possible on your exhibit to give it the best chance at taking home an award. VCF 6.0 is being held October 11th through October 12th at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. Please read the rules in their entirety if you plan to participate in the exhibit. The Rules: - Each entrant shall enter no more than 2 entries for one class and no more than 4 entries combined in all classes for competiton. Composite exhibits such as timelines can be entered either in part in seperate classes or as a whole in any class. Computers entered for display only are not eligible for awards except the People's Choice Award and their inclusion in the exhibit is at the discretion of the organizer.
Each entrant shall register their exhibit by October 5, 2003. Entrants failing to submit their registration will not be eligible to participate in the exhibit, however exceptions may be made for individual circumstances. The VCF venue opens to exhibitors at 8:00am PST on Saturday, Ocotber 11. Entrants should be present at the VCF venue no later than 12:00 noon to setup and prepare their exhibit. The exhibit floor opens to the general VCF attendance at 2:00pm. Exhibitors should be prepared to exhibit their entries both days of the event. Exhibitors must have their exhibits disassembled and removed from the VCF venue no later than 7:00pm on Sunday, October 12. Any exhibit not removed by the exhibitor will be removed by the VCF at the exhibitor's expense, plus a $50 handling fee. Exhibitors are responsible for the security of their exhibits during event hours. The VCF provides monitors in the exhibit area to oversee exhibits and prevent abuse by attendees. However, exhibitors should take care to properly secure easily removed elements of their exhibit. The exhibit area is secured during off-hours. However, exhibitors are encouraged to retain insurance for items that are of significant rarity. The Vintage Computer Festival cannot and does not provide such insurance. - Each competitor's entry shall be entered in only one of the following classes:
- Home-brew, kit, or educational computer - Any vintage
- Manufactured personal computer - Pre 1981
- Manufactured personal computer - Post 1981
- Mini-computer or larger system - Any vintage
- Open
- In each class, 1st Place/Best of Class, 2nd Place, and 3rd Place prizes will be awarded. If less than three entries are present in a class, the awards are at the discretion of the judges.
- Each competiton entry, regardless of it having received any other award is eligible to compete for any of the following special awards:
Best Presentation Awards - Best Presentation Category - Research
- Best Presentation Category - Completeness
- Best Presentation Category - Display
- Best Presentation Category - Creative Integration with Contemporary Technology
Best Preservation Awards - Best Preservation Category - Original Condition
- Best Preservation Category - Restoration
- Best Preservation Category - Recreation
- Best Preservation Category - Simulation
- Best Preservation Category - Obscurity
Best Technology Awards - Best Technology Category - Analog
- Best Technology Category - Non-Electronic
People's Choice Award - Each competitor will be given a date and time at which a panel of judges will examine the entry. The examination is limited to no more than 10 minutes. The entrant or an authorized representative must be present at the time given. If nobody is present, the judges will notify the entrant of a substitute time at which they will return. If nobody is present at that point in time, the entry is disqualified.
- Only class winners or special award winners are eligible for the Best of Show award. Each winner will be given a new time to make their computer available for a repeated inspection for the Best of Show award.
- Any entry, including displays for exhibit only, are eligible for the People's Choice Award.
- The panel of judges will consist of three individuals. The judging will take place as a joint activity between the the judges. Any judging decision must have at least a two thirds majority.
- Each computer will start judging by having a perfect score of 30 points, five points each in the following catagories. The judges will then subtract points in each catagory according to their judging guidelines of which examples are given below.
- Appearance and Condition
The judges can deduct points for any flaw in appearance and condition. Lack of functionality or non-original parts do not influence the score in this catagory unless it changes the appearance of the computer. - Originality and Authenticity
The judges can deduct points for any part of the computer that is not original as built by the manufacturer, or as constructed at assembly time for kits. Replacement parts must be indicated to the judges by the competitor. New old stock parts will be considered to be replacement parts with a lesser point deduction. A reproduction can not receive full points in this category. Any consumables do not have to be authentic. Any item that has questionable authenticity or originalty needs to have supporting documentation. - System Completeness
The judges can deduct points for any part of the computer that is incomplete. A complete computer is one that includes the peripherals that were originally used on the computer or typical peripherals that would have been used with the computer if applicable. - Functionality
The judges can deduct points for any lack of functionality of the complete computer as presented. This includes any aspect of hardware or software. Original malfunction of the computer does not lead to point deduction. A non-operational main processor will result in zero points in this category. - Documentation
The judges can deduct points for incomplete, missing, or poor condition documentation. Any documentation that was originally delivered with the computer or otherwise obtained is being judged. Any documentation relating to the design, construction, manufacture, or delivery of the computer can be included. Third party documentation is acceptable if no original documentation is known to exist. Third party documentation can be beneficial if they go beyond the standard documentation of the computer. Reprints or later editions of documentation will result in point deduction. Documentation of research conducted pertinent to the entry will be considered. - Software
The judges can deduct points for the lack of software for the computer, if applicable. In order to score any points, the essential software to operate the computer is required to be functional. Any software that has been developed for the computer either at the time of computer development or at any later point will be considered, as will be supporting documentation. The software does not have to be run from the original media. Original media will be beneficial though and can be asked to be demonstrated.
- The judges will not operate the entry. The person exhibiting the computer will be asked to start the computer, demonstrate the functionality, the available software, and to show the documentation. Any reasonable request by the judges to demonstrate operation has to be fulfilled by the person showing the computer.
- The judges will ask the person showing the computer to open or disassemble the computer for inspection of major components within reasonable limits.
- If for any reason the person showing the entry can not fulfill a request of a judge due to a malfunction or any lack of software, documentation, or other, the entrant will be given an opportunity to interrupt the inspection once and postpone completion to a later point in time during the judging period.
- At the end of the event at an announced place and time, the awards will be given to the entrant or a representative. If the prize recipient cannot receive the award in person, all shipping and handling charges will have to be covered by the entrant. Should a person not be present to claim the prize, the awards shall be held for claim by the organizer for no later than November 1, 2003. After that date the prize will be withdrawn and will not be re-awarded.
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