ADAM computer convention pictures and stories (ADAMCON)

[HDTV1080P]

I know some original Coleco ADAM owners from 1983 are more dedicated then I am. Some Coleco ADAM fans have been to several Adam conventions called ADAMCon’s and I have only been to two. Perhaps maybe someone has been to all 29 Adam conventions?

 

My first ADAMCon convention I went to was ADAMCon 1 in Orlando Florida between October 7-11^th 1989. Perhaps that might have been the biggest convention since it was around 4 years after Coleco announced they were leaving the computer and videogame business. At least Coleco kept their toll free number open for a few years, however in late 1989 the toll free Coleco number was disconnected (might have been disconnected in 1988 but I noticed it in 1989). A year or two later is when ADAM House the biggest third party Coleco ADAM dealer was able to obtain Coleco’s toll free number for their ADAM business. However ADAM House no longer has Coleco’s toll free number, and instead some other company now has the number (some telemarketer has the number and their business model has nothing to do with Coleco products). I ran into an interesting former Coleco employee at the first ADAM convention. He had pictures of the unreleased working prototype Adamnet serial and parallel unit that needed no software patches. All third party company serial and parallel devices always required special software since it did not use ADAMNet.

 

At ADAMCON 1 I met many interesting companies displaying hardware and software products. There was even an Adult company making what was called soft-core pornography for the ADAM. However the graphics on the ADAM were not detailed enough to be considered to be pornographic. This company mainly had text adventure style Adult games for the ADAM computer and also a version of the Basic language that used profanity for command words. To make a long story short, the company’s owner wanted me to sale their products, but I ended up never selling their products to anyone. Back in the late 1980’s many people boycotted this companies Adult products and any ADAM dealer that sold or tried to sale the products. The ADAM was designed to be a Family Computer system and many Christians and secular families purchased the ADAM computer for family style games. There were 3^rd party Bible games made for the ADAM like a Bible Jeopardy question pack, and other Bible games like a Bible flash card pack.

 

The second and so far the last ADAMCon IV convention I went to was in Cleveland Ohio between July 23^rd to July 27^th in 1992. Micro Innovations was there having an excellent display of new products. Micro innovations was the best hardware developer for the ADAM with 1.44MB 3.5 inch floppy drives, hard drives, memory expenders, and other products. I lived very close to the Micro Innovations headquarters in Virginia back in the 80’s and 90’s. I believe Micro Innovations stopped producing products for the ADAM computer back in 1993 or 1994.

 

The two ADAMCon conventions I went to were ADAMCon One and ADAMCON 4, and both were both professionally run. The only reason why I stopped using my ADAM computer around 1993 or 1994 and went with a Laptop using Windows 3.1, is because I needed a professional word processor with 80 columns for college. The spelling checkers with words underlined in red had really advanced over the years and much better than the ADAM word processor. So yes after 10 or 11 years of using the ADAM computer, I finally went to a Windows 3.1 Laptop with a monochrome screen. I ended up selling that Laptop and years later building several different desktop PC’s using Windows operating system. I never purchased a Laptop or notebook computer again and only used desktop computers since they are faster and easier to work on. However, I have heard reliable stories of some retired older people in their 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s that purchased an ADAM in or around 1983 and used no other computer during their entire lifetime. Then some of these peoples physical bodies died when they passed away around the 21^st Century. The ADAM computer was their one and only computer used for around 20 years. Sometimes people fall in love with their very first videogame system and very first computer system. Now I mainly only use the ADAM computer for videogames.

 

Attached is a picture of an ADAMCON One T-shirt that people received for attending the first AdamCon. There is a funny story about someone at the convention that went into a bar to try and pick up a women between the daily conventions. The lady was very interested in the guy, however as soon as the guy unzipped his jacket in the bar, the lady saw the guys blue ADAM shirt and did not see the small computer system letters below the large ADAM logo. The lady in the bar lost complete interest in the guy after seeing the large ADAM logo on the t-shirt. The ADAMCon IV t-shirt was completely re-designed and it clearly has a big picture of an ADAM computer with a monitor and the words “International ADAM computer convention ADAMCON IV”. This way no one gets confused about the meaning of the t-shirt message. In addition, there was ADAMCON IV hats made up at the Convention. It appears that all or most the modern ADAMCON conventions in the 21^st Century are located in Canada instead of the United States. There must be a lot more dedicated ADAM owners in Canada now.

Edited August 26, 2017 by HDTV1080P

[ValkerieSilk]

Wow, these most recent posts are awesome ... Thank you for sharing all this info

[MiniRPG]

ADAMCon IV was the only ADAMCon that I attended with my father. I remember being blown away by Chris Braymen's MIDI demo and later asking him to create music for my game. Truly a fantastic experience.

[HDTV1080P]

I remember you attending ADAMCon IV. I should have purchased your ADAM videogame and tried it out, I heard people really liked it. When I was driving back from Ohio to Virginia in 1992, it was kind of funny, I saw you and your Dad on the highway several times since you guys would pull off the intersection briefly with your vehicle and get something to eat, etc. Then you guys would pass me on the highway since I had that old car going at a slower speed when compared too most the people on the road. You guys passed me 2-3 times on the main highway on the long trip back to Virginia. I have a different car now.

 

I have not communicated with Mark in several years.

Edited August 31, 2017 by HDTV1080P

[adamchevy]

Ive considered buying an adam computer. Mainly because as a kid I always told my Mom I was going to grow up and start a company called adam computers. I've never done that, so I thought owning an adam computer would feel like a close second. I didn't know their was an AdamCon. I might have to go some time.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NIAD]

What was the game called, MiniRPG?

[ed1475]

Does anyone have the Adamcon 01 VCR tape that was sold thru the NIAD Newsletter.

The July/Aug 1990 NIAD Newsletter describes it as:

ADAMCON 01 VHS VIDEO (HW) $19.95
2 hour video tape describing product demos and seminars that were held as the first ADAM Convention in Orlando, Florida from Oct. 7th-11th, 1989.


It would be great to get this video converted to digital and uploaded to Youtube. If anyone has a copy and wants to sell it send me a PM.

Edited September 5, 2017 by ed1475

[NIAD]

What was the game called, MiniRPG?

Never mind, I remember watching the demo of the game and how impressed everyone was... a lot of comparisons to NES and SMS quality graphics and gameplay. Wish this one would have been completed and released.

 

BTW, did you save anything that could be posted (pics, etc.) on here?

Edited September 5, 2017 by NIAD

[NIAD]

Does anyone have the Adamcon 01 VCR tape that was sold thru the NIAD Newsletter.

We sold only a small number of them, so to track one down now would be very surprising... probably best bet would be ADAMcon. ADAM's House also sold an ADAMcon video, but I don't recall which convention it was from.

[HDTV1080P]

There must have been a master analog videotape made of ADAMCon 1. Was the master tape Hi-8 400 lines of resolution, 8mm with 250 lines of resolution, S-VHS with 400 lines of resolution, or standard VHS at 240 lines of resolution? Also videotape ages over time and many times will not last longer than 20 years even when stored properly.

 

If an original master analog tape exists or only a second generation copy exists, then the best thing to do is copy the image onto a computer hard drive using a high quality analog to digital conversion process. Then since the image is only standard definition quality and only 2 hours long, record it on a DVD-R disc. Optical discs like CD’s, DVD’s, and Blu-ray’s can last up to a 1,000 years and are 100% immune to EMP’s.

 

The DVD’s could be offered to people and of course the ADAMCon 1 video could be uploaded to YouTube for free as long as it’s a public domain video.

Edited September 5, 2017 by HDTV1080P

[RockLobster]

Has this convention finally ended?   Was 2017 the last one?

[jblenkle]

7 hours ago, RockLobster said:

Has this convention finally ended?   Was 2017 the last one?

Yes, the ADAMCons are no more. Not sure when the last one was.

[JEFF31]

Well that is sad. 

I attended one years ago in Grand Rapids MI (2009?). 

Good luck to Adam owners (of which I am) in the future. 

[coleconut]

I believe it is/was the Slopsema's who had many pictures from the various ADAMCONs up on  a web site, mostly group photos, anyone know if thats still online/available? @adamcon

I myself went to ADAMCon 1 in Orlando, attended,- indeed helped organize #2 in Toronto - then drifted from the scene until coming back to a couple in the 2010's

[+5-11under]

ADAMCon 29 was in Guelph, Ontario in 2017. hardhat, newcoleco, and Pixelboy we're there, in the least. I visited for an evening. I'm not sure if there was another after that.