Albert Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 This year marks the 40th anniversary of the release of the Atari 400/800 computers, and to help celebrate this event, the Atari Museum has been working with one of the original Atari 400/800 computer engineers, Joe Decuir, to put on an exhibit at the annual Vintage Computer Festival East. This year's show takes place May 3-5, 2019 in Wall, New Jersey at the InfoAge Science and History Center. Each year the science center hosts a myriad of vintage computers from 8-bit home computers to mini and mainframes of all shapes and sizes. The Atari Museum exhibit hosted by Curt Vendel and Joe Decuir will feature every piece of hardware ever produced for the 400/800 series, as well as unique prototype equipment. But the 400/800 exhibit is just one small part of the overall Atari exhibit, which will also be a tribute to Jay Miner. Peter Fletcher, Bill Lange, Amiga Bill, and Dean Notarnicola will also be on hand, displaying Atari computers from the XL, XE, ST and Falcon series in this huge overall exhibit. The Lorraine will be there as well – Jay Miner’s amazing Amiga 1000. Thanks to Evan Koblentz, executive director of the Vintage Computer Festival (VCF), Joe Decuir will be giving a formal speaking presentation at VCF covering the Atari 400/800 computers, from their beginnings as an improved design over the Atari 2600, to the final production computer designs. Evan and Jay will then discuss the follow-up 68000-based computer that the Atari’s could have further evolve into, a design that would eventually see reality years later as the Amiga “Lorraine.” This is a rare and special opportunity, not just for Atari enthusiasts, but for anyone who loves the Atari 2600 to the Atari computers to the Amiga to see and meet the man who was involved in all three product designs. Please visit the Vintage Computer Festival website to learn more! Pictured above is the The Atari Home Computer Demonstrator, which will be on display as part of this exhibit. 24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 (edited) I am so excited to be involved in this! Come see us on May 4 and 5! Edited March 21, 2019 by Fletch 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Heck, people wont believe what a presence there is going to be, 400/800 represented, XLs represented, XEs represented and the ST through Falcons, then the icing on the cake... Lorraine, its gonna be like an Atari convention inside the VCF show- I hope as many people as possible can come by to say hi to everyone, this is truly going to be epic for sure... 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Master Phruby Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Is that Scott Baio in the picture? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Lorraine? As in the wire-wrap Amiga proto that supposedly took up a few cubic feet hidden under a desk? And yeah, my thought of the pic was Joanie and Chachi though by that time she would have been about 20 and they look younger than that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Master Phruby Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Lorraine? As in the wire-wrap Amiga proto that supposedly took up a few cubic feet hidden under a desk? And yeah, my thought of the pic was Joanie and Chachi though by that time she would have been about 20 and they look younger than that. That is not Erin Moran but I think it is definitely Scott Baio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 (edited) I am really looking forward to this. I haven't seen Curt in about 15 years and some Atari-specific computer presentations sound fantastic. My biggest problem is that I don't think that I will be able to make it to the show for both Saturday and Sunday; I will have to pick either one or the other. .. Edited March 21, 2019 by SS 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 I am really looking forward to this. I haven't seen Curt in about 15 years and some Atari-specific computer presentations sound fantastic. My biggest problem is that I don't think that I will be able to make it to the show for both Saturday and Sunday; I will have to pick either one or the other. .. Saturday's are definitely more heavily attended, so it has more of an event feel to it. Joe Decuir is speaking on Sunday morning though, so that might be a better choice from an Atari perspective. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+orpheuswaking Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Heck, people wont believe what a presence there is going to be, 400/800 represented, XLs represented, XEs represented and the ST through Falcons, then the icing on the cake... Lorraine, its gonna be like an Atari convention inside the VCF show- I hope as many people as possible can come by to say hi to everyone, this is truly going to be epic for sure... Now if only you could bring it to VCFMW 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forrest Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 I plan on attending - looks like fun. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmigaBill Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Very excited to be a part of this. The Atari 800 was my first computer and I think the Amiga is kind of OK 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Saturday's are definitely more heavily attended, so it has more of an event feel to it. Joe Decuir is speaking on Sunday morning though, so that might be a better choice from an Atari perspective. So what days are other AtariAge members planning to attend? It would be cool to meet some other people in person. Maybe we could schedule an AA lunch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Amiga Bill and I will be there both days, but since we are exhibiting we cannot leave the booth for long stretches of time. But be sure to say hello! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmigaBill Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Keeping his spirit alive I know you like these @Fletch ! 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Love those pics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Nezgar Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Now if only you could bring it to VCFMW I immediately checked my calendar when I found out about this at VCF East.. It would be a fantastic year for my first VCF spotlighting my favourite computers, but found it unfortunately conflicts with a family event... ERGH! Then I received the announcement that this years VCFMW will be held September 14-15, and so far it looks possible, so it really would be great for a big Atari 8-Bit presence there too! I wonder what the chances are of Joe attending both... Hoping to make it to that! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spookt Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Any chance Joes presentation will be recorded / streamed for those of us stuck on the wrong side of an ocean? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 I immediately checked my calendar when I found out about this at VCF East.. It would be a fantastic year for my first VCF spotlighting my favourite computers, but found it unfortunately conflicts with a family event... ERGH! Then I received the announcement that this years VCFMW will be held September 14-15, and so far it looks possible, so it really would be great for a big Atari 8-Bit presence there too! I wonder what the chances are of Joe attending both... Hoping to make it to that! Wife and I will be at VCFMW again this year. I plan on having 5 running systems across 2 tables. Anxiously awaiting venue information so I can secure a spot. I plan on showing: 1088XEL Beta 1088XLD Beta Eclaire XL Beta 800 with Incognito and Bit3 Can't decide on machine #5 - probably my 320kB 130XE 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mytek Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 Wife and I will be at VCFMW again this year. I plan on having 5 running systems across 2 tables. Anxiously awaiting venue information so I can secure a spot. I plan on showing: 1088XEL Beta 1088XLD Beta Eclaire XL Beta 800 with Incognito and Bit3 Can't decide on machine #5 - probably my 320kB 130XE You should hook up at least two of those systems via MIDI and have MIDI-Maze loaded and running. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Nezgar Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 Any chance Joes presentation will be recorded / streamed for those of us stuck on the wrong side of an ocean? Back in 2004 I attended NWCGE expo where Joe did a presentation entitled ""3 Generations of Game Machine Architecture", so maybe the planned presentation might be similar. I recently dug up and posted a video from my 2004-era digital camera of his presentation at that event. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spookt Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 Thanks for posting that! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scitari Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 Very exciting! I plan to be there Saturday. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Allan Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 I will be there this year again. Putting on another Atari display again. Looking forward to seeing more Atari people this year. Hopefully Joe's talk and a big Atari display will bring more Atari people in. Allan 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troff Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 I will definitely be there this year. Looking forward to hearing Joe Decuir speak in person!! See you there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmigaBill Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 Any chance Joes presentation will be recorded / streamed for those of us stuck on the wrong side of an ocean? I will record it for sure 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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