Impressions about KANSASFEST

[buggie@ben03.unm.edu (stephen e buggie)]

I attended K-Fest '96, two years ago.  I cant attend it this year because
the dates conflict with summer school teaching.

This article, KANSASFEST PILGRIMAGE, appeared in II ALIVE in Fall 1996 or
Spring 1997.  I recommend that EVERY Apple II devotee should make this
pilgrimage at least once!		Steve Buggie    buggie@unm.edu



HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

II ALIVE magazine                                               Page 1 of
9
Submitted: August 1996


                            KANSASFEST PILGRIMAGE
                            =====================

                              by Stephen Buggie



       We've all heard about the importance of the Hadj ---- a religious
pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca which devout Muslims must fulfill at
least once.  Every Muslim knows about it, life is unfulfilled without it,
its planning becomes an obsession, considerable expense is required, and
one's life is changed thereafter.  For Apple II loyalists, KansasFest
(KFest) resembles the Hadj in many ways.  KFest has been publicized for
years to the Apple II community via magazines, newsletters, and internet
discussion groups.  I'd planned to attend, but each year have rationalized
not going --- got to buy more hardware, got to work, don't have enough
time,
dates are wrong, etc.  This year, too, was inconvenient for me because our
older son will start college in the fall.  But with Joe Kohn's prodding, I
decided to attend; no further delays!



                                  OVERVIEW

       KFest is like an intensive and extended users' group meeting,
spread
over all hours of a four day session.  The eight-page program stated that
the conference is oriented toward Apple II, Mac, and Newton, although the
emphasis overwhelmingly was on Apple II.  The Newton (electronic notepad),
if present, was well hidden.  Most KFesters focus exclusively on the IIgs
---- 8-bit Apples such as the IIc, IIe, or II+ were rarely mentioned.

       The conference extended from Wednesday through Saturday, with many
attenders remaining through Sunday morning.  Organizers were Cindy Adams,
Steve Gozdziewski, and Tim Kellers, who are active in the Apple II GENIE
group.  About 90 KFesters occupied two floors of a dorm at Avila College,
a
small campus placed in an upscale residential area of southwestern Kansas
City MO.  Roughly 70% had attended Kfest previously while about 30% were
newcomers, like me.  Spacious dorm rooms were shared, two to a room.
Ordinarily, I'd be reluctant to share a room with a stranger, but Kfest is
special --- our shared dedication to the Apple II was so pervasive that
strangers bonded with each other, even at first meeting.  Avila cafeteria
meals were okay, but not outstanding --- Kansas City's renowned steaks
were
sorely missed.



                               FORMAL SESSIONS

       Formal sessions, most lasting 90 minutes, were held throughout each
day.  Sessions spanned the range of computing: hardware, software, new
products, etc.  KFesters are knowledgeable about the computer and comments
were sophisticated --- absent were the mindless remarks often heard from
novices at local users' group meetings.

       As is customary at academic conferences, one was never forced to
attend sessions that were outside one's range of interests.  Two or three
sessions ran concurrently --- participants chose which to attend.  Tough
choices had to be made among alternative sessions.  Large plenary sessions
were held on Friday and Saturday mornings to demonstrate the latest Mac
products and to give participants the chance to buy and sell Apple II
software, hardware, or literature.  Vendors typically were authors of
products they sold.



                             INFORMAL ACTIVITIES

       Informal sessions went on throughout the day and night --- at
meals,
in hallways, and especially in the dorm rooms.  About half the attenders
---
mostly those who arrived by car --- brought computers and related
accessories.  (I brought five of my IBM-to-IIgs power supplies).  KFest
etiquette allowed one to wander the hallways, peering into rooms, barging
in
to see and discuss the software being displayed.  No one seemed to mind.
Many IIgs systems on display were absolutely loaded with prestige
equipment
and software.  During boot-ups, init icons totally filled some IIgs splash
screens!



                  APPLE II CELEBRITIES: PRESENT AND ABSENT

       KFest attracts the leaders of our "Apple II universe."  Notable
celebrities who were present included: Joe Kohn (SHAREWARE SOLUTIONS
publisher), Steve Disbrow (GS+ publisher), Mike Westerfield (ORCA author),
Tony Diaz (Alltech technical guru), Max Jones (JUICED.GS publisher), Bill
Heineman (games programmer), and others.  I'd been told in advance that
Apple II inventor Steve Wozniak would not attend this year, but held out
hopes that he would.  Hyperstudio developer Roger Wagner could not attend,
but despite his absence he arranged free pizzas for KFest night owls as
he'd
done in earlier years.




                           ORIGINS AND TRADITIONS

       It all began seven years ago when Tom Weishaar (manager of Resource
Central, a now-defunct periodical and mail order supplier) organized KFest
as a grassroots national meeting of Apple II enthusiasts --- programmers,
hardware hackers, and other serious users.  Previously, AppleFest, a large
commercially-oriented annual exhibition, had been organized by Apple and
other large commercial vendors.  But as the '80s progressed, Applefest
evolved into a Macintosh showcase event with the Apple II being elbowed to
the sidelines.

       Kansas City was chosen as KFest's annual site because of its
proximity to Overland Park KS, organizer Weishaar's hometown.  Its
convenient midwestern regional location minimizes participants' average
travel distance.

       KFest is in its seventh year, and traditions are maintained.  The
Avila College site has a sentimental appeal for KFest repeaters.  Avila
College will be the site again --- at least through 1997.  The "roast" ---
a
good-natured verbal bashing of a KFest regular --- follows the Friday
night
banquet.  Another tradition is chronic sleepiness --- you're out of form
if
you are fully rested!  All-night conversation and computing is the KFest
norm.



                              HARDWARE SESSIONS

       Nearly half the presentations were on hardware-related topics ---
mainly on customizing and repairs.  Topics included: repairing the IIgs
keyboard, soldering techniques, customizing the ZIP-GS accelerator,
repairing the IIgs RGB monitor,  robotics,  hacking the Disk II drive, and
others.  The monitor repair session was most impressive:  Five or six dead
monitors were brought to the hardware-hacking room, and expert
solder-slingers Doug Pendleton and Dave Ciotti restored each to life by
replacing specific faulty components.  Users were cautioned about monitor
hacking because dangerous high voltages lurk near the picture tube and
particular circuits.  The monitor session was illuminating because
technicians routinely will not let users watch while repairs are done.

       Tony Diaz (Alltech Electronics) showed a legendary computer --- the
"Mark Twain" prototype of an advanced IIgs.  It featured an internal hard
drive, extra RAM, and an internal 3.5" drive.  This computer was never
released, but several prototypes survived.  He also showed other hardware
gems, such as a double-decker Unidisk 3.5 --- two drives towerized in a
single case.  Also shown was the Amdek 400K 3" floppy, which preceded the
3.5" floppy but which failed to gain popularity.




                              SOFTWARE SESSIONS

       Many attenders are programmers, so software was highlighted.
Multiple presentations were given on the IIgs toolbox, Appleworks
ultramacros, Applesoft basic, Spectrum, desktop interfaces, Netscape
(graphical web browser), Wolfenstein 3-D, publishing, diagnostics,
hypercard, etc.

       The premier software presentation was given by Cindy Adams and
David
Kerwood, who served as beta-testers for Gus, a software IIgs emulator for
the Mac Power-PC.  (The software will not run on earlier Macs).  Gus is
merely a 3.5" disk, which when loaded into the power-PC, turns the Mac
into
a IIgs!  The demos, as well as the distributed docs, were really
impressive.
Gus's finder performed just like a IIgs.  This demo provoked much
discussion --- some felt that Gus provides a viable pathway to IIgs
portability, because compact Power-PC laptops are already available.
Others
expressed serious concern that Gus will hasten the demise of the IIgs by
luring users to a different platform.




                                SOCIAL EVENTS

       There were plenty of opportunities to meet new friends --- while
living in the dorm, sharing meals, and having informal discussions.
During
evenings, some played "bite the bag" in the dorm lobbies.  Following the
banquet dinner on Friday night, Joe Kohn (editor of SHAREWARE SOLUTIONS II
newsletter) was publicly "roasted" by his friends, who each spoke a few
minutes about Joe's shortcomings and eccentricities.  The roast differed
from internet "flaming" because of its friendly good-natured tone.  Joe
Kohn, more than any other, is admired by KFest attenders --- he is the
leader of our computing world.




                   EARLY PLANNING TO ATTEND KANSASFEST '97

       KFest will be held in July 1997, again at Avila College.  For many
readers, the high cost ($375 for late registrants; price includes food and
dorm room, travel costs are extra) discourages attendance.  But costs can
be
minimized by careful advance planning.  First, preregister early!  A $50
"early bird" discount is given to attenders who mail their fees prior to a
late-March deadline date.  Second, during the winter, propose to make a
presentation --- speakers are given a partial reduction (typically $50) of
the conference fee.  Third, schedule your vacation dates so that you can
attend the entire KFest meeting, beginning on Wednesday.  Costs seem more
reasonable if the entire four-day conference is attended.  Fourth, if
arriving by plane, arrange with others to share rides from/to the airport,
located 46 miles from the Avila College site.

       Plan to stay at the college dorm.  No motels were seen within
walking
distance of the campus.  If you stay elsewhere, conference costs are
discounted only by $100 but you will miss out on informal dorm room
computing as well as mealtime conversation.

       If arriving by car, bring at least one computing system to set up
in
your dorm room; an extra system (even a IIc or IIe) could be lent
temporarily to others during the conference.  Rooms have phone jacks for
possible internet activity, local Kansas City phone numbers for Genie and
SprintNet are given in the eight page KFest program.




                             OVERALL REFLECTIONS

       KansasFest was a very satisfying experience.  Much was learned
which
would be difficult to gain solely from print or from internet postings.
Demos were seen of new products, hardware hacking techniques, creative
software applications, etc.  Face-to-face meetings with Apple celebrities
and loyalists were great --- one is reminded that there are real people
behind the internet signatures!  Expert advice was quickly had through
conversations with experts; the exchange of internet messages seems slow,
by
comparison.  Emotionally, it was uplifting to meet others who share our
devotion to our Apple II platform.

       At the beginning of this article , KFest was compared to the
Islamic
Hadj.  But that metaphor is faulty, because once the pilgrimage has been
made, the devout Muslim feels no compulsion to repeat the sacred journey.
KFest is different --- having attended once stirs one's interest and
resolve
to return again next year and thereafter!




                                  FOOTNOTE

        To register for KansasFest '97, write to: Tim Kellers,  Kellers'
Auto Electric,  P.O. Box 391,  Brielle, NJ  08730  (phone: 908-775-0371;
e-mail: kellers@genie.com).  To contact the author, write to: Stephen
Buggie, Univ. of New Mexico-Gallup,  200 College Rd.,  Gallup, NM 87301
(buggie@unm.edu).