Tom Turley: Banned from Attending K-Fest '97

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

                      "DR. TOM" TURLEY HAS BEEN BANNED FROM ATTENDING K-FEST 1997
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Charles "Dr. Tom" Turley is holds the undisputed title of most unpopular person in the A2 world.  His 
past sins included pirating of current software, and sector-editing software.  Those activities were 
done in the distant past.  He has apologized to those whom he offended or injured.

I attended Kansasfest 1996 and urge others to attend this year.  I wrote a positive report on last year's 
event (KansasFest Pilgrimage, II ALIVE, Fall 1996 issue).

At my urging, Tom Turley applied to attend this year's K-Fest, and he was turned down, on the grounds 
that his unpopularity would make him a controversial disruptive presence at the event.

I am upset by the ban against his attendance.  Turley knows that he's unpopular, yet he has the courage 
to attend.  He also has the potential to make various positive contributions to KFest ---- He is very 
knowledgeable about hardware and software, and has been the first to know about new products not yet 
released.  He is a close personal friend of our founder, Steve Wozniak  (Tom got the 'Woz to autograph 
one of my business cards for me!).

Its upsetting that the KFest ban against Turley appears to be a special rule directed against him only; 
like a law made retroactive and to apply against one person.  If attenders must meet particular 
standards to attend K-Fest, then the standards should be publicized in advance.  Behavioral standards 
should be applied to actions done after the standards have been set.

I disagree that Turley is likely to be disruptive.  In November last year, I attended an academic 
meeting in San Francisco and invited Turley to meet me.  He visited at my hotel room for 2-3 hours, and 
we had a fine conversation about our shared interests focused on the Apple II.  None of his actions were 
disruptive or even impolite.  If other attenders were to act aggressively towards Turley at K-Fest, then 
THEY are the disruptors, not mild-mannered Dr. Tom!

At KansasFest, about half the attenders are "old-timers" who attend annually, and half are newcomers, as 
I was last year.  As a newcomer, I'd like to meet as many of the Apple II celebrities as possible.  Tom, 
despite his noteriety, is one of those celebrities.  Let's let him attend!

I can't attend myself this year, due to financial reasons.  I expect my finances to improve in '98 and 
will make a strong effort to attend this year.  Readers should attend KFest '97 regardless of the 
outcome of the Turley banning.  But I urge the planning committee to reconsider the earlier decision 
about Dr. Tom.

Finally, Tom's finances are limited and the travel costs discourage him from attending KFest.  If the 
organizing committee reconsiders its decision, I'd pledge a contribution of $15 towards his travel costs. 

Steve Buggie		buggie@unm.edu