Need To Know 2002-06-07

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__ __ _2002-06-07 _ _____ _ __ | \/ (_)_ __ (_) \ | |_ _| |/ / o Join! mail an empty message to | |\/| | | '_ \| | \| | | | | ' / o ntknow-subscribe@lists.ntk.net | | | | | | | | | |\ | | | | . \ o Website (+ archive) lives at: |_| |_|_|_| |_|_|_| \_| |_| |_|\_\ o http://www.ntk.net/ [ So, at last: the Gathering begins. But before it does *somebody* has to cut all the crusts off the sandwiches. That somebody is us. While we run insanely around trying to track down four-way adaptors, Pringles canisters, stockpiles of Cipro, additional branches of the Dyson family, and enough cola to cause an army of sloths to (successfully) invade Columbia, we'll leave you this timetable for XCOM 2002. If you never hear from us again, consider this our final will and testament. And do come. We can't predict what will happen, but we'll say this: these days you can't get this much chaos for three quid outside Chechnya. ] It's a technology trade show with a difference... ...a medieval version of eBay ...a summer festival for those of us whose idea of a good time is sitting indoors hunched over a PC with the curtains drawn. It's... EXTREME COMPUTING The NTK/Mute Festival Of Inappropriate Technology 11am-7pm, Sunday June 9th 2002 The Camden Centre, London (opposite Kings Cross station) http://www.xcom2002.com/ and it's all only THREE POUNDS to get in. THAT SPEAKER PROGRAMME IN FULL (Lineup may be subject to alteration, cybernetic or otherwise.) (...and don't get us started on the exhibitors - MAME cabinets, wireless networking workshops, Meet The Register/TVGoHome etc - full list now at: http://www.xcom2002.com/stalls.php ) 11am-11.50am: Attention Deficit Cinema - take a seat and make yourself (un)comfortable with these all- too-brief screenings and snippets presented by TV's Ben Moor. 11.55am-noon: Keynote - "Sex Dummy": a startling view of how the future used to look, presented by 1980s electropop icon Gary Le Strange. 12noon-12.50pm: Salute to 20 Years Of The ZX Spectrum, featuring: Nigel Alderton, author of the original "Chuckie Egg"* John Hollis, author of "Meteor Storm" and "Time Gate" Sandy White, author of "3D Ant Attack" Paul Holmes, author of the Spectrum versions of "Wild West Hero", "Robotron" and "Machine Code Made Easy, Volume Two" plus Building Your Own From Readily Available Parts and adopting and importing an Eastern European clone Hosted by: ZDNet raconteur (and Spectrum 128 ROM programmer) Rupert Goodwins. 1pm-1.20pm: Circuit Bending with John "Meteor Storm" Hollis Mr Hollis remains on stage for an introduction to the art of getting amazing new sounds from battery-powered electronic musical instruments, also known as "Circuit bending". Learn to tell the difference between a simple R/C timer and a ceramic resonator clock, among other useful skills. Features live demonstrations and voided warranties galore. 1.30pm-1.50pm: Paul Granjon, Z Lab Just to prove we're not completely obsessed with the Spectrum, BBC Micro-using artifical life artist Paul Granjon describes just some of his astonishing creations, hopefully including "The cybernetic parrot sausage", "The fluffy tamagotchi", plus robotHead and dog robot Toutou. 2pm-3pm: When Science Fiction Becomes Science Fact - And Then Becomes Science Fiction Again - top authors discuss the interface between real-world research and popular sci-fi, featuring Tom Standage on the 18th century chess-playing "automaton" which inspired Charles Babbage to build a real computer, and George and Freeman Dyson on the top-secret 1950s project to find a peaceful use for US nuclear weapons - propelling a 40-man spacecraft to the moons of Saturn. Introduced by: cyberpunk author Pat Cadigan. 3pm-3.30pm: Break and "lightning presentations" 3.30pm: Extreme Raffle draw. 3.35pm-4.20pm: In Defence of Weblogs - grassroots content management systems of the future, or just a load of self- obsessed secret diaries of Adrian Mole? Featuring: Neil McIntosh, Deputy Editor, Guardian Online Ben Hammersley, the Gbloogle [sic] search engine Tom Coates, winner, Best European Weblog 2002 4.30pm-5.20pm: The Gagpipe Debate: "The greater the money, the less the funny?" - is it possible to make money out of online comedy sites, and are there any pitfalls of doing so? Charlie Brooker of TV Go Home, Paul Carr of The Friday Thing, and Lester and Kieren of The Rockall Times discuss their experiences in the field, with "contributions" of some kind from Idiotica.co.uk, TV Cream, Henry Raddick, Disappointment.com, Herd Of Sheep, NoiseMonkey Dotcock, and Tachyon TV. Chaired by: Drew Cullen, The Register. 5.30pm-6pm: Break and "lightning presentations" 6pm-7pm: "A little less conversation, a little more action: How you can help preserve fair-use rights in digital media" The DMCA. The EUCD. The CBDTPA. Why they are bad and what you can do about them. Featuring: Cory Doctorow, EFF The Campaign for Digital Rights The Dorkbot London 12v orchestra Hosted by Dave Green and Dan O'Brien, NTK. Obviously these won't take up the full 8-hour duration of the event - gaps will be filled by Perl-conference-style "lightning presentations" from anyone who wants to do a few minutes on any relevant subject (eg: people who've got stalls explaining what they're doing, for a start). Fancy a more "intimate" discussion with some of the speakers (or just want to see the EFF's Cory Doctorow in two places at the same time)? Then we firmly advise you to "Take It Outside": http://www.haddock.org/takeitoutside/xcom2002/ WHERE IS IT? The venue is The Camden Centre just across the road from London's Kings Cross station (and, confusingly, nowhere near Camden). There are some parking spaces nearby but they might go fairly quickly, so it's easier to get there by tube or train (unless you've got lots to carry, obviously). There's a bit more information about the venue (and a map) at: http://www.xcom2002.com/venue.php WHAT SHOULD YOU BRING? Plenty of cash - exhibitors might not accept credit cards A carrier bag - the geekiest one wins a (small) prize A supermarket loyalty card, if you want to swap - more info at: http://www.xcom2002.com/press020530.php A pen - as at previous NTK events, you'll be encouraged to wear your domain (the bit after the @ in your email address) on a sticker, so people can try and guess who you are Any interesting retro gadget - to be valued by our Antiques Geekshow (NTK stand, 12noon-3pm - probably best to stick with items you can easily carry on your person, as there aren't any lockers or anything; it's not a swimming pool...) Any (working) technology you'd like to sell - via our experimental "bring and buy" stall. Though, once again, please be sensible about what you bring (or buy, for that matter) >> SMALL PRINT << Need to Know is a useful and interesting UK digest of things that happened last week or might happen next week. You can read it on Friday afternoon or print it out then take it home if you have nothing better to do. It is compiled by NTK from stuff they get sent. Registered at the Post Office as "normal service will be resumed as soon as deemed legal" http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_2030000/2030966.stm NEED TO KNOW THEY STOLE OUR REVOLUTION. NOW WE'RE STEALING IT BACK. Archive - http://www.ntk.net/ Unsubscribe? Mail ntknow-unsubscribe@lists.ntk.net Subscribe? Mail ntknow-subscribe@lists.ntk.net NTK is supported by UNFORTU.NET, and by you: http://www.xcom2002.com/ (K) 2002 Special Projects. Copying is fine, but include URL: http://www.ntk.net/ Tips, news and gossip to tips@spesh.com All communication is for publication, unless you beg. Press releases from naive PR people to pr@spesh.com Remember: Your work email may be monitored if sending sensitive material. Sending >500KB attachments is forbidden by the Geneva Convention. Your country may be at risk if you fail to comply.